BetterTouchTool alternatives, and what replaces it on Windows

What is BetterTouchTool, and is it any good? (checked 3 November 2026)

BetterTouchTool is a Mac app from folivora.ai. It maps your mouse, trackpad, Magic Mouse and keyboard to actions, and it goes deeper than most tools on this page. We make mouzeclick, one of the alternatives below, and we say plainly where something else is the better pick.

The home page lists 600+ triggers across every input device and 600+ built-in actions. For a mouse, that means multi-button chords, button + scroll and modifier + button. In folivora's words, it also gives full Logitech control with no extra drivers. Its own examples:

• Button 4 + left click opens a new tab.
• Button 4 + drag left or right switches Space. Button 4 + drag up or down zooms in or out.
• Button 3 + scroll changes the volume.
• Right button + a drawn heart, or any custom shape, adds to favorites.
• A left click on a Dock icon toggles between activating and hiding the app.
• Scrolling is smooth and trackpad-like, with scroll modifiers.

The downloads page lists trackpad, Magic Mouse and normal mouse gestures. Radial menus are circular app and action launchers, opened by a gesture or a long click.

On the keyboard side it does global and per-app hotkeys. It tells left and right modifiers apart, separates short and long presses, runs key sequences and offers a configurable hyper key. BTT Mobile is free to use if you have bought BetterTouchTool.

Price. We did not record a price, licence type or device limit in this check, so this page says “Not published” rather than guess. Check folivora.ai before you buy. The home page quotes reviews labelled “Setapp review”, but in what we read it does not say whether BetterTouchTool is on Setapp.

Our short review: on a Mac with several input devices, it is the broadest tool here. It has two limits. There is no listed Windows version, and the catalogue is more than you need if you only remap two side buttons.

Why do people look for a BetterTouchTool alternative?

There are usually five reasons: you also work on Windows, you want something free, you only used one slice of it, you prefer code, or you need a mouse set up per app for editing.

• Windows. folivora.ai describes a Mac app and lists no Windows build. If you edit on a PC at work and a MacBook at home, at least one side needs something else.
• Cost. AutoHotkey v2, Karabiner-Elements and Raycast cost nothing to use, per their own pages.
• One job. Match each tool to what you actually used:
  • keyboard remaps only: Karabiner-Elements
  • macros: Keyboard Maestro
  • hotkeys and aliases for apps and commands: Raycast
  • mouse buttons: mouzeclick or a dedicated mouse tool (see our SteerMouse alternative page)
• Code over clicks. AutoHotkey and Hammerspoon keep your setup in a script you can read and back up.
• Editing. Editors want Mouse 4 to do one thing in Premiere Pro and another in Chrome, plus a wheel of tools inside the editor. mouzeclick was built for that part.

BetterTouchTool alternatives compared (checked 3 November 2026)

Prices are as each maker's page showed them on 3 November 2026. “Not published” means the pages we checked do not state it.

Is there a BetterTouchTool for Windows?

No, not one that folivora.ai lists. Its pages describe a Mac app and do not mention Windows. On Windows you replace it piece by piece, depending on which part you used:

• Mouse buttons, gestures and wheels per app: mouzeclick runs on Windows 10 and 11, with the same key and price as on a Mac. It is the closest match here to BetterTouchTool's mouse section. Our published facts cover mice, not trackpads.
• Scripting anything: AutoHotkey v2 is free and open source, with hotkeys for mouse, keyboard and joystick.
• Hotkeys and aliases for apps and commands: Raycast for Windows, v2.10.1.0, runs on Windows 10 21H2+ and 11 and installs through WinGet.
• Gestures with StrokesPlus.net: it is discontinued, and its maker points to Input.Observer.

For Windows walkthroughs, see how to remap mouse buttons on Windows 11 and mouse gesture apps for Windows 11. Our X-Mouse Button Control alternative page covers another popular Windows remapper.

Where mouzeclick fits (we make it)

mouzeclick covers the mouse part of BetterTouchTool on a Mac and on Windows: buttons, chords, gestures, macros and wheels. It is one small app in the tray (Windows) or menu bar (Mac). It puts shortcuts, macros, gestures and three wheels on any mouse, per app, with no driver.

What it does with a mouse

• Any mouse. It works with any mouse your computer sees: wired, wireless or Bluetooth. It uses up to five standard buttons (left, right, middle, Mouse 4, Mouse 5) plus scroll and tilt. On first run you press each button once.
• Per-app buttons. Mouse 4 can cut a clip in Premiere, switch tabs in Chrome and paste everywhere else. It changes the moment you switch windows.
• Eleven slots per button: tap, hold and move in four directions, a chord with another button, or hold and scroll. Any button can be the gesture button, and a quick tap still clicks.
• Hotkeys per app. A hotkey can also block a combination an app keeps stealing.
• Macros that chain keys, clicks, waits, typed text and launches.
• Built-in shortcuts. There are 309 on Windows, for Premiere Pro, After Effects, Photoshop, DaVinci Resolve and CapCut. Ready-made wheels come for Premiere Pro, After Effects, DaVinci Resolve, Photoshop and CapCut.

