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Utilities · head to head

BetterTouchTool vs Hazel

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
Hazel logo

Hazel

Utilities

Rule-based file organisation for macOS that watches folders and automatically files, renames or deletes

From
$42/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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.; Hazel there is no free tier, only a 14-day trial, so the full 42 dollar cost is a real barrier for a casual user just wanting one simple rule.
  • They diverge on capability: BetterTouchTool covers Gesture customisation, Hazel covers Folder watching.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BetterTouchTool and Hazel actually diverge.

Attributes where BetterTouchTool and Hazel differ
AttributeBetterTouchToolHazel
Starting price$12/one-time$42/one-time

Identical on both: pricing model (One-time purchase), free tier (No), platforms (Mac), 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 Hazel

  • Folder watching
  • Conditional actions
  • Content-based matching
  • Duplicate detection
  • Trash auto-empty
  • App Sweep

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 Hazel
  • Someone with accessibility needs who benefits from remapping input devices away from default behaviournot Hazel
  • A user who wants window snapping bundled with much broader system customisation rather than a single-purpose appnot Hazel
  • Someone already on a Setapp subscription who wants BetterTouchTool included rather than purchased separatelynot Hazel

Hazel

  • A freelancer who wants invoices and receipts auto-filed into client folders based on the text inside themnot BetterTouchTool
  • Anyone whose Downloads folder becomes unmanageable and wants files auto-sorted by type or agenot BetterTouchTool
  • A photographer who wants imported files renamed by date pattern and moved to a project folder automaticallynot BetterTouchTool
  • A user who wants old files in a scratch folder auto-deleted after a set number of days without remembering to clear it manuallynot 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.

Hazel

  • There is no free tier, only a 14-day trial, so the full 42 dollar cost is a real barrier for a casual user just wanting one simple rule.
  • Rules are entirely hand-built, so the tool provides no value until a user invests time writing and testing conditions.
  • A misconfigured rule can silently move, rename or delete the wrong files, and mistakes are only obvious after the fact unless tested carefully first.
  • It is Mac only, so it does nothing for a Windows machine sharing the same file workflow.
  • It focuses purely on file automation, so a user also wanting window management, clipboard history or gesture control needs entirely separate tools.

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

Hazel

$42/one-time
  • Single User Licence$42/one-time
    • One user, Hazel 6
    • Free updates within the major version
    • 14-day free trial before purchase
  • Family Pack$65/one-time
    • Multiple users covered under one purchase
    • Same feature set as the single licence

Which should you pick?

Choose BetterTouchTool if

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

Choose Hazel if

  • You need folder watching.
  • You work on Mac.
  • You also want conditional actions.
Hazel review

Questions people ask

Is BetterTouchTool or Hazel better?
Neither clearly leads. BetterTouchTool starts at $12/one-time and Hazel at $42/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, BetterTouchTool or Hazel?
BetterTouchTool starts at $12/one-time and Hazel at $42/one-time.
Does BetterTouchTool or Hazel run on more platforms?
Both run on Mac, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
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 Hazel is typically brought in for.
What can BetterTouchTool do that Hazel cannot?
BetterTouchTool covers Gesture customisation, Keyboard shortcut remapping, Window snapping, Touch Bar customisation. Hazel covers Folder watching, Conditional actions, Content-based matching, Duplicate detection.

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.

Hazel: Is Hazel a subscription?

No. It is a one-time purchase per major version, currently 42 US dollars for a single user licence.

BetterTouchTool: Can I get it without buying it directly?

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

Hazel: Can Hazel read the content of files, not just names?

Yes, rules can match on text found inside supported file types such as PDFs and text documents.

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.

Hazel: Does Hazel run in the background automatically?

Yes, it watches configured folders continuously and applies rules as files change, with no manual trigger needed.

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