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Utilities · head to head

BetterTouchTool vs Starbucks

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
Starbucks logo

Starbucks

Utilities

Starbucks mobile ordering, payment and Starbucks Rewards loyalty app

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Starbucks 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.; Starbucks loading a prepaid balance onto the app effectively lends Starbucks money interest-free until it is spent, and Starbucks has reported billions of dollars in unredeemed stored value outstanding at any time.
  • They diverge on capability: BetterTouchTool covers Gesture customisation, Starbucks covers Mobile order and pay.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BetterTouchTool and Starbucks actually diverge.

Attributes where BetterTouchTool and Starbucks differ
AttributeBetterTouchToolStarbucks
Starting price$12/one-timeFree
Pricing modelOne-time purchaseFree app, revenue from prepaid stored value and purchases
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsMaciOS, Android

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 Starbucks

  • Mobile order and pay
  • Starbucks Rewards
  • Stored value card
  • Personalised offers
  • Delivery integration
  • Order customisation

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

Starbucks

  • A regular customer wanting to order ahead and skip the in-store queuenot BetterTouchTool
  • Someone accumulating Rewards Stars toward free drinks through routine purchasesnot BetterTouchTool
  • A customer who prefers paying with a preloaded balance instead of a card at each purchasenot BetterTouchTool
  • Someone wanting personalised offers based on their usual ordernot 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.

Starbucks

  • Loading a prepaid balance onto the app effectively lends Starbucks money interest-free until it is spent, and Starbucks has reported billions of dollars in unredeemed stored value outstanding at any time.
  • Mobile order pickup often creates its own bottleneck at busy stores, so the convenience of skipping the register queue can be offset by waiting at the pickup counter instead.
  • Rewards redemption values and item eligibility change periodically, so accumulated Stars do not have a fixed, predictable cash value over time.
  • The app collects detailed purchase history to power targeted offers, which is the trade for the free loyalty programme rather than a neutral convenience feature.
  • Auto-reload linked to a card can catch users off guard with unexpected small recurring charges if they are not tracking their balance.

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

Starbucks

Free
  • Starbucks RewardsFree
    • Free to join
    • Stars earned per dollar spent
    • No cost beyond purchases made

Which should you pick?

Choose BetterTouchTool if

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

Choose Starbucks if

  • You need mobile order and pay.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
  • You also want starbucks rewards.
Starbucks review

Questions people ask

Is BetterTouchTool or Starbucks better?
Neither clearly leads. BetterTouchTool starts at $12/one-time and Starbucks at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, BetterTouchTool or Starbucks?
Starbucks has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $12/one-time for BetterTouchTool and Free for Starbucks.
Does BetterTouchTool or Starbucks run on more platforms?
BetterTouchTool runs on Mac. Starbucks runs on iOS, Android.
Can I use Starbucks for free?
Yes. Starbucks 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 Starbucks is typically brought in for.
What can BetterTouchTool do that Starbucks cannot?
BetterTouchTool covers Gesture customisation, Keyboard shortcut remapping, Window snapping, Touch Bar customisation. Starbucks covers Mobile order and pay, Starbucks Rewards, Stored value card, Personalised offers.

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.

Starbucks: Does it cost anything to join Starbucks Rewards?

No, joining and using the app is free; you pay only for what you order.

BetterTouchTool: Can I get it without buying it directly?

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

Starbucks: What happens to money loaded onto the app if I stop using Starbucks?

It remains as a stored balance unless redeemed; Starbucks does not pay interest on it and, subject to local law, unredeemed balances can eventually be treated as breakage revenue.

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.

Starbucks: Can I pay without preloading a balance?

Yes, many stores accept direct card or contactless payment without using the app's stored value feature.

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