These tools have fundamentally different trigger models. They solve different problems and can actually work well together.
What is each tool?
- PopClip is a selection-triggered mini popup that appears when you select text, offering quick actions like copy, paste, search, and dictionary lookups.
- Pie Menu is a shortcut-triggered radial menu available anytime via a hotkey, giving you access to any action in any app.
Key Differences
| Feature | PopClip | Pie Menu |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger | Text selection | Hotkey/gesture |
| Text actions | ✅ Specialized | Basic copy/paste |
| App-specific actions | Limited | ✅ Full support |
| Always available | No - requires selection | ✅ Yes |
| Custom extensions | ✅ Yes | Actions system |
Who should choose Pie Menu?
- You want always-available shortcuts that work in any context
- You need app-specific shortcuts that change based on what app you're using
- You work with design tools, video editors, or other apps beyond text editing
- You prefer gestures over selecting text first
- You want to build muscle memory for actions across your entire system
Who should choose PopClip?
- You primarily work with text and need quick text-selection actions
- You want instant dictionary, translation, and search on selection
- You like the popup appearing exactly when you need it
- You don't need shortcuts that work outside of text contexts
- You value a lightweight, focused tool
Can you use both?
Absolutely! These tools have completely different trigger models and solve different problems.
PopClip handles text selection tasks beautifully — look up words, search selected text, copy to specific apps, and more. Pie Menu handles everything else — launching actions, toggling panels, running commands, and any shortcut within any application.
They complement each other perfectly and can run side by side without conflict.
