What is the main difference between Shadowtype and Apple Intelligence?

Apple Intelligence is free and built into macOS, but its Writing Tools work by transforming text you select (proofread, rewrite, tone, summarize) rather than predicting as you type. Shadowtype adds true continuous inline ghost-text prediction in any app and guarantees every feature runs 100% on-device with no network.

Isn't macOS inline predictive text the same as Apple Intelligence?

No — they are two different features. Inline predictive text is the short-range grey suggestion that shipped in macOS Sonoma, finishes the current word or a few words, and works mainly in Apple's own apps. Apple Intelligence is the separate Writing Tools feature (Proofread, Rewrite, tone, Summarize) that transforms selected text. Neither gives iOS-keyboard-style continuous ghost prediction in every text field.

Is Apple Intelligence fully on-device?

Not always. Apple runs some requests on-device, but Writing Tools can route larger tasks to Private Cloud Compute — Apple's servers — and the optional ChatGPT extension leaves the device entirely. Shadowtype guarantees zero network for text completion: it works fully offline.

What hardware does each one need?

Apple Intelligence requires Apple Silicon (M1 or newer) and macOS 15.1 Sequoia or later. Shadowtype also needs Apple Silicon but runs on macOS 14, so it works on Macs a full OS version before Apple Intelligence is available.

Comparison · Shadowtype vs Apple Intelligence

Shadowtype vs Apple Intelligence:
real inline autocomplete, not just rewrite.

Apple Intelligence is free and built right into macOS — credit where it’s due. But its Writing Tools only transform text you’ve selected, and they can route to Apple’s cloud. Shadowtype does the thing Apple doesn’t: continuous inline ghost-text that predicts your next words in any app, fully on-device, with Tab to accept.

Download Shadowtype free Become a Founder — $39

Inline prediction in any app
100% on-device
Works offline
Runs on macOS 14

The honest comparison

Side by side

Apple Intelligence is free, built-in, and good at what it does. This isn’t about price — it’s about a focused tool that nails continuous inline prediction and guarantees everything stays local. Where Apple is limited or cloud-assisted, we say so plainly.

Capability	Shadowtype	Apple Intelligence
Continuous inline ghost-text in any app	Yes	Select-to-rewrite only
Short-range inline predictive text	Multi-sentence	Apple apps only
Selection rewrite (tone / shorten / proofread)	⌥⌘K	Writing Tools
Guaranteed 100% on-device · zero network	Yes	May use Private Cloud Compute
Works fully offline	Yes	Cloud tasks need a connection
Model choice (Gemma 4 / Qwen3.5 GGUF)	Yes	Fixed model
Per-app instructions & personalization	Yes	Fixed tone presets
Minimum macOS version	macOS 14	macOS 15.1+
Hardware	Apple Silicon	Apple Silicon (M1+)
Pricing	$79 once · free 100 words/day	Free · built in

Figures reflect Apple’s public docs and Shadowtype’s pricing as of June 2026. Apple Intelligence is a strong free feature — this page is about which trade-offs fit how you write.

Why people add Shadowtype

Built-in is great. Inline-and-local is the gap.

Real inline prediction, everywhere

Apple’s inline predictive text finishes the current word in its own apps; Writing Tools only act on text you’ve already selected. Shadowtype predicts whole sentences ahead as ghost text in any field — Slack, your IDE, the browser, anywhere you type.

Guaranteed local — no cloud asterisk

Apple Intelligence can hand bigger tasks to Private Cloud Compute, and ChatGPT integration leaves the device entirely. Shadowtype sends nothing over the network for completion — it’s on-device by design and works on a plane.

Your model, your Mac, sooner

Pick Gemma 4 or Qwen3.5 and tune tone per app — instead of fixed presets you can’t change. And because Shadowtype runs on macOS 14, you get it a full OS version before Apple Intelligence’s 15.1 requirement.

Questions

Shadowtype vs Apple Intelligence FAQ

Aren’t inline predictive text and Apple Intelligence the same thing?

No, they’re two separate features. Inline predictive text is the short grey suggestion that arrived in macOS Sonoma — it finishes the current word or a few words and mostly works in Apple’s own apps (Notes, Mail, Messages, Pages). Apple Intelligence is the newer Writing Tools layer (Proofread, Rewrite, tone, Summarize) that transforms text you select. Neither gives you continuous iOS-keyboard-style ghost prediction in every text field — that’s what Shadowtype adds.

If Apple Intelligence is free, why pay for Shadowtype?

Because they do different jobs. Apple Intelligence is excellent for rewriting selected text for free. Shadowtype is a focused tool for the thing Apple doesn’t do: continuous inline prediction in any app, guaranteed 100% on-device, with model choice and per-app tuning. Many people run both.

Is Apple Intelligence really not fully on-device?

Apple runs many requests on-device, but Writing Tools can route larger tasks to Private Cloud Compute — Apple’s own servers — and the optional ChatGPT extension goes off-device entirely. Shadowtype guarantees zero network for completion, so nothing leaves your Mac even if you’re offline.

Do they run on the same Macs?

Both require Apple Silicon. The difference is the OS: Apple Intelligence needs macOS 15.1 Sequoia or later, while Shadowtype runs on macOS 14 — so it works on supported Macs a full OS version earlier.

Ready when you are

Add the inline autocomplete Apple left out.

Download Shadowtype free, accept your first predicted sentence with Tab, and keep everything on your Mac.

Download for macOS Become a Founder — $39

Inline in any app
100% on-device
Works offline
Model choice
14-day refund

Shadowtype vs Apple Intelligence:real inline autocomplete, not just rewrite.