Stable, notarized, signed
Cotabby is beta software (latest v0.4.2-beta). Shadowtype ships as a notarized, signed release you can install with confidence — and it’s free and open source, so you can read the code and file issues too.
Comparison · Shadowtype vs Cotabby
Shadowtype vs Cotabby:
Shadowtype vs Cotabby:
a finished product, or an open-source beta.
The short answer: Shadowtype and Cotabby both run a local LLM on Apple Silicon for system-wide ghost-text autocomplete, fully offline and account-free, and both are free and open source. Cotabby is AGPL-3.0 but currently beta (v0.4.2) and requires Screen Recording. Shadowtype is a stable, notarized release with a homegrown auto-updater, no daily cap, and optional (not required) screen access.
If you don’t mind beta software, Cotabby is genuinely great. Shadowtype’s case is for people who want a polished, notarized, finished release — also free and open source.
The honest comparison
How is Shadowtype different from Cotabby?
Where they tie, we say so — both are private, local, offline, and account-free. Cotabby wins on price and openness; Shadowtype wins on being a polished, supported, notarized release with optional (not required) screen access.
| Capability | Shadowtype | Cotabby |
|---|---|---|
| System-wide inline ghost-text completion | Yes | Yes |
| On-device LLM · offline · no account | Yes | Yes |
| Tab-to-accept word / whole line | Yes | Yes |
| Open source (AGPL-3.0) | No | Yes |
| Custom GGUF model import | Curated catalog | Yes |
| Apple Foundation Models engine | No | Yes (macOS 26+) |
| Per-app instructions & personalization | Yes | Length presets only |
| Selection rewrite (⌥⌘K, on-device) | Yes | Completion only |
| Local API + MCP server (OpenAI-compatible) | Yes | No |
| Screen Recording permission | Optional | Required |
| Release maturity | Stable · notarized | Beta (v0.4.2) |
| Support | Dedicated email | GitHub issues |
| Pricing model | Free & open source | Free · AGPL |
| Requirements | macOS 14+ · Apple Silicon | macOS 15+ · Apple Silicon |
Why people pick Shadowtype
Same local autocomplete. A finished product.
Screen access is optional
Cotabby requires Accessibility, Input Monitoring and Screen Recording for its visual context. Shadowtype needs only Accessibility and Input Monitoring; screen-aware OCR context is opt-in, so you can run it without ever granting Screen Recording.
Personalization & selection rewrite
Beyond completion, Shadowtype adds per-app instructions, a personalization style profile, and on-device selection rewrite with ⌥⌘K. Cotabby focuses on ghost-text completion with length presets.
Local API + MCP for developers
An OpenAI-compatible HTTP endpoint runs on 127.0.0.1 so your scripts, editors, and agents can call the same on-device model — no key, no cloud. A built-in MCP bridge plugs into Claude Code and other MCP clients, and the BYOM picker loads any GGUF.
Questions
Shadowtype vs Cotabby FAQ
They’re both free — why pick Shadowtype?
Both are free and open source, so it comes down to maturity. Cotabby is still beta and needs Screen Recording. Shadowtype is a stable, notarized release with a homegrown auto-updater, no daily cap, optional screen access, and a curated tuned-model catalog.
Is Cotabby on-device and private too?
Yes. Cotabby runs local GGUF models via llama.cpp (and optionally Apple’s Foundation Models on macOS 26+), works offline after download, uses no account or servers, and states it has no telemetry. On the local-and-private axis it’s very similar to Shadowtype.
Can I import my own GGUF model into Shadowtype?
Shadowtype ships a curated catalog of tuned Gemma and Qwen GGUF models rather than arbitrary custom-model import. If importing any GGUF you like is a hard requirement, Cotabby supports that and Shadowtype doesn’t.
What permissions and macOS version do they need?
Cotabby requires Accessibility, Input Monitoring, and Screen Recording, and runs on macOS 15+. Shadowtype requires Accessibility and Input Monitoring (Screen Recording is optional) and runs on macOS 14+. Both want Apple Silicon.
Can my own scripts, editors, and agents use the same local model?
Yes. Shadowtype exposes an OpenAI-compatible HTTP endpoint on
127.0.0.1 with no key required, so your terminal, editor plugins, and AI agents can call /v1/chat/completions against the same on-device model. A built-in MCP server plugs into Claude Code and other MCP clients, and the BYOM picker loads any GGUF you drop in. Everything is bound to localhost — nothing leaves your Mac. Cotabby doesn’t offer a local API or MCP server.
Ready when you are
Try the polished local autocomplete.
Download Shadowtype free, accept your first word with Tab — a finished, notarized product, free and open source.
- Free forever
- Notarized release
- No account
- No subscription
- Open source