Utilities · head to head
Karabiner-Elements vs WinDirStat
Karabiner-Elements
Utilities
Free open source keyboard remapper for macOS, working at driver level before the OS sees a keystroke
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
WinDirStat
Utilities
Windows disk usage analyser that shows where space went as a colour-coded treemap
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Karabiner-Elements it requires granting significant system-level permissions, including input monitoring, which some security-conscious users are reluctant to allow.; WinDirStat it walks the directory tree rather than reading the NTFS master file table, so a full scan takes minutes where WizTree takes seconds on the same drive.
- They diverge on capability: Karabiner-Elements covers Low-level key remapping, WinDirStat covers Treemap visualisation.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Karabiner-Elements and WinDirStat actually diverge.
| Attribute | Karabiner-Elements | WinDirStat |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Mac | Windows |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), free tier (Yes), 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 Karabiner-Elements
- Low-level key remapping
- Complex modifications
- Per-app and per-device rules
- Complex modification rule library
- Simple modifications GUI
- Apple Silicon native
Only in WinDirStat
- Treemap visualisation
- Three linked views
- Multithreaded scanning
- Cleanup actions
- Any filesystem
- GPL licensed
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Karabiner-Elements
- A developer who wants to remap Caps Lock to Escape or Control and needs tap versus hold behaviournot WinDirStat
- Someone switching from a Windows or Linux keyboard layout who wants familiar modifier positions on a Macnot WinDirStat
- A user with an accessibility need around key repeat rate or modifier key behaviour that macOS settings cannot covernot WinDirStat
- Anyone who wants serious keyboard customisation without paying for BetterTouchTool or a similar all-in-one toolnot WinDirStat
WinDirStat
- Finding what filled a Windows system drive when the usual suspects are not responsiblenot Karabiner-Elements
- Auditing a shared or network drive where files are spread across thousands of foldersnot Karabiner-Elements
- Environments where licence terms forbid personal-use-only freeware on company machinesnot Karabiner-Elements
- Explaining disk usage visually to someone who will not read a list of folder sizesnot Karabiner-Elements
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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.
WinDirStat
- It walks the directory tree rather than reading the NTFS master file table, so a full scan takes minutes where WizTree takes seconds on the same drive.
- The version most users have installed is the 2007 build, and because it was dormant for so long, search results and download mirrors still point at it.
- It is Windows only, so a mixed estate needs a different tool for macOS and Linux machines.
- There is no scheduling, reporting or export for fleet use, so it answers a question on one machine at a time rather than monitoring storage across an organisation.
- Hard links, junctions and deduplicated volumes can be counted in ways that make the totals disagree with what Windows reports, which causes confusion on servers.
Pricing, plan by plan
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
WinDirStat
Free- WinDirStatFree
- GPL licensed
- Commercial use permitted
- No paid edition or feature gating
Which should you pick?
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.
Choose WinDirStat if
- You need treemap visualisation.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows.
- You also want three linked views.
Questions people ask
- Is Karabiner-Elements or WinDirStat better?
- Neither clearly leads. Karabiner-Elements starts at Free and WinDirStat at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Karabiner-Elements or WinDirStat?
- Karabiner-Elements starts at Free and WinDirStat at Free.
- Does Karabiner-Elements or WinDirStat run on more platforms?
- Karabiner-Elements runs on Mac. WinDirStat runs on Windows.
- Can I use Karabiner-Elements for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Karabiner-Elements best used for?
- Karabiner-Elements is most often used for a developer who wants to remap caps lock to escape or control and needs tap versus hold behaviour, someone switching from a windows or linux keyboard layout who wants familiar modifier positions on a mac, a user with an accessibility need around key repeat rate or modifier key behaviour that macos settings cannot cover, anyone who wants serious keyboard customisation without paying for bettertouchtool or a similar all-in-one tool. Of those, a developer who wants to remap caps lock to escape or control and needs tap versus hold behaviour and someone switching from a windows or linux keyboard layout who wants familiar modifier positions on a mac are not what WinDirStat is typically brought in for.
- What can Karabiner-Elements do that WinDirStat cannot?
- Karabiner-Elements covers Low-level key remapping, Complex modifications, Per-app and per-device rules, Complex modification rule library. WinDirStat covers Treemap visualisation, Three linked views, Multithreaded scanning, Cleanup actions.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
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.
WinDirStat: Is WinDirStat still maintained?
Yes. It was dormant from around 2007 until new maintainers resumed development and released the 2.x line with multithreaded scanning and current Windows support.
Karabiner-Elements: Does it work on Apple Silicon Macs?
Yes, versions from 14 onward run natively on M1 through M4 chips.
WinDirStat: Can I use it at work?
Yes. It is GPL licensed with no personal-use restriction, which is the practical advantage over free-for-personal-use alternatives in this category.
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.
WinDirStat: Why is it slower than WizTree?
Different method. WizTree reads the NTFS master file table directly; WinDirStat traverses directories, which is slower but works on any filesystem, including network shares.
WinDirStat: Does it run on macOS or Linux?
No. Separate projects exist with similar treemap interfaces, but WinDirStat itself is Windows only.
Related pages
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