MindMac vs ReadyRunner
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. MindMac starts at $29 one-time and ReadyRunner starts at $8/mo. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Inline mode in any app
- 150+ prompt templates
- OpenAI, Azure and Gemini support
- Customizable parameters and shortcuts
- Native macOS app
- Assistant chat
- ScratchPad
- Document chat
- Prompt library
- Bring your own API key
| Feature | MindMac | ReadyRunner |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Native Mac client for ChatGPT, Gemini and other models | Desktop and web ChatGPT client with scratchpad and document chat |
| Category | Chat assistants | Chat assistants |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | $29 one-time | $8/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | MindMac | ReadyRunner |
| Based in | – | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
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Pricing compared
MindMac starts at $29 one-time and ReadyRunner starts at $8/mo. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
3 plans
Basic
$29 one-time
- 1 macOS device
- All features
- 1 year of updates
Personal
$49 one-time
- 2 macOS devices
- All features
- Most popular
Standard
$69 one-time
- 3 macOS devices
- Professional use
- All features
4 plans
Free
Free
- 10 messages a month
- No card needed
Dev
$8/mo
- Bring your own API key
Plus
$12/mo
- 150 GPT-3.5 messages
- 50 GPT-4 messages
Pro
$19/mo
- 1,000 messages
Prices in USD, checked Oct 29, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
MindMac
- Pay once, use forever
- Works inside any Mac app
- Supports several model providers
- Requires your own API key and API costs
- Mac only
- Updates beyond one year need a new license
ReadyRunner
- Bring-your-own-key option keeps costs low
- Scratchpad is handy for editing code
- Works as desktop and web app
- Site only mentions GPT-3 and GPT-4
- Free tier is 10 messages a month
- Message limits on Plus and Pro plans
Which one should you choose?
Choose MindMac if you want:
- Pay once, use forever
- Works inside any Mac app
- Supports several model providers
Watch out: requires your own api key and api costs.
Choose ReadyRunner if you want:
- Bring-your-own-key option keeps costs low
- Scratchpad is handy for editing code
- Works as desktop and web app
Watch out: site only mentions gpt-3 and gpt-4.
MindMac vs ReadyRunner FAQ
What is the difference between MindMac and ReadyRunner?
MindMac: Native Mac client for ChatGPT, Gemini and other models. ReadyRunner: Desktop and web ChatGPT client with scratchpad and document chat. Both are chat assistants tools.
Is MindMac or ReadyRunner cheaper?
MindMac starts at $29 one-time and ReadyRunner starts at $8/mo. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do MindMac and ReadyRunner have free plans?
MindMac: Yes. ReadyRunner: Yes.
Who makes MindMac?
MindMac is made by MindMac.
Who makes ReadyRunner?
ReadyRunner is made by ReadyRunner.
Which should I choose, MindMac or ReadyRunner?
Choose MindMac if you value pay once, use forever and works inside any mac app. Choose ReadyRunner if you value bring-your-own-key option keeps costs low and scratchpad is handy for editing code.