Keyboard Maestro vs Macro Recorder

Keyboard Maestro

• Mac users who repeat the same multi-step tasks and want to automate them
• People who prefer paying once per major version to a subscription
• Users who want clipboard history, text expansion and app switching in one tool

Macro Recorder

• Repeating the same clicks and keystrokes in desktop software or a browser
• People who want to automate without learning a scripting language
• Buyers who prefer a one-time license to a subscription

Keyboard Maestro

• macOS only; version 11 requires macOS 10.13 High Sierra or later.
• The license covers version 11.x. Later major versions are paid upgrades, which the vendor says it releases roughly every 12 to 36 months.
• There is no free plan: the programs are free to download and try, but continued use requires a license.
• Licensed per user for up to five Macs; customers with ten or more users are asked to contact the vendor for a volume quote.

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.

Keyboard Maestro

Macros built from triggers and actions

A macro pairs one or more triggers with a list of actions, created by hand or by recording. Built-in actions include control flow, conditions and loops, and third-party plug-in actions can be added.

Many trigger types

Macros can fire from a hot key, a typed string, a time of day or cron schedule, an application launching, a folder change, a USB or MIDI device, a Wi-Fi network change or a remote web link.

Clipboard history and named clipboards

The Clipboard History Switcher browses and pastes past clipboard entries, and an unlimited number of Named Clipboards are saved permanently.

Text, image and web actions

Type or paste strings, expand typed snippets, run calculations, OCR and capture images, and work with the front page in Safari or Chrome, including filling in forms.

Application and window control

Launch, quit, show or hide applications, move and resize windows, and switch between running apps and open windows with the Application and Window Switchers.

Scripting and syncing

Macros can run AppleScript, shell scripts and JavaScript, and can be triggered from scripts, a URL or the keyboardmaestro command-line tool. Macros sync across Macs through Dropbox or other file sharing.

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.

Keyboard Maestro

• Keyboard Maestro 11US$36

  one-time purchase, plus applicable tax

  A per-user license for version 11.x that an individual may use on up to five Macs. Not a subscription; version 11 can be used indefinitely.

• Upgrade to version 11US$25

  one-time upgrade, plus applicable tax

  For owners of any previous version. Purchases made since 1 March 2023 were issued a free upgrade to version 11.

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.

Keyboard Maestro

• Other savings

  US$25 upgrade from any previous version

  Owners of an earlier version can buy an upgrade to version 11 for US$25 plus tax instead of the US$36 new-license price.

• Other savings

  Volume discount for ten or more users

  The user manual asks customers with ten or more users to contact Stairways Software for a volume discount quote.

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.