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Utilities · head to head

BetterTouchTool vs Sedaru

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
Sedaru logo

Sedaru

Utilities

Water utility asset management and field operations built on top of Esri ArcGIS

From
On request
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.; Sedaru the Esri dependency is absolute: an ArcGIS licence is a separate and substantial cost outside the Sedaru contract, and utilities without ArcGIS must buy into that platform before Sedaru is even usable.
  • They diverge on capability: BetterTouchTool covers Gesture customisation, Sedaru covers Esri-native asset model.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BetterTouchTool and Sedaru actually diverge.

Attributes where BetterTouchTool and Sedaru differ
AttributeBetterTouchToolSedaru
Starting price$12/one-timeOn request
Pricing modelOne-time purchasequote
PlatformsMacWeb, iOS, Android, Cloud

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Sedaru

  • Esri-native asset model
  • Field crew mobile
  • Hydraulic model integration
  • SCADA alarm context
  • Capital planning
  • Customer service linkage

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

Sedaru

  • A water utility whose crews already work from ArcGIS maps and that wants work orders on the same map rather than in a separate CMMSnot BetterTouchTool
  • A wastewater authority prioritising collection system renewal by risk and condition rather than by age alonenot BetterTouchTool
  • Giving field crews offline access to network asset data and work history in areas with no mobile coveragenot BetterTouchTool
  • A utility trying to connect SCADA alarms to the physical assets and recent work that explain them, instead of reading alarms in isolationnot 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.

Sedaru

  • The Esri dependency is absolute: an ArcGIS licence is a separate and substantial cost outside the Sedaru contract, and utilities without ArcGIS must buy into that platform before Sedaru is even usable.
  • Sedaru inherits GIS data quality, so a utility with an incomplete or stale geodatabase discovers the gaps in front of field crews rather than fixing them, and the data remediation project is not in the Sedaru quote.
  • The North American water focus means limited relevance and limited implementation support outside that market, particularly for utilities operating under European or Australian regulatory reporting requirements.
  • Nothing is published on price and the product is sold within a large corporate portfolio, so a small utility has little basis for judging whether the quoted subscription is competitive.
  • It is a water and wastewater product; a municipality wanting one asset system across water, roads, parks and facilities will need a broader public works platform alongside it.

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

Sedaru

On request
  • Sedaru$undefined/year
    • Subscription sized on utility scale and module selection
    • Esri ArcGIS licence required and purchased separately from Esri
    • Implementation and GIS data preparation quoted as services

Which should you pick?

Choose BetterTouchTool if

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

Choose Sedaru if

  • You need esri-native asset model.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Cloud.
  • You also want field crew mobile.
Sedaru review

Questions people ask

Is BetterTouchTool or Sedaru better?
Neither clearly leads. BetterTouchTool starts at $12/one-time and Sedaru at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, BetterTouchTool or Sedaru?
BetterTouchTool starts at $12/one-time and Sedaru at On request.
Does BetterTouchTool or Sedaru run on more platforms?
BetterTouchTool runs on Mac. Sedaru runs on Web, iOS, Android, Cloud.
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 Sedaru is typically brought in for.
What can BetterTouchTool do that Sedaru cannot?
BetterTouchTool covers Gesture customisation, Keyboard shortcut remapping, Window snapping, Touch Bar customisation. Sedaru covers Esri-native asset model, Field crew mobile, Hydraulic model integration, SCADA alarm context.

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.

Sedaru: Do I need Esri ArcGIS to use Sedaru?

Yes. Sedaru is built on the ArcGIS geodatabase and the Esri licence is a separate purchase from Esri, not part of the Sedaru subscription.

BetterTouchTool: Can I get it without buying it directly?

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

Sedaru: Who owns Sedaru?

Aquatic Informatics, which is part of Veralto, the water quality group spun out of Danaher in 2023.

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.

Sedaru: Does Sedaru replace a CMMS?

For water network assets, largely yes. For plant equipment and facilities maintenance many utilities still run a separate CMMS.

Sedaru: Is pricing published?

No. Subscriptions are sized on the utility and quoted, with implementation and data preparation charged as services.

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