Mac Mouse Fix vs USB Overdrive (2026): which should you pick?

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 USB Overdrive if

• Fits if you use a trackball or gamepad on a Mac and want it remapped
• Works for people who can live with a login reminder instead of paying

Look elsewhere if

• Not for you if you use an Apple mouse, trackpad or keyboard, as none is handled
• Skip it if your Mac is older than macOS 15, since version 5.4 needs it
• Watch out: version 4 or earlier must be uninstalled before 5.x
• Watch out: the vendor says it may ask for a voluntary upgrade fee at a future major release

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.

USB Overdrive

• Does not handle any Apple mouse, trackpad or keyboard, because that would remove native macOS support.
• Version 5.4 runs only on macOS 15 and later; older releases are for earlier systems.
• Version 4 or earlier must be uninstalled before installing version 5.x.
• The vendor says it may ask for a voluntary upgrade fee at a future major release.

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.

USB Overdrive

Wide device support

Works with USB and Bluetooth mice, keyboards, trackballs, trackpads, joysticks, gamepads and other gaming devices from almost any vendor.

Scroll axis options

Version 5.3 added options to invert each scroll axis separately and to swap the axes while a modifier key is held.

Free to try without limits

The unregistered version has no feature limits or time limits; a built-in uninstaller removes the app if it does not fit.

Long-running license

The vendor says original registration codes from 25 years ago are still accepted and the license will not expire.

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.

USB Overdrive

• Unregistered$0

  Every feature and no time limit, plus a login reminder and a short countdown on opening the interface.

• USB Overdrive license$20

  one-time; the vendor says licenses do not expire

  Registers the app and removes the reminders. Price shown in US dollars on the vendor's FastSpring store page.