ChatTab For Mac

We seem to be finding more and more uses for ChatGPT, often while we’re in the middle of something, and switching to the web service, or even a desktop client, requires unwanted context switching.

ChatTab aims to make it easier to access OpenAI’s service at a moment’s notice, via an always-on-top ChatGPT window that can be brought up with a simple hotkey. It offers support for multiple tabs, saved prompts, and iCloud sync, among others.

The app is as simple to use as Spotlight. All you have to do is press ⌥⎵ and the window will pop up on your screen, on top of all other apps. Then, write your prompt, get the answer you need, and just switch to another window to send ChatTab to the background.

Since it’s a native app, and the UI is purposely lightweight, it is very responsive, and there is no delay when using the keyboard shortcut. As an alternative activation method, you can set up a hot corner, allowing you to bring up the window with just cursor movements.

All these features require the Pro version of the app, with the Free version limited to offline use, a single tab, and no saved prompts. The app is very much usable without all of these, and it’s a great lightweight client that uses the OpenAI API, without payment.

Multiple tabs are definitely helpful, as are the prompts you can save and use with a single click. Custom icons can be assigned to each prompt, making them easier to tell apart when you have numerous tabs open at once.

If you want to have access to your prompts wherever you are, the ability to sync them via iCloud is definitely useful as well.

If you don’t necessarily need to use multiple tabs and save prompts, the Starter edition will serve you very well as a basic, lightweight client. If you want the extra features, the paid editions aren’t exactly cheap, but it’s only a one-time purchase, and the additional functionality may end up paying for itself in the long run.