Shadowtype
Private, on-device ghost-text autocomplete for every Mac app.
Tagline
Type faster. Keep it local.
The first system-wide ghost-text layer for Mac.
The Grammarly alternative that never leaves your machine.
One local model for typing, scripts, and agents.
The first system-wide, on-device ghost-text layer for macOS.
This is the cleanest category claim in the product: it is not a chat app or a writing app, it sits at the caret everywhere on Mac and behaves like native spell-check-style assistance.
The Grammarly/Apple Intelligence alternative that never ships your text to the cloud.
The page explicitly compares against Grammarly, ChatGPT Plus, and Apple Intelligence, and the privacy/offline story is materially different because completion and rewrite happen locally.
Pay once for the writing tool you use every day.
The one-time license and five-Mac coverage are central to the pricing page and create a sharp anti-subscription contrast versus Grammarly and ChatGPT Plus.
Primary user
Mac-based knowledge worker who writes all day across Slack, Mail, Notes, browser fields, and docs
ICP #1
Privacy-conscious founder or operator at a small SaaS company using a MacBook
Pain
They constantly draft customer replies, internal updates, and product notes in tools like Slack and Gmail, but hate pasting sensitive text into cloud AI tools.
Why this solves
Shadowtype keeps completions on-device, works inside the app they already use, and avoids the copy-paste workflow that makes cloud assistants awkward and risky.
ICP #2
Mac-using developer who already runs Claude Code, terminal scripts, and local models
Pain
They want one local model for both typing assistance and agentic workflows, but existing tools are split across separate apps and cloud APIs.
Why this solves
Shadowtype exposes a localhost OpenAI-compatible endpoint and MCP bridge, so the same on-device model can power autocomplete, scripts, and editor/agent workflows without keys or cloud calls.
ICP #3
Consultant, executive assistant, or customer support lead who writes in mixed-formality contexts all day
Pain
They need to switch tone constantly—casual in Slack, formal in email, concise in internal docs—without rethinking phrasing every time.
Why this solves
Shadowtype’s per-app/domain controls, style profile, and inline rewrite options let them bias completions by context instead of manually prompting a chat window.
Strengths
- +The core value prop is immediately legible: ghost-text completion in any Mac app, on-device, offline, no account.
- +The pricing contrast is strong and memorable; the page weaponizes subscription fatigue with concrete five-year cost comparisons.
- +The demo-style explanations and shortcut callouts make the product feel tangible rather than abstract.
Weaknesses
- −The page is trying to sell to three audiences at once: privacy buyers, writers, and developers. That makes the narrative crowded and dilutes the main use case.
- −The feature list is impressive but reads like a spec sheet; it needs sharper prioritization around the 2-3 killer workflows that actually drive purchase.
- −The copy leans heavily on privacy and pricing, but it underplays the practical productivity gain versus just using Apple Writing Tools or Grammarly in day-to-day writing.
- −There are too many product surface areas exposed too early: models, OCR, clipboard, MCP, API, rewrite, autocorrect. It feels powerful but slightly intimidating.
- −Some claims depend on technical trust signals, but the page doesn’t do enough to show real-world proof beyond latency numbers and the offline demo.
Fix these
- Split the landing page into two paths: one for everyday writers/professionals and one for developers/power users using API/MCP/BYOM.
- Lead with a single hero workflow, such as 'draft faster in Slack and Mail without leaving the app,' before introducing the broader model stack.
- Add more visual before/after examples from real scenarios like support replies, exec emails, and meeting follow-ups to prove usefulness beyond the technical demo.
- Compress the feature dump into a hierarchy: core experience, privacy guarantees, then advanced Pro/developer features.
- Create a clearer comparison block against Apple Intelligence specifically, since that is the most obvious native alternative for Mac users.
Drop-in replacement copy
Headline
Autocomplete in every Mac app.
Private, on-device ghost text that stays offline and accepts with a keystroke.
Write faster without leaving the app
Shadowtype sits at the caret in Slack, Mail, Notes, browsers, and docs. You keep your context, your flow, and your hands on the keyboard.
Keep sensitive text on your Mac
Completions run locally on Apple Silicon and work offline. Nothing leaves your machine, so you’re not pasting private drafts into a cloud service first.
Control tone by app and domain
Set rules for Slack, Gmail, internal docs, or any other context you use all day. Add rewrite, personalization, and style cues without rebuilding your prompt every time.
Use one local model everywhere
Shadowtype can expose a localhost OpenAI-compatible API and MCP bridge for developer workflows. The same local model can help you type, script, and build.
FAQ
Does Shadowtype send my text to the cloud?
No. Completion runs on-device on Apple Silicon, offline, with no account and no telemetry for keystrokes.
Which Mac apps does it work in?
