Free trial
A free tier provides 10 messages per month with no credit card required, which functions as a limited trial rather than a time-boxed one.
Learn moreReadyrunner
Desktop GPT chat with a prompt library, scratchpad and document Q&A
Intermediate API
What is Readyrunner?
ReadyRunner is a desktop and web ChatGPT client with three chat modes (assistant, ScratchPad editing pane, document Q&A), a reusable system prompt library, a global hotkey and explicit memory controls.
ReadyRunner is a ChatGPT-based assistant that installs as a desktop application for Mac and Windows, with a web version at app.readyrunner.ai. It is built around the premise that a general chat window is not enough for daily work, so it ships three distinct chat modes. Assistant chat is the conventional back and forth conversation, but with system prompts you can save and reuse. ScratchPad places an editable text pane beside the chat, so you can ask about a passage or request edits and watch them land in the document itself, which works for code as well as prose. Document Chat accepts long or complex files, has the model read them, and lets you jump to the passages it drew on so you can verify the answer rather than trust it. The desktop client is the main differentiator. A configurable global hotkey pulls ReadyRunner in front of whatever application you are using, so a question does not cost you a context switch. Prompts are sent as system messages through the ChatGPT API, which is a capability the standard ChatGPT website does not expose, and the app includes a prompt library organized around jobs such as translation, summarizing, debugging and character work. Smaller touches show attention to long sessions: messages stream downward from the top of the window, memory is shown explicitly with dots so you can see which turns are in context, a broom button clears that context, the composer expands for multi-line input, and a model switcher toggles between GPT-3 and GPT-4 even mid-conversation. It suits developers, writers and researchers who already know how to prompt a language model and want that workflow available system-wide. Because you bring your own API key, you pay OpenAI for tokens directly and ReadyRunner for the client. Anyone expecting a bundled subscription with no key handling should look at a hosted chat product instead.
How do you use Readyrunner?
1Install the desktop app or open the web client
Download the Mac or Windows build, or start the browser version if you would rather not install anything. The desktop build is what unlocks the global hotkey.
2Choose between a plan and your own API key
The free tier gives 10 messages per month without a card. Decide whether to keep going on the free allowance, attach an OpenAI key, or move to a paid plan.
3Set a global hotkey
Assign a keyboard shortcut in the desktop app so ReadyRunner appears over the current window. This is the main reason to use the desktop version rather than the site.4Load a system prompt from the library
Pick or write a system prompt for the task at hand, such as translation, summarizing or debugging. Prompts act as small tools that steer every reply in the session.
5Try the ScratchPad for editing work
Open the ScratchPad, paste code or text, and ask for revisions. The assistant works against the pane beside the chat rather than only producing chat output.
6Add a document and query it
Switch to Document Chat, attach a long file, and ask questions. Use the view option to check the source passages before relying on an answer.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Global hotkey brings the assistant up over any application, avoiding workflow interruptionsAI
- ScratchPad lets the model edit text or code in a side pane you controlAI
- Document Chat links answers back to the relevant passages for verificationAI
- System prompts and a prompt library allow reusable, purpose-built assistantsAI
- Bring-your-own-key option plus traditional plans gives pricing flexibilityAI
Cons
- Free tier is limited to 10 messages per month, which is barely enough to evaluate itAI
- Bring-your-own-key mode means handling an OpenAI key and paying token costs separatelyAI
- Only GPT-3 and GPT-4 are offered, so there is no access to newer or rival modelsAI
- The system prompt approach rewards users who understand prompt design, and beginners may get little from itAI
How much does Readyrunner cost?
Pricing
Three routes are listed: a free tier with 10 messages per month and no credit card, a bring-your-own OpenAI API key setup where you cover token costs, and traditional paid plans. No plan prices are published on the homepage.
Learn moreIntegrations
The only stated integration is the OpenAI API through a personal API key. No other third party connections are described on the homepage.
Features
Three chat modes (standard assistant chat, ScratchPad for collaborative editing of text and code, and Document Chat for querying long files), a customizable system prompt library, global hotkey access on desktop, top-down message streaming, explicit memory indicators with a clear button, an expanding multi-line composer with message history, and a GPT-3 to GPT-4 switcher that works mid-conversation.
Learn moreFrequently asked questions about Readyrunner
How much does Readyrunner cost?
Three routes are listed: a free tier with 10 messages per month and no credit card, a bring-your-own OpenAI API key setup where you cover token costs, and traditional paid plans. No plan prices are published on the homepage.Does Readyrunner offer a free trial?
A free tier provides 10 messages per month with no credit card required, which functions as a limited trial rather than a time-boxed one.Does Readyrunner have an API?
Yes, Readyrunner offers an API.How do you use Readyrunner?
The walkthrough on this page covers 6 steps: 1. Install the desktop app or open the web client 2. Choose between a plan and your own API key 3. Set a global hotkey 4. Load a system prompt from the library 5. Try the ScratchPad for editing work 6. Add a document and query it.What platforms does Readyrunner support?
Readyrunner is available on Web App, MacOS and Windows.What does Readyrunner integrate with?
The only stated integration is the OpenAI API through a personal API key. No other third party connections are described on the homepage.
Status
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Added10/22/2026
Platforms
Web AppMacOSWindows
Pricing
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