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Keyboard Maestro alternatives · Utilities

Free alternatives to Keyboard Maestro

Keyboard Maestro has no free plan. 64 of the 93 other desktop utilities in this directory are free or have a free plan.

Keyboard Maestro is a paid product with a free trial, starting at US$36 one-time purchase for version 11, plus applicable tax. 37 of them have no paid plan at all; the rest pair a free plan with paid ones.

64 tools · Listings checked up to Oct 9, 2026 · Where the facts come from

The 12 closest to Keyboard Maestro

  1. Hammerspoon

    Free, open-source macOS automation scripted in Lua

    What is free: Everything. There is no paid plan.

    • Hammerspoon is free. Keyboard Maestro starts at US$36 one-time purchase for version 11, plus applicable tax.
    • Hammerspoon has a free plan. Keyboard Maestro does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Hammerspoon is open source, according to its own site.
    • Keyboard Maestro can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    Hammerspoon vs Keyboard MaestroHammerspoon pricing and details

  2. Karabiner-Elements

    Free, open-source keyboard customizer for macOS

    What is free: Everything. There is no paid plan.

    • Karabiner-Elements is free. Keyboard Maestro starts at US$36 one-time purchase for version 11, plus applicable tax.
    • Karabiner-Elements has a free plan. Keyboard Maestro does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Karabiner-Elements is open source, according to its own site.
    • Keyboard Maestro can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    Karabiner-Elements vs Keyboard MaestroKarabiner-Elements pricing and details

  3. Raycast

    Keyboard launcher with extensions, clipboard history and AI

    What is free: Core features such as clipboard history (kept 3 months), snippets, quicklinks, calculator and window management, the extension store, and up to 5 Raycast Notes. AI is not included.

    • Raycast starts at $96 / year, billed annually. Keyboard Maestro starts at US$36 one-time purchase for version 11, plus applicable tax.
    • Raycast has a free plan. Keyboard Maestro does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Raycast lists Windows and iOS apps.
    • Only Raycast lists a browser extension.
    Raycast vs Keyboard MaestroRaycast pricing and details

  4. Alfred

    Mac launcher with hotkeys, snippets and custom workflows

    What is free: The core of Alfred is free to use forever, covering app, file and web search. Powerpack features such as workflows, clipboard history and snippets are not included.

    • Alfred starts at £34 one-time purchase (Powerpack Single License). Keyboard Maestro starts at US$36 one-time purchase for version 11, plus applicable tax.
    • Alfred has a free plan. Keyboard Maestro does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Alfred also covers launcher.
    • Keyboard Maestro also covers window management.
    Alfred vs Keyboard MaestroAlfred pricing and details

  5. AutoHotkey

    Free, open-source scripting language for Windows automation

    What is free: Everything. There is no paid plan.

    • AutoHotkey is free. Keyboard Maestro starts at US$36 one-time purchase for version 11, plus applicable tax.
    • AutoHotkey has a free plan. Keyboard Maestro does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only AutoHotkey lists a Windows app.
    • Only Keyboard Maestro lists a macOS app.
    AutoHotkey vs Keyboard MaestroAutoHotkey pricing and details

  6. Dropzone

    Drag-and-drop action grid and file shelf for the Mac menu bar

    What is free: Free download with the action grid, Drop Bar and built-in actions for opening apps and moving or copying files. The vendor lists Amazon S3, SFTP, add-on actions, unlimited grids and more as Pro features.

    • Dropzone starts at $4.99 / month or $19.99 / year (Mac App Store), or $35 one-time direct. Keyboard Maestro starts at US$36 one-time purchase for version 11, plus applicable tax.
    • Dropzone has a free plan. Keyboard Maestro does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Dropzone also covers file sharing, menu bar app and file management.
    • Keyboard Maestro also covers workflow automation, clipboard manager, window management and text expansion.
    Dropzone vs Keyboard MaestroDropzone pricing and details

  7. PhraseExpress

    Text expander and template manager with on-premise sharing

    What is free: Free for personal use on Windows and Mac; license reminders start after 30 days of professional use or use of commercial-edition features. The iPhone and iPad app is free.