It works system-wide in most text fields across native apps and browser inputs. If you can type there, Shadowtype is meant to help.
How do I accept a suggestion?
Press Tab for the next word or Option-Tab for the full line. Option-Command-K rewrites selected text.
Is this for writers or developers?
Both, but the main use case is everyday Mac writing. Developers get extra value from the local API and MCP support.
Do I need a subscription?
No. Shadowtype is a one-time license, built for people who are tired of renting tools they use all day.
Shadowtype is live. Private, on-device ghost-text autocomplete for every Mac app. Tab accepts the next word. Option-Tab accepts the whole line. Nothing leaves your machine. Built for people who write all day.
Most AI writing tools rent. We sell. Shadowtype runs a local LLM on Apple Silicon and works offline in any Mac text field. No account. No telemetry. No keystrokes sent to the cloud. Pay once. Use it every day.
I was tired of pasting text into chat windows just to finish one sentence. So I built Shadowtype: system-wide ghost text for Mac that sits at the caret and completes right where you type. It feels like spellcheck, but useful.
Apple Silicon finally makes local autocomplete feel normal. Shadowtype runs llama.cpp + Metal on-device, so completions happen without the cloud roundtrip. That matters more than people think when you type in Slack, Mail, Notes, and docs all day.
Cloud AI is awkward for private text. You copy, paste, prompt, wait, then paste back. Shadowtype removes that whole ritual. It writes in-place, stays offline, and never ships your keystrokes anywhere.
Grammarly still feels like a detour. Shadowtype is different: it lives at the caret in every Mac app, accepts with Tab, and rewrites selected text with one shortcut. Less context switching. Less friction.
Demo idea: Start a Slack message. Type the first clause. Shadowtype ghosts the rest. Tap Tab to accept the next word. Tap Option-Tab to take the full line. It feels weirdly natural after 5 minutes.
Offline AI should be boring. Open Mail. Disconnect Wi‑Fi. Keep typing. Shadowtype still completes text because inference happens locally on your Mac. That’s the product. Privacy is not a mode. It’s the default.
Five Macs. One license. That pricing alone has gotten the strongest response so far. People are done paying subscriptions for a writing tool they use every day. Shadowtype is the opposite: buy it once, keep it forever.
Developers kept asking for localhost. So Shadowtype now exposes an OpenAI-compatible API on localhost plus MCP support. Same local model. Typing help in apps. Agent workflows in your tools. No keys. No cloud dependency.
Angle: privacy-first productivity for knowledge workers
Most AI writing tools make you leave the app. That’s the problem. If you write all day in Slack, Mail, Notes, docs, and browser fields, the copy/paste loop is the tax nobody talks about. It’s slow. It breaks flow. And for sensitive text, it’s uncomfortable. I built Shadowtype because I wanted autocomplete that lives where the cursor lives. It runs on-device on Apple Silicon. It works offline. It never sends keystrokes to the cloud. Tab accepts the next word. Option-Tab accepts the whole line. Option-Command-K rewrites selected text. The interesting part is not the model. It’s the workflow. You stay inside the app. You keep context. You move faster without handing your draft to another service first. If you write customer replies, internal updates, or exec notes on a Mac, I think this is the shape the tool should have had from the start.
Angle: developer and power-user angle with local API/MCP
A lot of local AI tools are split into two worlds: 1. typing help in one app 2. agent workflows in another That split always felt wrong to me. If you already trust a local model on your machine, why should it only live in one UI? Shadowtype exposes a localhost OpenAI-compatible API and MCP bridge, so the same on-device model can power inline completion, scripts, editor workflows, and developer tools. That means one local setup instead of three different products. One model. One privacy boundary. One place to improve the experience. For me, that’s the real win. Autocomplete is the front door. Local API access is what makes the product useful all day, not just when you’re typing in a text box. I’m especially curious what developers would actually build on top of this if the endpoint and MCP surface were dead simple. If you’re running local models already, I’d love to hear where the workflow still breaks.
Angle: subscription fatigue and category positioning
There’s a quiet thing happening in software right now: People are getting sick of renting tools for basic daily work. Writing is a perfect example. You do it every day. You don’t want another monthly bill just to finish sentences faster. Shadowtype is my answer to that. It’s a one-time license for system-wide ghost-text on Mac. It works in every app. It runs locally. It keeps your text on your machine. The category matters here. This is not a chat app. It’s not a document editor. It’s a layer at the caret. That’s why I think the best comparison is not “AI assistant.” It’s more like spellcheck for the LLM era, except private and actually useful. I’d rather sell one tool people keep open every day than chase another subscription badge. If you’re on a Mac and write for work, I’d love feedback on whether this feels obvious or weird. Those two reactions are both useful.
