Mac Mouse Fix vs Scroll Reverser (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Scroll Reverser grades higher than Mac Mouse Fix: 3.0 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
Scroll Reverser grades higher on the free plan and 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.
Mac Mouse Fix
Trackpad-style gestures and smooth scrolling for third-party mice
Free trial · from $2.99 one-time
Which one is for you
Pick Mac Mouse Fix if
- Fits if you have a mouse with 5 or more buttons and want trackpad gestures on it
- Works for people whose wheel scrolling on a Mac feels jerky
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use an Apple Magic Mouse, which isn't supported
- Not for you if your mouse has fewer than 5 buttons, since the trackpad gestures need them
- Watch out: on some mice built for drivers like Logitech Options, it can't recognize every button
- Not for you if you need a standard open-source license, as the source is under the developer's own MMF License
- Skip it if you're on Windows or Linux; Macs on macOS 10.13 to 10.15 are left on the older Mac Mouse Fix 2
Pick Scroll Reverser if
- Fits if you use a trackpad and a mouse on the same Mac and want opposite scroll directions
- Works for people who want an AppleScript on/off switch
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want swipe gestures reversed, as they follow the system Scroll Direction setting
- Not for you if you use Windows or Linux, since it is Mac only
- Watch out: it doesn't work in iPhone Mirroring or Calendar, which scroll by gesture
- Watch out: it needs macOS 13.5 or later
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAMac Mouse FixFair | 3.0GPAScroll ReverserVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A$2.99 once, plus local taxes, no subscription. Utilities here sit at $2.99 a month in the middle, so this is one month's money for keeps, and the licence syncs to your other Macs through iCloud. | AFree under Apache 2.0, with voluntary donations. |
| Free plan and trial | CNo free plan for version 3. You get 30 free days with no card asked for, and a day only counts when you actually use the app. Macs on macOS 10.13 to 10.15 need Mac Mouse Fix 2, which the developer says stays free. | AThe whole app is free, and donations are voluntary, so nothing is charged on record. |
| Features | CGiving a third-party mouse trackpad manners is its one job, and it covers it: side-button drags for Mission Control, desktops and App Exposé, drag-to-scroll with inertia, three smoothness settings, any button on any shortcut. On some mice built for Logitech Options it can't see every button. | CSeparate direction per device, horizontal control and wheel step size. It does that job fully, but it is a smaller one. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, but there's nothing to set up: install it, pick what each button does and how smooth the scrolling should be. The mouse's scroll direction is set separately from the trackpad's. | BInstall and tick a box: nothing to set up. No store rating is on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | DMac only. The latest version is made for macOS 11 Big Sur or later. No integrations are listed, and there's nothing for Windows or Linux. | CMac only, macOS 13.5 or later for version 2.1.1. Intel and Apple silicon builds. |
| Best for | trackpad gestures on an ordinary mouse | different scroll directions for mouse and trackpad |
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: Mac Mouse Fix and Scroll Reverser. How we grade
Where they differ
- Mac Mouse Fix can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Scroll Reverser also covers menu bar app.
In commonmacOSOpen sourceKeyboard and mouse remapping
At a glance
| Mac Mouse Fix | Scroll Reverser | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free |
| Starts at | $2.99 one-time purchase, plus local taxes | Free |
| Free plan | None | The whole app is free; the author accepts voluntary donations. |
| Free trial | Free for 30 days; a day is used up only when the app is actually used | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Made by | Noah Nuebling | Pilotmoon Software |
| Price read from | macmousefix.com | pilotmoon.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Mac Mouse Fix
- macOS only. The latest version is made for macOS 11 Big Sur or later; macOS 10.13 to 10.15 need Mac Mouse Fix 2, which the developer says stays free.
- The trackpad gestures as described need a mouse with at least 5 buttons, and the Apple Magic Mouse is not supported.
- On some mice built for proprietary drivers such as Logitech Options, the app cannot recognize every button.
- The source is under the developer's own MMF License, which restricts publishing compiled copies; it is not a standard open-source license.
Scroll Reverser
- Swipe gestures cannot be reversed; they follow the system Scroll Direction setting.
- Does not work in iPhone Mirroring or Calendar, which use gesture-based scrolling rather than scroll events.
- Version 2.1.1 requires macOS 13.5 or later; the page lists Intel and Apple silicon builds.
- Mac only, with no Windows or Linux version.
Key features
Mac Mouse Fix
- Trackpad gestures from a side button
- Hold button 4 and drag up for Mission Control, sideways to move between desktops or down for App Exposé. A single click triggers Look up and Quick Look.
- Click and scroll
- Holding a button while turning the wheel shows the desktop, opens Launchpad or zooms in and out in apps such as Safari and Preview.
- Scroll and navigate by dragging
- Hold button 5 and drag to scroll in any direction with inertia, or drag sideways to go back and forward, as a two-finger swipe does on a trackpad.
- Smooth scrolling
- Three smoothness settings: High adds trackpad-like momentum and a bounce at the end of a page, Regular uses short animations, and Off scrolls a set number of lines per step.
- Scroll direction and modifiers
- The mouse's scroll direction is set independently of the trackpad or Magic Mouse, and holding a keyboard modifier while scrolling gives precise scrolling or zoom.
- Button actions and shortcuts
- Assign an action to a click, double click or click and drag of any button, including any keyboard shortcut, such as copy and paste or volume control.
Scroll Reverser
- Separate direction per device
- Choose Natural, Classic or Unchanged for each trackpad and mouse. By default trackpads use Natural and mice use Classic.
- Horizontal scrolling control
- Horizontal scrolling follows the vertical setting by default and can be set to Reversed or Unchanged in the settings popover.
- Step size for wheel mice
- Scrolls a fixed number of lines with each wheel click instead of macOS scroll acceleration. The control can be turned off.
- Scrolling from apps
- Scroll events that come from other apps, such as remote access software, can be reversed or left unchanged.
- AppleScript on/off switch
- An enabled property lets a script turn the app on or off.
Plans
Mac Mouse Fix
Mac Mouse Fix 3$2.99
one-time purchase, plus local taxes
The full app with no subscription, bought through Gumroad after 30 free days of use. The license syncs to your other Macs through iCloud.
Scroll Reverser
Free$0
Full app, open source under Apache 2.0. Voluntary donations are accepted.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Mac Mouse Fix or Scroll Reverser?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Mac Mouse Fix starts at $2.99 one-time purchase, plus local taxes, and Scroll Reverser is free.
Which has a free plan, Mac Mouse Fix or Scroll Reverser?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Scroll Reverser has a free plan. Mac Mouse Fix 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.