Actiona vs Macro Recorder (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Actiona grades higher than Macro Recorder: 2.8 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 6, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Actiona grades higher on the free plan. Macro Recorder grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money, features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Macro Recorder
Records mouse and keyboard actions for replay on Windows and Mac
Which one is for you
Pick Actiona if
- Fits if you are on Linux or Windows and want free desktop macros
- Works for people who like building steps visually and scripting only when needed
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use a Mac, as there is no macOS build
- Not for you if you want a company help desk, since support is a Discord, forum and wiki
- Watch out: version 3.11.4 lists only 64-bit Windows downloads, though the wiki says 32-bit builds exist
Pick Macro Recorder if
- Fits if you repeat the same clicks in desktop software and want them replayed for you
- Works for people who'd rather buy a license once than rent software by the month
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you want the AI steps and variables, which need Enterprise at $249.95, and updates stop after 12 months unless you renew
- Skip it if you might want your money back, because the vendor doesn't offer refunds
- Not for you if you're on Linux, as it's Windows and Mac only, and one license covers one or the other
- Tight if you stay on Standard, which has no SmartClick, image or OCR recognition, or macro scheduler
- Watch out: the freeware is for personal use; at work or for paid jobs it needs a license after 30 days
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAActionaGood | 2.6GPAMacro RecorderGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree software with no paid plans, which a person can download and run. | A$99.95 once for Standard, against subscriptions that start around $19 a month here, so it costs about what five months of one does, and nothing after. Updates are included for a year. Note the figures come from the vendor's version 5 press release, as its shop page shows no prices. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright, with no cap and no account. | CThere's a freeware version for personal use with no cap on actions or repeats, but SmartClick, image and OCR recognition and the scheduler are missing, and use in a company or for paid work needs a license after 30 days. You can try the paid features first, with license notices while you do. |
| Features | CAction lists, a JavaScript extension and community scripts. It does the macro job fully, but it is a smaller job than a full automation platform. | CIt covers desktop macros: records mouse and keyboard, SmartClick that finds a button after it has moved, image, OCR and pixel detection, window positions restored before playback, and AI steps on Enterprise. One job, though, on one computer. It connects to nothing. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. Building action lists is a learning curve, and scripting is needed for harder jobs. | BNo store rating on record, so B is the ceiling. There's nothing to set up: install it, press record, do the job once, and the recording opens as an editable list of steps with no scripting language to learn. |
| Platforms and integrations | CA program for computers only: Windows and Linux, no macOS, no web or phone version. | CWindows and Mac desktops, with no Linux version and no web or phone app, and one licence covers one or the other. It talks to the vendor's own PhraseExpress and to AI providers such as OpenAI, Anthropic or a local Ollama model, and that's the list. |
| Best for | free drag-and-drop desktop macros on Windows and Linux | replaying the same clicks and keystrokes on a desktop |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Actiona and Macro Recorder. How we grade
Where they differ
- Actiona is open source, according to its own site.
- Macro Recorder can be bought with a one-time purchase.
At a glance
| Actiona | Macro Recorder | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $99.95 one-time for the Standard edition, with 12 months of updates |
| Free plan | Free software with no paid plans. | Freeware for personal use with limited features and no cap on repeats or on the number of actions. Use in a company setting, or for work that earns money, requires a license after 30 days. |
| Free trial | None listed | Paid-edition features can be tested in the free download before buying; license notifications appear while they are in use |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Actiona project | Bartels Media GmbH |
| Price read from | wiki.actiona.tools | macrorecorder.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Actiona
- Only Windows and GNU/Linux are listed; there is no macOS build.
- The current version, 3.11.4, lists only 64-bit Windows downloads, though the wiki says 32-bit binaries exist.
- Support is through a Discord server, a forum and the wiki rather than a company help desk.
Macro Recorder
- The shop page shows no prices. The figures here are from the vendor's version 5 press release of September 25, 2026; checkout is handled by its reseller, PayProGlobal.
- SmartClick, image and OCR recognition and the macro scheduler need Professional; AI support, variables and barcode reading need Enterprise.
- A license includes 12 months of updates. The installed version keeps working after that, but newer versions need a paid maintenance renewal.
- There is no Linux version, one license covers either a Windows or a Mac user, and the vendor does not offer refunds.
Key features
Actiona
- Drag-and-drop action lists
- Build automations from a list of actions by dragging them in, without needing to know a programming language.
- JavaScript extension
- Advanced users can script with JavaScript (ECMAScript) to extend what the action lists do.
- Community scripts
- A scripts repository holds example scripts created by the community that can be viewed and tested.
- Windows and Linux builds
- Binaries are published for Windows and for Ubuntu, in 32-bit and 64-bit versions, with Debian and Ubuntu packages in the repositories.
- Open source code
- The source is on GitHub under the GPL-3.0 license, with a guide for compiling the latest unstable version.
Macro Recorder
- Record, edit and replay
- Captures mouse movements, clicks, scroll-wheel actions and keystrokes. Mouse moves between two clicks are merged into one action, so the list of steps stays short enough to edit and rearrange.
- SmartClick
- Clicks are located by the visual area around the target, not by fixed coordinates, so playback waits until the target appears and still finds it if it has moved. Needs Professional or Enterprise.
- Image, OCR and pixel detection
- A macro can find an image or text on screen, wait for a pixel to change color and branch on the result. Capturing text, barcodes and QR codes for later steps needs Enterprise.
- Window position restore
- Window positions and sizes are tracked while recording and restored before playback, so clicks land in the right place even if a program has been moved or resized.
- AI actions
- Enterprise adds AI steps for text processing, image analysis and finding objects on screen, using OpenRouter, OpenAI, Anthropic or a self-hosted model through Ollama.
- PhraseExpress integration
- With the vendor's PhraseExpress, macros are organized in folders, triggered by a hotkey or text shortcut and shared with other users on a network. Both products need an Enterprise license.
Plans
Actiona
Free$0
The full program is free software; Windows installers and Ubuntu and Debian packages are offered.
Macro Recorder
Freeware$0
Personal use only, with limited features but unlimited actions and repeats. License notifications appear in a company setting or when a paid feature is used.
Standard$99.95
one-time per user, with 12 months of updates
Licensed for professional use, with program execution and Goto, Repeat and Wait actions. No SmartClick, image or OCR recognition, or macro scheduler.
Professional$149.95
one-time per user, with 12 months of updates
Adds SmartClick, image and OCR text recognition, Smart Record, pixel color detection, command-line parameters, the macro scheduler and post-playback options.
Enterprise$249.95
one-time per user, with 12 months of updates
Adds AI support, variables, image and text capture, barcode and QR code reading, and use with PhraseExpress.
Ways to pay less
Actiona
No public discounts listed.
Macro Recorder
- Lifetime license
One-time purchase with a lifetime license
Every edition is a single payment with no subscription. The license does not expire and includes 12 months of updates and major new versions; later maintenance renewals are discounted.
- Other savings
Volume discounts in the cart
The shop FAQ says a volume discount is applied automatically when the quantity is raised in the shopping cart.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Actiona or Macro Recorder?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Actiona is free, and Macro Recorder starts at $99.95 one-time for the Standard edition, with 12 months of updates.
Which has a free plan, Actiona or Macro Recorder?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Actiona and Macro Recorder have a free plan.
Which platforms do Actiona and Macro Recorder run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Actiona lists a Linux app and only Macro Recorder lists a macOS app. Both list a Windows app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.