No visuals for this kit yet.
Tagline
Private ghost-text autocomplete for Mac
Description
Shadowtype adds system-wide ghost-text autocomplete to every Mac app. It runs locally on Apple Silicon, works offline, and keeps your text on your machine. Tab to accept, Option-Tab for full lines, plus rewrite, rules, and local API support.
Maker's first comment
I built Shadowtype because I was tired of the same workflow over and over: copy text out of Slack, Mail, Notes, or a browser field, paste it into some AI tool, wait, then paste it back. That might be fine for public text, but it’s a bad default for the stuff most people actually write all day. Shadowtype is my attempt to make AI writing feel native on the Mac. It lives at the caret, not in a separate chat window. It runs locally on Apple Silicon with llama.cpp + Metal, works offline, and never sends keystrokes to the cloud. The goal was simple: make autocomplete feel like part of the operating system, not another app you have to remember to open. I’m launching this because I want to see if other people feel the same friction. If you write in Slack, Mail, support tools, docs, or browser fields all day, I’d love to know where it feels instantly useful and where it still gets in the way.
Pinned maker comment
I’d love feedback on the core workflow first: does system-wide ghost text feel more useful than a separate AI writing app? Also curious which surface matters most to you — privacy/offline, per-app rules, or the local API/MCP path.
Meta
Still copying private text into ChatGPT?
Hypothesis: Mac-based founders and operators will pay for a local writing tool that keeps sensitive text on-device. Shadowtype completes text inside any Mac app, works offline, and never sends keystrokes to the cloud.
Google Search
Mac autocomplete that stays offline
Hypothesis: people searching for Grammarly alternatives and Apple Intelligence alternatives want a local, system-wide option. Shadowtype adds ghost-text autocomplete to every Mac app with on-device inference and no account required.
Reddit Promoted
I got tired of paste-into-AI workflows
Hypothesis: indie hackers, support leads, and Mac power users will respond to a one-time purchase for private autocomplete. Shadowtype runs locally on Apple Silicon, works in any text field, and includes rewrite plus localhost API support.
Subreddits
r/SideProject
Show the product as a real build with a short demo GIF and the exact problem: writing everywhere on Mac without copy/paste into cloud AI.
Rules: Share what you built and what you learned; keep self-promo honest; engagement matters more than a sales pitch.
r/indiehackers
Write about the pricing decision, one-time license vs subscription, and why local AI for daily writing is a better business than another SaaS bill.
Rules: Must be founder-focused and include lessons; avoid pure promotion; comment back with details.
r/macapps
Position it as a Mac utility: system-wide ghost text, offline, Apple Silicon, shortcut-driven, built for people who live in native apps.
Rules: App posts should be specific, useful, and not spammy; include screenshots or a video; explain what makes it different.
r/macsysadmin
Lead with the privacy and local-inference angle for teams handling sensitive text on managed Macs.
Rules: Stay technical and practical; no hype; explain deployment, permissions, and data flow clearly.
r/privacy
Focus on the promise that nothing leaves the machine and why that matters for everyday writing, not just enterprise security.
Rules: Privacy claims must be concrete; be ready to answer how data is processed and stored; avoid marketing fluff.
Communities
Post the build story, pricing experiment, and monthly lessons. Comment on other founders' launches daily so your own post doesn't feel like a drive-by.
Share a technical post about local inference on macOS, not a sales page. Lead with the engineering problem and be ready for hard questions.
Join as a user first, then share a short demo in the context of Mac workflows, keyboard shortcuts, and privacy. People there respect tools that remove friction.
The Indie 커뮤니티? No
Do not use made-up communities; focus on real channels where Mac and indie founders already discuss workflows. In practice, that means recurring participation in Indie Hackers, Hacker News, and Mac-focused forums.
Cold outreach template
Hey {firstName} — saw your {context} and thought of Shadowtype. It’s private, on-device ghost-text autocomplete for Mac, so you can draft inside Slack/Mail/Docs without pasting text into a cloud AI. If you’re open, I’d love to give you a free license and hear where it helps or falls short.
Product Hunt timing
Launch on Tuesday at 12:01am Pacific Time. That gives you a full weekday for momentum, catches US morning traffic, and fits Mac/indie founders who browse PH early while Europe is still awake. Tuesday tends to be strong for launch velocity without the weekend noise.
Indie Hackers post ideas
- 01I shipped a one-time purchase local AI writing tool instead of another subscription
- 02What I learned building system-wide autocomplete for macOS with llama.cpp + Metal
- 03Why privacy-first products are easier to explain than they are to build
Competitor alternatives
Current tone of voice
Opinionated, privacy-first, and slightly contrarian, with lines like “Most AI writing tools rent. We sell.” and “Nothing ever leaves your machine.”
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