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Utilities · head to head

BetterTouchTool vs Karabiner-Elements

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
Karabiner-Elements logo

Karabiner-Elements

Utilities

Free open source keyboard remapper for macOS, working at driver level before the OS sees a keystroke

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Karabiner-Elements 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.; Karabiner-Elements it requires granting significant system-level permissions, including input monitoring, which some security-conscious users are reluctant to allow.
  • They diverge on capability: BetterTouchTool covers Gesture customisation, Karabiner-Elements covers Low-level key remapping.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BetterTouchTool and Karabiner-Elements actually diverge.

Attributes where BetterTouchTool and Karabiner-Elements differ
AttributeBetterTouchToolKarabiner-Elements
Starting price$12/one-timeFree
Pricing modelOne-time purchaseOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes

Identical on both: 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 Karabiner-Elements

  • Low-level key remapping
  • Complex modifications
  • Per-app and per-device rules
  • Complex modification rule library
  • Simple modifications GUI
  • Apple Silicon native

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

Karabiner-Elements

  • A developer who wants to remap Caps Lock to Escape or Control and needs tap versus hold behaviournot BetterTouchTool
  • Someone switching from a Windows or Linux keyboard layout who wants familiar modifier positions on a Macnot BetterTouchTool
  • A user with an accessibility need around key repeat rate or modifier key behaviour that macOS settings cannot covernot BetterTouchTool
  • Anyone who wants serious keyboard customisation without paying for BetterTouchTool or a similar all-in-one toolnot 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.

Karabiner-Elements

  • It requires granting significant system-level permissions, including input monitoring, which some security-conscious users are reluctant to allow.
  • Writing custom complex modification rules by hand means editing JSON, which is a real barrier for a non-technical user without the community rule library.
  • It only remaps keyboard input, so a user who also wants gesture or window management customisation needs a second tool such as BetterTouchTool or Rectangle.
  • Being an unpaid open source project, support depends on GitHub issues and community forums rather than a vendor support desk with guaranteed response times.
  • It is Mac only, so it does nothing for remapping needs on a Windows or Linux machine in the same household.

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

Karabiner-Elements

Free
  • Karabiner-ElementsFree
    • Free and open source under the MIT licence
    • Full functionality with no paid tier
    • Optional donation via GitHub Sponsors or PayPal

Which should you pick?

Choose BetterTouchTool if

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

Choose Karabiner-Elements if

  • You need low-level key remapping.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mac.
  • You also want complex modifications.
Karabiner-Elements review

Questions people ask

Is BetterTouchTool or Karabiner-Elements better?
Neither clearly leads. BetterTouchTool starts at $12/one-time and Karabiner-Elements at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, BetterTouchTool or Karabiner-Elements?
Karabiner-Elements has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $12/one-time for BetterTouchTool and Free for Karabiner-Elements.
Does BetterTouchTool or Karabiner-Elements run on more platforms?
Both run on Mac, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Karabiner-Elements for free?
Yes. Karabiner-Elements 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 Karabiner-Elements is typically brought in for.
What can BetterTouchTool do that Karabiner-Elements cannot?
BetterTouchTool covers Gesture customisation, Keyboard shortcut remapping, Window snapping, Touch Bar customisation. Karabiner-Elements covers Low-level key remapping, Complex modifications, Per-app and per-device rules, Complex modification rule library.

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.

Karabiner-Elements: Is Karabiner-Elements really free?

Yes, entirely. It is open source under the MIT licence with no paid tier, though the project accepts voluntary donations.

BetterTouchTool: Can I get it without buying it directly?

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

Karabiner-Elements: Does it work on Apple Silicon Macs?

Yes, versions from 14 onward run natively on M1 through M4 chips.

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.

Karabiner-Elements: Do I need to write JSON to use it?

Not necessarily. Simple key swaps use a GUI, and complex modifications can be imported from a public community rule library instead of writing rules by hand.

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