The three wheels

• Options wheel (F8): 48 favourites per app, on three rings of 12, 16 and 20.
• Orbit switch (F9): your open apps as icons, up to 12 on a ring. Rest on one and the wheel shows its windows, or a browser's tabs.
• Tool wheel (F10 or a held right button): Premiere Pro and After Effects only, with 112 and 114 tools.

BetterTouchTool's radial menus are general launchers. mouzeclick's Tool wheel is tied to the two Adobe editors. See our radial menu apps roundup and the guide to Premiere Pro mouse shortcuts.

What it does not do

• Mouse settings. It does not change DPI, polling rate, battery or lighting, and it never touches firmware. Those stay with the maker's software, as the Logitech Options+ alternative page explains.
• Other input devices. Our facts list mice, not trackpads or the Magic Mouse's touch surface, and we list no drawn-shape gestures.
• Offline use. It needs an internet connection while it runs. If the connection drops, shortcuts pause and the mouse acts normally.

Mac and Windows

What runs where. The mouse app, wheels and gestures run on Windows 10 and 11 and on macOS 12 or newer (Apple Silicon and Intel). The After Effects and Premiere Pro workspaces are Windows-only. So are auto, styled and Hinglish captions, Retakes, cloud sync and in-app updates.

Mac setup. Apple has not notarized the Mac app yet, so macOS asks you to allow it the first time. Then you turn it on under Accessibility and Input Monitoring. On a MacBook keyboard the wheels use Fn+F8 and Fn+F9. The four steps are on installing mouzeclick on a Mac. The Windows-only panels are on the workspaces page.

Price: $25 a month, $249 a year, or $499 once for one of the first 100 lifetime keys (see pricing). There is a 3-day trial with no card. One key runs on one computer at a time, Windows or Mac.

Best for: editors who want per-app mouse buttons and wheels on both Windows and Mac.

Is AutoHotkey a good BetterTouchTool alternative on Windows?

Yes, if you are happy to write a script. AutoHotkey v2 is a free, open-source (GNU GPLv2) scripting language for desktop automation. Its homepage names Windows and no other system.

What it does. It defines hotkeys for the mouse and keyboard, remaps keys or buttons, and makes autocorrect-like replacements. It supports hotkeys for keyboard, mouse and joystick, and expands abbreviations as you type (AutoText). The homepage calls it small, fast and ready out of the box. It supports imperative-procedural, object-oriented and command-based programming. Its examples cover hotstrings and hotkeys, the clipboard, a short GUI and arrays.

The trade-off. It is a language. You write your mappings as script instead of picking them from a catalogue like BetterTouchTool's 600+ actions.

Best for: Windows users who want free, total control and don't mind code.

Is Karabiner-Elements a free BetterTouchTool alternative for the keyboard?

Yes, for the keyboard on a Mac. Karabiner-Elements calls itself a powerful and stable keyboard customizer for macOS. It is open source, and you can use it without any purchase.

• Version and system: v16.3.0, for macOS 13 Ventura through 15 Sequoia, 26 Tahoe and 27 Golden Gate. It supports Intel and Apple Silicon.
• Simple modifications: key mappings set from the GUI.
• Complex modifications: predefined rules you import from the internet. They include Diamond cursor, Emacs and Vi key bindings, Prevent unintended command-q and Mouse keys. You can also write your own rules.
• Profiles: the docs cover managing profiles and exporting or importing your configuration.

Key names. Its key code names are HID usage names, close to the physical position on an ANSI keyboard. On a JIS keyboard, @ is open_bracket, and the docs say that is intended.

Control-eject. Control+Eject does not work while it runs; the docs blame macOS. The workaround:

1. Import the “Change escape key” rule.
2. Enable “Change fn+escape to eject”.
3. Press Control+Fn+Escape.

Paying. It is optional: GitHub Sponsors, or a one-time $10 through PayPal. The maker treats that as a donation, taking the form of a software fee because of Japanese law. We don't cover its mouse-button settings here. Our keyboard remapping software roundup compares it with others.

Best for: free keyboard remapping on a Mac.

When is Keyboard Maestro the right BetterTouchTool alternative?

When the job is multi-step automation on a Mac rather than gestures. Keyboard Maestro automates apps or web sites, text or images, on command or on a schedule.

• Price: US$36 one-time for version 11, plus applicable tax, with no subscription. You can use version 11 indefinitely. Upgrading from any earlier version costs US$25 plus tax. Purchases since 1 March 2023 get version 11 free. The page marks both prices with an asterisk it does not explain.
• Trial: offered, but the length and limits are not stated.
• System: macOS 10.13 High Sierra or later, native on Apple Silicon. Windows is not mentioned.
• Actions: hundreds of built-in actions, including flow control, conditions and loops. It can launch apps, rearrange windows, OCR images, keep a clipboard history and fill in web forms.
• Version 11: dozens of new actions, a New Macro Wizard, a keyboardmaestro tool, a Prompt for Snippet action and a Security Settings pane. The page title reads 11.1.1.