    • PhraseExpress has a free plan. Keyboard Maestro does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only PhraseExpress lists Windows and iOS apps.
    • PhraseExpress also covers templates.
    • Keyboard Maestro also covers workflow automation and window management.
    PhraseExpress pricing and details

  8. LaunchBar

    Keyboard launcher for Mac with clipboard history and actions

    What is free: Beyond the 30-day trial, LaunchBar 6 can be used for free as long and as often as you like. Without registration it occasionally invites you to take a short break.

    • LaunchBar starts at 35 € one-time purchase (Single License). Keyboard Maestro starts at US$36 one-time purchase for version 11, plus applicable tax.
    • LaunchBar has a free plan. Keyboard Maestro does not, though it has a free trial.
    • LaunchBar also covers launcher, file management and calculator.
    • Keyboard Maestro also covers workflow automation, window management and text expansion.
    LaunchBar pricing and details

  9. AltTab

    Windows-style window switcher for macOS, free and open source

    What is free: AltTab (free): core window switching with thumbnails, preview, window controls, trackpad gestures and custom shortcuts, at no cost for personal or business use.

    • AltTab starts at $9.99 one-time purchase (AltTab Pro). Keyboard Maestro starts at US$36 one-time purchase for version 11, plus applicable tax.
    • AltTab has a free plan. Keyboard Maestro does not, though it has a free trial.
    • AltTab is open source, according to its own site.
    • Keyboard Maestro also covers workflow automation, clipboard manager and text expansion.
    AltTab pricing and details

  10. Text Blaze

    Text expander with forms, formulas and shared team snippets

    What is free: Free forever: a limited number of snippets and limited sharing, plus Autopilot and Data Blaze access. A 2024 staff post on the vendor's forum put the cap at 20 active snippets.

    • Text Blaze starts at $2.99 / month, billed yearly. Keyboard Maestro starts at US$36 one-time purchase for version 11, plus applicable tax.
    • Text Blaze has a free plan. Keyboard Maestro does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Text Blaze lists a Windows app.
    • Only Text Blaze lists a browser extension.
    Text Blaze pricing and details

  11. aText

    Low-cost text expander for macOS and Windows

    What is free: The Windows app is a free download with paid Premium features, and the buy page refers to a free version. The vendor's pages do not list what the free version leaves out.

    • aText starts at $4.99 for a one-year Personal license. Keyboard Maestro starts at US$36 one-time purchase for version 11, plus applicable tax.
    • aText has a free plan. Keyboard Maestro does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only aText lists a Windows app.
    • Keyboard Maestro also covers workflow automation, clipboard manager and window management.
    aText pricing and details

  12. CopyClip

    Text-only clipboard manager for the Mac menu bar

    What is free: The original CopyClip is free on the Mac App Store: a text-only clipboard history in the menu bar. Search, pinned clips, direct pasting and themes are only in the paid CopyClip 2, a separate app.

    • CopyClip starts at $7.99 one-time purchase (CopyClip 2, US Mac App Store). Keyboard Maestro starts at US$36 one-time purchase for version 11, plus applicable tax.
    • CopyClip has a free plan. Keyboard Maestro does not, though it has a free trial.
    • CopyClip also covers menu bar app.
    • Keyboard Maestro also covers workflow automation, window management and text expansion.
    CopyClip pricing and details

52 more that are free or have a free plan

All 64 in one table

Common questions

Is there a free alternative to Keyboard Maestro?

Yes. Hammerspoon, Karabiner-Elements, Raycast, Alfred, AutoHotkey, Dropzone, PhraseExpress, LaunchBar and 56 more are free or have a free plan.

Does Keyboard Maestro have a free plan?

Keyboard Maestro has no free plan. Keyboard Maestro is a paid product with a free trial, starting at US$36 one-time purchase for version 11, plus applicable tax.

When was this checked?

Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 4, 2026 to Oct 9, 2026. Vendors change prices and plans without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.

This page is built from the listings. A tool is here because its listing says so, and the order is how close each is to Keyboard Maestro: the alternatives its listing names first, then the tools that share the most features with it.