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Utilities · head to head

BetterTouchTool vs Find My

BetterTouchTool logo

BetterTouchTool

Utilities

Mac gesture, shortcut and automation customisation tool sold as a one-time licence with a lifetime tier

From
$12/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Find My logo

Find My

Utilities

Apple's built-in app for locating devices, AirTags and shared people locations

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Find My has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: BetterTouchTool the preferences interface has hundreds of settings across many tabs, so getting one custom gesture working can take longer than with a dedicated single-purpose app.; Find My it only works within Apple's own device and accessory ecosystem, so it cannot locate Android phones or non-Apple trackers.
  • They diverge on capability: BetterTouchTool covers Gesture customisation, Find My covers Device location.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BetterTouchTool and Find My actually diverge.

Attributes where BetterTouchTool and Find My differ
AttributeBetterTouchToolFind My
Starting price$12/one-timeFree
Pricing modelOne-time purchaseFree, built into Apple hardware and iCloud
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsMaciOS, macOS

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Utilities).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in BetterTouchTool

  • Gesture customisation
  • Keyboard shortcut remapping
  • Window snapping
  • Touch Bar customisation
  • Scripted actions
  • Floating menus and widgets

Only in Find My

  • Device location
  • Lost Mode and remote erase
  • AirTag and Find My network tracking
  • People sharing
  • Unknown tracker alerts
  • Offline finding

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

BetterTouchTool

  • A power user who wants every trackpad gesture and shortcut on the machine remapped to a specific actionnot Find My
  • Someone with accessibility needs who benefits from remapping input devices away from default behaviournot Find My
  • A user who wants window snapping bundled with much broader system customisation rather than a single-purpose appnot Find My
  • Someone already on a Setapp subscription who wants BetterTouchTool included rather than purchased separatelynot Find My

Find My

  • Locating a lost or stolen iPhone, iPad or Mac and remotely locking or erasing itnot BetterTouchTool
  • Tracking an AirTag attached to keys, a bag or luggagenot BetterTouchTool
  • Sharing live location with family members who have mutually agreed to share backnot BetterTouchTool
  • Getting an alert if an unknown tracker appears to be travelling with you unexpectedlynot BetterTouchTool

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

BetterTouchTool

  • The preferences interface has hundreds of settings across many tabs, so getting one custom gesture working can take longer than with a dedicated single-purpose app.
  • The Standard Licence stops receiving updates after two years unless renewed or upgraded to Lifetime, which is easy to miss and can leave a user on an outdated build.
  • It is Mac only, offering nothing for a Windows machine in a mixed household.
  • Because it can intercept almost any input, misconfiguration can make gestures or shortcuts behave unpredictably across different apps, which takes time to debug.
  • It overlaps in function with several single-purpose tools such as Rectangle for windows or Karabiner-Elements for key remapping, so a new user has to decide whether they want one broad tool or several focused ones.

Find My

  • It only works within Apple's own device and accessory ecosystem, so it cannot locate Android phones or non-Apple trackers.
  • People location sharing requires both parties to have Apple devices and an iCloud account, which limits it in mixed-platform families or groups.
  • AirTags and the Find My network have been documented as a stalking tool when hidden on a person or vehicle without their knowledge, and while Apple has added unknown-tracker alerts, the underlying misuse risk is real and has prompted lawsuits and product changes over time.
  • Remote erase on a lost device is permanent and cannot be undone if the device is later recovered, so users need to be certain before using it.
  • It depends on other nearby Apple devices for offline location via the Find My network, so location accuracy in areas with few Apple device users nearby can be poor.

Pricing, plan by plan

BetterTouchTool

$12/one-time
  • Standard Licence$12/one-time
    • Free updates for two years
    • App keeps working on the last version after that
    • Single user licence
  • Lifetime Licence$24/one-time
    • Free updates for as long as the app exists
    • Single user licence
    • Also available bundled through Setapp

Find My

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Included with every Apple device and iCloud account
    • No subscription tier

Which should you pick?

Choose BetterTouchTool if

  • You need gesture customisation.
  • You work on Mac.
  • You also want keyboard shortcut remapping.
BetterTouchTool review

Choose Find My if

  • You need device location.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, macOS.
  • You also want lost mode and remote erase.
Find My review

Questions people ask

Is BetterTouchTool or Find My better?
Neither clearly leads. BetterTouchTool starts at $12/one-time and Find My at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, BetterTouchTool or Find My?
Find My has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $12/one-time for BetterTouchTool and Free for Find My.
Does BetterTouchTool or Find My run on more platforms?
BetterTouchTool runs on Mac. Find My runs on iOS, macOS.
Can I use Find My for free?
Yes. Find My has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. BetterTouchTool starts at $12/one-time.
What is BetterTouchTool best used for?
BetterTouchTool is most often used for a power user who wants every trackpad gesture and shortcut on the machine remapped to a specific action, someone with accessibility needs who benefits from remapping input devices away from default behaviour, a user who wants window snapping bundled with much broader system customisation rather than a single-purpose app, someone already on a setapp subscription who wants bettertouchtool included rather than purchased separately. Of those, a power user who wants every trackpad gesture and shortcut on the machine remapped to a specific action and someone with accessibility needs who benefits from remapping input devices away from default behaviour are not what Find My is typically brought in for.
What can BetterTouchTool do that Find My cannot?
BetterTouchTool covers Gesture customisation, Keyboard shortcut remapping, Window snapping, Touch Bar customisation. Find My covers Device location, Lost Mode and remote erase, AirTag and Find My network tracking, People sharing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

BetterTouchTool: Is BetterTouchTool a subscription?

No. It is a one-time purchase, either a Standard Licence with two years of updates or a Lifetime Licence with updates indefinitely.

Find My: Does Find My cost anything?

No, it is free and built into every Apple device with an iCloud account.

BetterTouchTool: Can I get it without buying it directly?

Yes, it is included in the Setapp subscription bundle alongside other Mac utilities.

Find My: Can someone track my location without my consent?

Not through the People feature, which requires mutual opt-in, though hidden AirTags placed without consent are a documented separate misuse case Apple has added alerts to detect.

BetterTouchTool: Does it replace Rectangle or Karabiner-Elements?

It can cover much of what both do, since it includes window snapping and key remapping, but each of those apps is more focused on its single job.

Find My: Is this the same as Find My Kids?

No, Find My Kids is an unrelated third party family location tracking app, not made by Apple.

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