Keyboard apps for MacHead to head
BetterTouchTool vs Hyperkey
BetterTouchTool ranks #2 and Hyperkey ranks #3 in our guide to the best keyboard apps for Mac. BetterTouchTool is the better pick for most people.
BetterTouchToolPick BetterTouchTool if you want keys, gestures and mouse buttons all mapped to your own actions in 1 app.$15 once#3 in the guide
HyperkeyPick Hyperkey if you build custom shortcuts and only want Caps Lock turned into an extra modifier key.FreeWhat decides it
- Hyperkey costs less over 3 years: Free, against $15 for BetterTouchTool.
- Both run on Mac.
- BetterTouchTool is included with a Setapp subscription; Hyperkey isn't.
Side by side
Prices are checked every day.
| At a glance | BetterTouchTool | Hyperkey |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $15 with 2 years of updates, or $25 for lifetime updates. Free for 45 days | Free |
| How you pay | Pay once | Free |
| 3 years of use | $15 | Free Cheaper |
| Free trial | Yes | Free to start |
| Runs on | Mac | Mac |
| Where to buy | Developer, Setapp | Developer |
| Features | Free trial, No account | None flagged |
| Last updated | 1 Nov 2026 | Not tracked |
Who should get which
Get BetterTouchTool if
You want a 3-finger tap or a spare mouse button to snap a window, paste a snippet or run a script.
Get Hyperkey if
You build your own keyboard shortcuts and keep finding the good combinations already taken.
Skip BetterTouchTool if
You just want windows snapped to halves, and Rectangle or macOS itself does that at no cost.
Skip Hyperkey if
You never make custom shortcuts, so an extra modifier key would just sit there unused.
Our verdicts
BetterTouchTool
macOS gives you a fixed set of trackpad gestures and window snapping to halves, while BetterTouchTool maps almost any gesture, mouse button or key to an action and chains actions into small automations. It also has a launcher with clipboard history and AI agents that work with OpenAI, Anthropic or local models. It costs $15 with 2 years of updates or $25 for life, and building a setup takes real time.
Hyperkey
Hold Caps Lock and it acts as Control, Option, Command and Shift at once, a combination no app already uses, so every shortcut you build on it stays clash-free. You can also remap Caps Lock to another key, and it pairs well with Rectangle, the free window manager from the same developer. It is free with no upgrade, though Karabiner-Elements is the better pick if you want to remap far more than 1 key.
What each one helps you do
BetterTouchTool
- Trigger any action with your own trackpad gesture
- Remap extra mouse buttons to shortcuts
- Search apps, files and clipboard history at once
- Chain several steps into 1 shortcut
Hyperkey
- Get shortcuts that never clash with other apps
- Put the unused Caps Lock key to work
- Trigger window and launcher shortcuts with 1 key
Where to get them
BetterTouchTool
$15 with 2 years of updates, or $25 for lifetime updates. Free for 45 days
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From the developer45-day free trial, no account needed$15Get it
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IncludedTry Setapp
Some links earn us a commission, which never changes a pick.
Neither one quite right?
The other picks in our guide to the best keyboard apps for Mac.
Karabiner-ElementsPick it if you want Caps Lock or another idle key to do something useful, for free.Free, open source
HomerowPick this if you want to click buttons and links from the keyboard, for $49.99 once.$49.99 once
KlackPick this if you miss the sound of a mechanical keyboard while typing on a MacBook.$4.99 once
Read the full guideAll BetterTouchTool alternativesAll Hyperkey alternatives
More comparisons
BetterTouchTool vs Mac Mouse FixPick this if you use a gaming or budget mouse with side buttons and miss trackpad gestures.
BetterTouchTool vs LinearMousePick it if your plugged-in mouse scrolls the wrong way or the pointer speed feels off, and you want a free fix.
BetterTouchTool vs MosPick this if all you want is smooth, trackpad-like scrolling from your mouse wheel for free.- Karabiner-Elements vs BetterTouchToolPick this if you want keys, gestures and mouse buttons all mapped to your own actions in 1 app.
Keyboard Maestro vs BetterTouchToolPick this if you want a trackpad gesture or mouse button to run a script or paste a snippet.- Karabiner-Elements vs HyperkeyPick it if you build custom shortcuts and only want Caps Lock turned into an extra modifier key.