LinearMouse vs Logi Options+ (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Logi Options+ grades higher than LinearMouse: 3.0 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 9, 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.
Which one is for you
Pick LinearMouse if
- Fits if you want the mouse wheel reversed and the trackpad left alone
- Works for giving a mouse's extra buttons jobs like Mission Control or a keyboard shortcut
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you're on Windows or Linux, as it's macOS only
- Not for you if you want a different long-press time per button: timings are fixed at 500 ms and 50 points app-wide
- Watch out: some advanced settings mean editing a JSON file that doesn't accept comments
- Watch out: it needs Accessibility permission at first launch, and another before it can simulate key presses
- Not for you if you want a big team behind your tools: it's version 0.12.0, and the sponsors page lists one main developer
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
| 2.6GPALinearMouseGood | 3.0GPALogi Options+Very good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree and open source under the MIT licence, a download anyone can run, with no paid tier or licence key. Donations are optional, and the project says they go only to developer fees, infrastructure and test devices. | 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 | AEvery feature is free, as a direct download or a Homebrew cask. There's nothing to upgrade to and no cap to hit. | AFree outright with no cap listed, though it only runs with supported Logitech devices. |
| Features | CMouse and trackpad behaviour is its one job: scroll direction and smoothing, pointer speed, acceleration off, button bindings, long presses and swipes, all per device, app or display. It does that job fully, and its own notes say gesture timings are fixed for the whole app. | 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 it isn't quite install-and-go: it wants Accessibility permission at first launch, another before it can simulate key presses, and the documentation says some advanced settings mean editing a JSON file that doesn't accept comments. | BNo rating on record. It is an installer for devices you own, and Smart Actions take some setting up. |
| Platforms and integrations | DMac only. No integrations are listed, though buttons can fire keyboard shortcuts and shell commands. Worth knowing that the current release is numbered 0.12.0. | CWindows 10 or later and macOS 14 or later. No Linux build, no phone app, and a short list of app integrations. |
| Best for | making a mouse behave on a Mac, 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: LinearMouse and Logi Options+. How we grade
Price against what you get
LinearMouse 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 LinearMouse 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
- LinearMouse is open source, according to its own site.
In commonFree planmacOSKeyboard and mouse remapping
At a glance
| LinearMouse | Logi Options+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | The whole app is free and open source under the MIT license, as a direct download or a Homebrew cask. Donations through GitHub Sponsors, Open Collective or Ko-fi are optional. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | LinearMouse | Logitech |
| Price read from | github.com | logitech.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
LinearMouse
- macOS only. It needs Accessibility permission at first launch, and a further permission before it can simulate key presses.
- The documentation says some advanced features are reached by editing the JSON configuration file, which does not accept comments.
- Gesture timings are fixed for the whole app, at 500 ms for a long press and 50 points for a swipe, and cannot be set per mapping.
- The current release is numbered 0.12.0, and the sponsors page lists one main developer.
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
LinearMouse
- Profiles by device, app and display
- A group of settings can apply to all mice or all trackpads, to one device by vendor and product ID, to one app or process, or to a named display, and matching groups are merged.
- Scroll direction and smoothing
- Reverse vertical or horizontal scrolling on a mouse while the trackpad keeps natural scrolling, and add smoothed scrolling from presets with adjustable response, speed, acceleration and inertia.
- Pointer speed and acceleration
- Adjust pointer acceleration and speed per device, switch acceleration off entirely, or return either value to the system default.
- Button mappings
- Bind mouse buttons and wheel movements, with optional modifier keys, to Mission Control, Launchpad, media and brightness controls, keyboard shortcuts or shell commands.
- Long presses, chords and swipes
- Version 0.12.0 added long-press, button-combination and swipe triggers, so one button can do different things on a short press, a long press and a swipe in each direction.
- Click debouncing and hover focus
- Click debouncing filters repeated signals from worn mouse switches, and an optional setting focuses a window when the pointer moves over it.
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
LinearMouse
LinearMouse$0
Every feature, with no paid tier or license key. The project says donations go only to developer fees, infrastructure and test devices.
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, LinearMouse or Logi Options+?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both LinearMouse and Logi Options+ are free to use.
Which has a free plan, LinearMouse or Logi Options+?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both LinearMouse and Logi Options+ have a free plan.
Which platforms do LinearMouse 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.