FastKeys vs Lightning Assist
FastKeys
fastkeysautomation.com
Lightning Assist
lightning-assist.comSide by side
| Figure | FastKeys | Lightning Assist |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $29/mo | $2.99/mo |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 5 | 3 |
| Spec score · Text Expansion Software | 8.0 (#18) | 8.2 (#11) |
| Integrations | Professional includes Grid, Excel, Calc, and Mail functions, and documentation describes using Microsoft Outlook to send mail automatically. | The maker says snippets work in apps including Gmail, Slack, Zendesk, Outlook, Word, Notion, VS Code, Cursor and terminal applications. |
| Offline use | The Enterprise page says FastKeys works fully offline without an internet connection. | The maker says its native desktop app works offline. |
| Product | FastKeys is a Windows automation tool and text expander for creating abbreviations, start menus, shortcuts, and commands. | Lightning Assist is a desktop text expander that expands short triggers into snippets inline across desktop apps. |
| Support | Support for registered users is offered through email, video tutorials, and a community forum. | The pricing page offers Company plan support over chat and Zoom; its FAQ also describes support tickets and Discord community support. |
Plans
FastKeys
- Personal$29 a month
- Personal$29, paid once
- Professional$39 a month
- Professional$39, paid once
- EnterprisePriced on request
In their own words
FastKeys
FastKeys has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
Lightning Assist
Lightning Assist is a desktop text expander for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It turns short triggers into snippets inside desktop applications, including Gmail, Slack, Zendesk, Outlook, Word, Notion, VS Code, Cursor, and terminal apps. AI Commands can rewrite, summarize, or fix text with a hotkey, while AI Enhance rewrites selected text in place. Push-to-talk voice typing transcribes speech at the cursor and is available on the free tier using Speech Credits. Pro includes Lightning Recall, which suggests a saved snippet based on the phrase being typed and runs on the user's device. The maker says the native app works offline, keystrokes stay on-device, and synced snippet content is encrypted in transit and at rest. Free accounts allow up to 20 snippets and five snippets per import; Pro supports unlimited snippets and imports and up to 15 teams. The pricing page lists Pro at $5.99 per user per month as its paid-from price and also shows $2.99 per month with code LIFETIME50, described as 50% off monthly. A 14-day trial is offered.