Karabiner-Elements vs Logi Options+ (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Logi Options+ grades higher than Karabiner-Elements: 3.0 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Logi Options+ grades higher on ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Karabiner-Elements
Free, open-source keyboard customizer for macOS
Which one is for you
Pick Karabiner-Elements if
- Fits if you want Caps Lock or other keys remapped on a Mac without paying
- Works for PC and JIS keyboards plugged into a Mac whose keys aren't recognized
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you're on Windows or Linux, as it's macOS only
- Not for you if JSON puts you off, since anything past a simple key swap is a JSON rule
- Not for you if you need to remap the fn key on a non-Apple keyboard, or the eject key on some, like the Apple Wired Keyboard
- Tight if your Mac is older than macOS 13 Ventura, which leaves you on an older version from the download menu
Pick Logi Options+ if
- Fits if you own a Logitech mouse or keyboard and want custom buttons
- Works for people who share one device between two computers
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if your mouse or keyboard isn't Logitech, as it works only with supported devices
- Not for you if you run Linux, as there is no native build
- Watch out: it needs macOS 14 or later, or Windows 10 or later
- Watch out: haptic feedback settings work only with the MX Master 4
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAKarabiner-ElementsGood | 3.0GPALogi Options+Very good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree and open source, downloaded and run with nothing to buy. If you want to give back there's GitHub Sponsors or a $10 PayPal payment, which the author calls effectively a donation. | AFree to download and use with supported devices, per Logitech's FAQ. That is under 60% of the cheaper quarter, though you need the hardware. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe complete app is free on Intel and Apple silicon Macs. No paid tier, no trial clock, no licence key. | AFree outright with no cap listed, though it only runs with supported Logitech devices. |
| Features | CIt does keyboard remapping and nothing else: key-to-key swaps, keys that send something different when tapped alone, per-keyboard rules and profiles from the menu bar. Its own notes say it can't change the fn key on non-Apple keyboards. | CRemapping, per-app profiles, Smart Actions and Flow. It works only with Logitech devices, and haptic settings work only with the MX Master 4. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record, and there's a learning curve: one-to-one swaps are a couple of clicks in settings, but anything cleverer is a JSON rule you write or import from the community gallery. | BNo rating on record. It is an installer for devices you own, and Smart Actions take some setting up. |
| Platforms and integrations | DMac only. The current release supports macOS 13 Ventura and later, and earlier systems need older versions. It handles PC and JIS keyboards plugged into a Mac, but no integrations are listed. | CWindows 10 or later and macOS 14 or later. No Linux build, no phone app, and a short list of app integrations. |
| Best for | remapping a Mac keyboard for free | remapping buttons on Logitech mice and keyboards |
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: Karabiner-Elements and Logi Options+. How we grade
Price against what you get
Karabiner-Elements has no paid plan and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Logi Options+ has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
Logi Options+ scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other desktop utilities on the chart, none scores higher than Karabiner-Elements for less, and none scores higher than Logi Options+ for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Karabiner-Elements is open source, according to its own site.
- Karabiner-Elements also covers menu bar app.
At a glance
| Karabiner-Elements | Logi Options+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Free to use without any purchase. Funding is optional, through GitHub Sponsors or a $10 PayPal payment that the author describes as effectively a donation. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | pqrs.org (Takayama Fumihiko) | Logitech |
| Price read from | karabiner-elements.pqrs.org | logitech.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Karabiner-Elements
- macOS only. The current release supports macOS 13 Ventura and later; earlier systems need older versions from the download menu.
- Rules beyond simple key swaps are defined as JSON, either imported from the community gallery or written by hand.
- It cannot modify the fn key on non-Apple keyboards, or the eject key on some keyboards such as the Apple Wired Keyboard.
Logi Options+
- Works only with supported Logitech devices; the site lists a separate device compatibility page.
- Officially supports Windows 10 or later and macOS 14 or later; there is no native Linux build.
- Haptic feedback settings currently work only with the MX Master 4.
Key features
Karabiner-Elements
- Simple modifications
- Change one key to another key from the settings window, with no rules to write.
- Complex modifications
- Rule-based changes: turn a key into a combination of modifiers, map a modifier plus key to another key, send a different event when a key is pressed alone, or act on keys pressed simultaneously.
- Community rule gallery
- Predefined rules such as Vi and Emacs key bindings, diamond cursor and mouse keys can be imported from the project's rule site, then edited or replaced with your own.
- Per-device settings and profiles
- Apply modifications only to chosen keyboards, keep multiple profiles, and switch between profiles from the menu bar icon.
- Function and extra keys
- Map f1 to f12 to media controls, and enable extra keys on PC keyboards that macOS does not recognize by default, such as international and language keys.
- Works at secure prompts
- Modifications keep working in Secure Keyboard Entry environments, such as password prompts and terminals with that option turned on.
Logi Options+
- Button and key remapping
- Assign shortcuts and actions to mouse buttons and keyboard keys, including gestures on supported mice.
- App-specific profiles
- Set different actions per app, such as Chrome, Safari, Zoom, Excel, Photoshop or Final Cut Pro.
- Smart Actions
- Chain several tasks into one click or keystroke, similar to macros.
- Flow
- Controls several computers with one device and moves text, images and files between them.
- Actions Ring
- An on-screen overlay of customizable tools, available with MX devices and the MX Creative Console.
- Device status
- Shows battery levels, paired computers and Caps Lock alerts.
Plans
Karabiner-Elements
Karabiner-Elements$0
The complete app, open source and usable without any purchase. Supports Intel-based and Apple silicon Macs.
Logi Options+
Logi Options+$0
Logitech's FAQ says the software is completely free to download and use with supported devices.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Karabiner-Elements or Logi Options+?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Karabiner-Elements and Logi Options+ are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Karabiner-Elements or Logi Options+?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Karabiner-Elements and Logi Options+ have a free plan.
Which platforms do Karabiner-Elements and Logi Options+ run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Logi Options+ lists a Windows app. Both list a macOS 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.