LinearMouse vs SteerMouse (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, LinearMouse grades higher than SteerMouse: 2.6 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
LinearMouse grades higher on the free plan. SteerMouse grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
SteerMouse
Mac utility for customizing mouse buttons, wheels and cursor speed
Free trial · from $19.99 one-time
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 SteerMouse if
- Fits if you have a third-party USB or Bluetooth mouse with extra buttons on a Mac
- Works for per-app button setups
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you use Apple's Magic Mouse or Trackpad, as neither is supported
- Skip it if you use Windows or Linux, since it is Mac only
- Pricey if you upgrade often: major upgrades like 5.x to 6.0 are charged
- Watch out: settings from version 4 are not carried over to version 5, and older Macs need older builds
How we grade them
| 2.6GPALinearMouseGood | 2.4GPASteerMouseFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | A$19.99 one-time for version 5, a lifetime licence for that version, under a year of this category's typical subscription. |
| 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. | CA 30-day free trial, with no card mentioned. No free edition after it. |
| 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. | CButton assignments, per-app settings, cursor speed, scroll tuning and snapping. It does not support the Magic Mouse or Trackpad, which the listing names as a gap. |
| 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. | CMany settings to work through per mouse and per app. No store rating is on record. |
| 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. | CMac only, macOS 12 or later for version 5.8.2. No other platform. |
| Best for | making a mouse behave on a Mac, for free | remapping mouse buttons on a Mac |
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 SteerMouse. How we grade
Where they differ
- LinearMouse is open source, according to its own site.
- SteerMouse can be bought with a one-time purchase.
In commonmacOSKeyboard and mouse remapping
At a glance
| LinearMouse | SteerMouse | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free trial |
| Starts at | Free | $19.99 one-time, lifetime license |
| 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 | 30-day free trial |
| macOS | ||
| Made by | LinearMouse | PLENTYCOM SYSTEMS |
| Price read from | github.com | plentycom.jp |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Nov 13, 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.
SteerMouse
- Does not support the Apple Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad, and some special buttons may not work.
- Version 5.8.2 needs macOS 12 Monterey or later; older macOS versions use older builds.
- Major upgrades, such as 5.x to 6.0, are charged for.
- Settings from version 4 are not carried over when moving to version 5.
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.
SteerMouse
- Button assignments
- Up to 24 functions per button, with modifier keys or button combinations (chording). Functions include shortcuts, clicks, scrolling, zoom and Mission Control.
- Per-application settings
- The mouse can be configured separately for each application.
- Cursor speed and sensitivity
- Adjusts sensitivity on top of the tracking speed in System Settings, and shows a ranking of settings other users chose.
- Scroll tuning
- Adjusts scroll acceleration and sensitivity, and has an auto-scroll option for hands-free scrolling.
- Cursor snapping
- Moves the cursor to a default or close button automatically, with an option to return it afterwards.
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.
SteerMouse
New license$19.99
one-time, lifetime license for version 5
Minor upgrades such as 5.0 to 5.1 are free; a major upgrade such as 5.0 to 6.0 is charged.
Upgrade from version 4$12.99
one-time upgrade license
For existing SteerMouse 4 users moving to version 5.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, LinearMouse or SteerMouse?
As of Nov 13, 2026, LinearMouse is free, and SteerMouse starts at $19.99 one-time, lifetime license.
Which has a free plan, LinearMouse or SteerMouse?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only LinearMouse has a free plan. SteerMouse does not, though it has a free trial.
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.