Test live
Type a pattern and immediately see what it matches in your sample text.
Expressions
A live playground for regular expressions
Test patterns, inspect matches live, save useful expressions, and keep a regex reference close while you work.
One-time purchase for the current major version. No subscription.
Expressions requires macOS 10.11 or newer
Regex work, without browser tabs
Everything you need in one focused Mac app
Keep a library
Save useful expressions, examples, and patterns you want to reuse later.
Stay in context
Use the built-in reference when you need syntax help without leaving the app.
Features
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Minimalistic UIForget about buttons. Just type your pattern and test expression. See the results immediately. -
Syntax highlightingYour pattern looks not only nice, but it's easy to read. -
Reference sheetAlways forgetting regular expression syntax? Just press cmd+r and check out the reference sheet. -
Live previewWhatever you write it works instantly. Type your pattern and see the results. Modify your test expression and check if it still works. -
Expression LibraryApplication lets you to save your expressions, so you can always get back to them. -
Group highlightingExpressions highlight not only text group but it highlights pattern group as well. -
Easy switching between groupsIt's good to see subexpressions. Just press cmd+shift+} or cmd+shift+{. -
Beautiful full screen viewEnter full screen mode and enjoy working with regular expressions. No distractions. Just you and your patterns. -
Multiline patterns and commentsSometimes the pattern is too complex. Just check "Allow whitespaces and comments" option and split your pattern into smaller parts. Add some comments if you like. -
Dark and light modeIt's great to have dark interface. But sometimes you just want to have a fresh look. Change your interface to Light. It still looks amazing.
What People Are Saying?
Expressions is an easy to use, functional and also very nice looking regex tester. No more fiddly web versions ;-)
(...) It's a sumptuous, minimalistic, don't-make-me-think app I use to evaluate regular expressions (regex).(...) Expressions the most Mac-like of any of the regex apps I've used. In fact, after I close Expressions and go back to my Mac's desktop, my desktop feels a little shabby.(...)
Expressions is a definitely great tool for regex. It’s so simple, elegant and gorgeous that I don’t want to use any other else.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is Expressions private?Yes. Expressions is private by design. We do not collect usage analytics, telemetry, or the text and patterns you work with. Everything you type in the app stays on your Mac.
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Why does my old license not work?As of Expressions 1.3.5, we changed the license system. You can get a new license number for free. Read more.
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What regex standard does the app use?Expressions uses ICU regular expressions. This is the regex standard used by Apple frameworks.
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One-time payment or subscription?Website and Mac App Store purchases are one-time payments for the current major version. Expressions is also available on Setapp through Setapp’s subscription.
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Does one-time payment apply to Expressions 1.x only?Yes. An Expressions 1 license includes Expressions 1.x updates. A future Expressions 2 release may be a paid upgrade.
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Minimum system requirements?macOS 10.11 or newer
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Does Expressions support Apple Silicon?Yes. Expressions supports both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.
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Can I try it before buying?Yes. You can download the trial before buying if you want to test your workflow first.
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Do you offer student discount?Yes. Student discount is available through Student App Centre.