AI Actions vs Essential
Side-by-side comparison · Updated April 2026
| Description | The AI Actions app offers powerful AI-related actions (including GPT-4o, GPT-4, and GPT 3.5) for Apple's Shortcuts app, facilitating interaction with the ChatGPT API. It requires users to supply their own OpenAI API key, which is securely stored in the keychain. The app is optimized for macOS, but requires an Apple silicon Mac for the App Store version, due to Apple's restrictions. A non-App Store version is available for Intel Mac users, although it doesn't receive automatic updates. The app also supports DALL·E and boasts enhanced customizability and longer text handling compared to the official ChatGPT app. | Essential is an open-source MacOS app designed primarily for developers, acting as a co-pilot for their screen. The app uses Computer Vision and OpenAI's advanced language models to monitor and understand the user's screen content, providing real-time troubleshooting and memory aids. It keeps track of the last 5 minutes of screen activity and offers contextual fixes for errors, build failures, and stacktraces without needing to copy-paste error messages. More features are expected to be developed. |
| Category | AI Assistant | DeveloperApplication |
| Rating | No reviews | No reviews |
| Pricing | N/A | N/A |
| Starting Price | N/A | N/A |
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| Tags | AIChatGPTShortcutsmacOSIntelligent Assistant | MacOSopen-sourcedevelopersComputer VisionOpenAI |
| Features | ||
| Supports GPT-4o, GPT-4, and GPT 3.5 | ||
| Integration with ChatGPT API | ||
| Secure API key storage in keychain | ||
| Apple silicon Mac optimized | ||
| Non-App Store version available for Intel Macs | ||
| Supports DALL·E | ||
| Longer text processing | ||
| Customizability options for power users | ||
| Enhanced AI functionalities on macOS | ||
| No automatic updates for non-App Store version | ||
| Real-time error troubleshooting | ||
| Screen activity monitoring | ||
| Contextual error fixing | ||
| Memory aid for workflows | ||
| Integration with IDEs and terminals | ||
| Open-source and free | ||
| Uses Computer Vision | ||
| Powered by OpenAI's language models | ||
| Tracks last 5 minutes of screen | ||
| User-friendly and developer-focused | ||
| View AI Actions | View Essential | |
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