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Utilities · head to head

BetterTouchTool vs Truecaller

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
Truecaller logo

Truecaller

Utilities

Caller ID and spam blocking app that identifies unknown numbers by crowdsourcing users' contact books

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Truecaller 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.; Truecaller its caller ID database is built from other users uploading their contact books, which means a person's name and number can be listed without them ever installing or consenting to Truecaller directly.
  • They diverge on capability: BetterTouchTool covers Gesture customisation, Truecaller covers Caller ID.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BetterTouchTool and Truecaller actually diverge.

Attributes where BetterTouchTool and Truecaller differ
AttributeBetterTouchToolTruecaller
Starting price$12/one-timeFree
Pricing modelOne-time purchaseFree tier plus subscription
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 Truecaller

  • Caller ID
  • Spam blocking
  • Call recording
  • SMS spam filtering
  • Truecaller for Business
  • Premium profile controls

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

Truecaller

  • Someone wanting to identify unknown numbers calling from delivery services, banks or scam operationsnot BetterTouchTool
  • A user who wants unknown-sender SMS automatically filtered out of the main inboxnot BetterTouchTool
  • A small business wanting its verified name and logo to show when it calls customersnot BetterTouchTool
  • A person who wants to check whether their own number is unexpectedly listed and request removalnot 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.

Truecaller

  • Its caller ID database is built from other users uploading their contact books, which means a person's name and number can be listed without them ever installing or consenting to Truecaller directly.
  • Removing a number requires actively finding and using the unlisting tool; it is opt-out, not opt-in, so most people never realise they need to do this.
  • The free tier is ad-supported, and ads appear on the call screen itself, which some users find intrusive during otherwise mundane phone use.
  • Call recording availability depends on local law and has been restricted or removed in some regions and OS versions, so it cannot be relied on everywhere.
  • Regulatory and app-store scrutiny of the contact-upload model has led to restrictions or bans in some countries, so availability and feature set are not consistent globally.

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

Truecaller

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Caller ID and spam blocking
    • Ad-supported
    • Limited profile privacy controls
  • Premium$2.99/month
    • Ad-free
    • See who viewed your profile
    • Priority spam list updates

Which should you pick?

Choose BetterTouchTool if

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

Choose Truecaller if

  • You need caller id.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
  • You also want spam blocking.
Truecaller review

Questions people ask

Is BetterTouchTool or Truecaller better?
Neither clearly leads. BetterTouchTool starts at $12/one-time and Truecaller at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, BetterTouchTool or Truecaller?
Truecaller has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $12/one-time for BetterTouchTool and Free for Truecaller.
Does BetterTouchTool or Truecaller run on more platforms?
BetterTouchTool runs on Mac. Truecaller runs on iOS, Android.
Can I use Truecaller for free?
Yes. Truecaller 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 Truecaller is typically brought in for.
What can BetterTouchTool do that Truecaller cannot?
BetterTouchTool covers Gesture customisation, Keyboard shortcut remapping, Window snapping, Touch Bar customisation. Truecaller covers Caller ID, Spam blocking, Call recording, SMS spam filtering.

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.

Truecaller: How does Truecaller know who is calling me from an unsaved number?

It matches the number against a database built largely from other users' uploaded contact lists, plus spam reports from its user base.

BetterTouchTool: Can I get it without buying it directly?

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

Truecaller: Can I remove my number from Truecaller if I never installed it?

Yes, Truecaller provides an unlisting search and removal tool at truecaller.com/unlisting, though you must find and use it yourself.

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.

Truecaller: Does Truecaller read my messages or call content?

Truecaller states it does not access call or message content, only caller ID and spam-reporting metadata.

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