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Utilities · head to head

BetterTouchTool vs WizTree

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
-
WizTree logo

WizTree

Utilities

Windows disk space analyser that reads the NTFS master file table, scanning a drive in seconds

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only WizTree 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.; WizTree it is free for personal use only, so deploying it across company machines without licences is a compliance problem rather than a saving.
  • They diverge on capability: BetterTouchTool covers Gesture customisation, WizTree covers Master file table scanning.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BetterTouchTool and WizTree actually diverge.

Attributes where BetterTouchTool and WizTree differ
AttributeBetterTouchToolWizTree
Starting price$12/one-timeFree
Pricing modelOne-time purchasequote
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsMacWindows

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 WizTree

  • Master file table scanning
  • File list view
  • Treemap
  • Hard link handling
  • Portable version
  • File deletion and export

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

WizTree

  • Clearing a full system drive quickly when someone is waiting and a multi-minute scan is unacceptablenot BetterTouchTool
  • Finding large files across a whole volume without knowing which folder to look innot BetterTouchTool
  • Repeated checks on a machine where disk space fills unpredictablynot BetterTouchTool
  • Support work where the scan must finish while you are still on the callnot 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.

WizTree

  • It is free for personal use only, so deploying it across company machines without licences is a compliance problem rather than a saving.
  • The speed advantage exists only on local NTFS volumes; network shares, exFAT, FAT32 and ReFS fall back to ordinary directory scanning and lose the advantage entirely.
  • Reading the master file table requires administrator rights, so it cannot be used by standard users on managed machines without an elevation policy.
  • It is Windows only, with no macOS or Linux build, so a mixed estate needs a second tool anyway.
  • It analyses one machine at a time with no scheduling or central reporting, so it is a diagnostic tool rather than a way to manage storage across an organisation.

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

WizTree

Free
  • WizTree FreeFree
    • Full scanning and treemap features
    • Personal, non-commercial use only
    • No feature limitations for home users
  • WizTree Professional and Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Licence required for any business use
    • Per-user and site licensing tiers
    • Commercial deployment rights

Which should you pick?

Choose BetterTouchTool if

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

Choose WizTree if

  • You need master file table scanning.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want file list view.

Questions people ask

Is BetterTouchTool or WizTree better?
Neither clearly leads. BetterTouchTool starts at $12/one-time and WizTree at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, BetterTouchTool or WizTree?
WizTree has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $12/one-time for BetterTouchTool and Free for WizTree.
Does BetterTouchTool or WizTree run on more platforms?
BetterTouchTool runs on Mac. WizTree runs on Windows.
Can I use WizTree for free?
Yes. WizTree 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 WizTree is typically brought in for.
What can BetterTouchTool do that WizTree cannot?
BetterTouchTool covers Gesture customisation, Keyboard shortcut remapping, Window snapping, Touch Bar customisation. WizTree covers Master file table scanning, File list view, Treemap, Hard link handling.

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.

WizTree: Why is it so much faster than other analysers?

It reads the NTFS master file table, the index the filesystem already maintains, instead of walking directories. It is one read of a structure rather than thousands of folder operations.

BetterTouchTool: Can I get it without buying it directly?

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

WizTree: Can I use the free version at work?

No. The free build is licensed for personal use only, and business use requires a paid licence. WinDirStat and TreeSize Free are the no-cost options that allow commercial use.

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.

WizTree: Is it fast on network drives?

No. Master file table access needs local NTFS. Over a network share it scans conventionally and is no faster than the alternatives.

WizTree: Does it need administrator rights?

Yes, for master file table access. Without elevation it either cannot scan or falls back to the slow method.

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