The page doesn't describe mouse remapping or gestures, so pair it with a mouse tool if you need those.

Best for: Mac users whose BetterTouchTool setup was mostly long chains of actions.

Can Raycast replace BetterTouchTool?

Only the hotkey part. Raycast is free to download and use, on a Mac and on Windows, and it puts apps and commands behind hotkeys and aliases. Its pages don't present it as a mouse or trackpad tool.

Hotkeys. On both systems you assign hotkeys or aliases to common commands or apps. Translate extensions can have their own custom shortcuts, as its translation category page notes.

Windows. The Windows app is v2.10.1.0 and supports Windows 10 21H2+ and Windows 11, installed through WinGet. Extensions that don't need native code work on both systems out of the box.

Offline use. Most core features work offline. Quick AI, AI Chat and upcoming Windows features such as Cloud Sync need a connection.

Pro. The Pro price and the free-versus-Pro split were not in the pages we checked.

Best for: keyboard-first people who want the same hotkeys and aliases on Mac and Windows.

Is Hammerspoon a BetterTouchTool alternative for people who code?

Yes, if you write Lua. Hammerspoon is a tool for automating macOS that, at its core, bridges the operating system and a Lua scripting engine.

Setup. Out of the box it does nothing. You create a script at ~/.hammerspoon/init.lua using its APIs and standard Lua. To install, download the latest release and drag it to /Applications/. On an older Mac that isn't running a recent macOS, check the release notes for a compatible version.

Spoons. Pre-made plugins called Spoons exist. Extensions can be pure Lua or Objective-C.

What's not published. Its homepage states no price, licence or minimum macOS version, so the table says “Not published”.

Best for: Mac users who would rather keep their setup in one script file.

What about StrokesPlus.net for gestures on Windows?

Don't start with it. StrokesPlus.net is no longer developed or updated, and its successor is Input.Observer.

What's still offered. The final release, 0.5.8.0, is still offered as an installer .exe, a portable .zip and trace builds of each. The forum archive is read-only, and new questions go to the Input.Observer forum.

Moving an existing setup. Input.Observer brings over gestures, hotkeys, app groups and settings. It translates scripts where possible, so a script-heavy setup needs some hand work. Input.Observer's price and supported Windows versions were not in the pages we checked.

Best for: existing users planning a move, not new setups.

Is there a free BetterTouchTool alternative?

Yes. Three tools are free per their own pages on 3 November 2026, and each covers one slice:

• AutoHotkey v2 (Windows): open source under GNU GPLv2. Mouse, keyboard and joystick hotkeys by script.
• Karabiner-Elements (macOS): usable without any purchase. Keyboard remapping with a GUI and rules.
• Raycast (Mac and Windows): free to download and use. Hotkeys and aliases for apps and commands.

Hammerspoon's homepage gives no price, and StrokesPlus.net is discontinued. mouzeclick is not free: it has a 3-day trial with no card, then a paid key.

Where is BetterTouchTool still the better pick?

BetterTouchTool is the better pick if you live on a Mac and use more than a mouse. It leads in six areas:

• Trackpad and Magic Mouse gestures. Its downloads page lists both, next to normal mouse gestures. mouzeclick's published facts cover mice only.
• Drawn shapes. A right button plus a drawn heart, or any custom shape, can be a trigger.
• Logitech control with no extra drivers. mouzeclick uses five standard buttons and leaves device settings to the maker's software.
• macOS touches: Dock icon clicks that toggle an app, switching Spaces with a button and a drag, and smooth, trackpad-like scrolling.
• Keyboard depth in the same app: left/right-aware modifiers, short and long presses, key sequences and a hyper key.
• Breadth: 600+ triggers and 600+ actions, plus BTT Mobile free for buyers.

If that is how you work and you never touch Windows, there is no reason to switch.

How do I choose the right BetterTouchTool alternative?

Start from the part of BetterTouchTool you actually used.

1. Heavy trackpad or Magic Mouse use, Mac only: stay with BetterTouchTool.
2. The mouse part on Windows, or on both systems: mouzeclick. If you want free scripts on Windows, use AutoHotkey.
3. Keyboard remaps on a Mac: Karabiner-Elements.
4. Long macros on a Mac: Keyboard Maestro.
5. Hotkeys and aliases for apps and commands on both: Raycast.
6. Everything in code on a Mac: Hammerspoon.

For more mouse-only tools, see our roundup of mouse button mapping software and the guide to mouse gestures on Mac with any mouse.

Questions people ask

Sources

Checked on 2026-11-03. Prices and features change: each link goes to the maker's own page.

1. BetterTouchTool home page (folivora.ai)
2. BetterTouchTool downloads
3. BetterTouchTool keyboard shortcuts
4. AutoHotkey
5. Karabiner-Elements
6. Karabiner-Elements pricing
7. Karabiner-Elements: symbols with non-ANSI keyboards
8. Karabiner-Elements: control-eject
9. Keyboard Maestro
10. Raycast
11. Raycast for Windows
12. Raycast translation extensions
13. Hammerspoon
14. StrokesPlus.net

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