Macro Recorder vs Ui.Vision
We give Macro Recorder a 3.0 GPA and Ui.Vision a 3.6, out of 4.0. Ui.Vision grades higher on value for money, the free plan and features. They get the same grade on ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Macro Recorder
Records mouse and keyboard actions for replay on Windows and Mac
Ui.Vision
Open-source browser and desktop automation with computer vision
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAMacro RecorderVery good | 3.6GPAUi.VisionExcellent | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B$99.95 once for Standard is less than a year of a typical automation subscription. But SmartClick, image and text recognition and the scheduler need Professional at $149.95, and AI and variables need Enterprise at $249.95. Updates stop after 12 months unless you renew. | AIt's open source and free for personal and commercial use, with unlimited web and desktop automation. The paid editions, from US$299 a year, add email support and update management, not extra automation features. Most people will never need to pay. |
| Free plan and trial | BThere's a freeware version for personal use, with limited features but no cap on actions or repeats. Use it at work, or for anything that earns money, and you need a licence after 30 days. Paid features can be tried in the free download first. | AThe Free Edition is the full tool: unlimited browser and desktop automation, forum support, and the AI assistant within basic limits, with no signup or API key. AI PRO lifts those limits tenfold for €11.90 a month. Otherwise you could stay free for good. |
| Features | BRecord, edit and replay, with clicks that find their target by how it looks, image and OCR detection, a scheduler and AI steps on the top edition. Solid for desktop chores. But firing a macro from a hotkey or sharing it runs through the vendor's separate PhraseExpress. | ARecord-and-replay macros with Selenium IDE-style commands, image recognition and OCR for things a selector can't reach, and native mouse and keyboard control on the desktop. An AI assistant writes and fixes macros, and there's an MCP bridge and a command line API. |
| Ease of use | BPress record, do the task, stop. The recording opens as a short list of actions you can edit and rearrange, with no scripting language anywhere. There's no rating on record to go by, so a B. | BInstall the extension and record a task, or describe it and let the AI assistant draft the macro. Desktop work needs the separate XModules app, and editing means Selenium IDE-style commands. No rating on record, so a B. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows and Mac, with AI steps that can call OpenRouter, OpenAI, Anthropic or a local model through Ollama. There's no Linux version and nothing for phones, and one licence covers a Windows user or a Mac user, not both. | BAn extension for Chrome, Edge and Firefox plus a desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux, with a command line API for Jenkins and scripts. There's no phone version, and Browser Vision input isn't available in Firefox. |
| Best for | replaying the same clicks and keystrokes on a desktop | free browser and desktop macros that run locally |
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: Macro Recorder and Ui.Vision. How we grade
Where they differ
- Macro Recorder starts at $99.95 one-time for the Standard edition, with 12 months of updates. Ui.Vision starts at €11.90 / month for AI PRO (introductory price); PRO Edition is US$299 / year.
- Only Ui.Vision lists a Linux app.
- Only Ui.Vision lists a browser extension.
- Macro Recorder can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Ui.Vision is open source, according to its own site.
- Macro Recorder also covers no-code.
At a glance
| Macro Recorder | Ui.Vision | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $99.95 one-time for the Standard edition, with 12 months of updates | €11.90 / month for AI PRO (introductory price); PRO Edition is US$299 / year |
| Free plan | Freeware for personal use with limited features and no cap on repeats or on the number of actions. Use in a company setting, or for work that earns money, requires a license after 30 days. | The Free Edition is open source and free for personal and commercial use, with unlimited web and desktop automation and forum support. The built-in AI assistant is free within basic limits. |
| Free trial | Paid-edition features can be tested in the free download before buying; license notifications appear while they are in use | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Bartels Media GmbH | a9t9 software GmbH |
| Price read from | macrorecorder.com | ui.vision |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Who each one suits
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
Ui.Vision
- Testers and developers familiar with Selenium IDE-style commands
- Automating sites or desktop apps where selectors fail but images and text can be seen
- Teams that need automation to run entirely on their own machines
Worth knowing
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.
Ui.Vision
- Desktop automation and local file access need the separate XModules desktop app; the extension alone automates only the browser.
- Browser Vision input requires Chrome or Edge, so it is not available in the Firefox extension.
- The PRO and Enterprise editions add support and update management, not extra automation features.
- The hosted AI assistant sends chat content, page data and screenshots to the provider for processing, and AI PRO has no uptime guarantee.
Key features
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.
Ui.Vision
- Record and replay browser macros
- Browser tasks are recorded and replayed with Selenium IDE-style commands: filling forms from CSV data, extracting tables and automating file downloads and uploads. Selenium IDE scripts import and export.
- Computer vision and OCR
- Macros can locate buttons by image and read text on screen, including inside canvas elements, images and videos, which helps where a page selector cannot be built.
- Desktop automation with XModules
- The free Desktop App, also called XModules, adds native mouse clicks, keyboard input and drag and drop for desktop applications, plus reading and writing macros and CSV files on disk.
- AI macro assistant
- You describe a task and the assistant inspects the page, writes a macro, runs it and helps fix failures. It works without signup or an API key, or with your own AI provider or a local model.
- MCP bridge
- An MCP bridge that runs on your computer lets an MCP-compatible AI assistant inspect the live page, create and edit macros, run them and read the logs.
- Command line API
- Macros can be started and monitored from the command line, so they fit into tools such as Jenkins and scripts in Python, C# or PowerShell. The XRun command calls other programs.
Plans
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.
Ui.Vision
Free Edition$0
Open source and free for personal and commercial use: unlimited web and desktop automation, forum support and the AI assistant within basic limits.
AI PRO€11.90
per month, introductory price
10 times the free plan's AI processing limits. Shown as 50% off a regular €23.80; subscribers keep the introductory price.
PRO EditionUS$299
per year
A yearly subscription that adds email support to the forum support of the Free Edition.
Enterprise EditionUS$999
per year, for up to 5 users
Adds update management with separate update channels and priority support by email, phone and screen sharing. Bundles for 10 to 50 users cost more.
Enterprise PlayerUS$1,499
yearly license, unlimited users and machines
Runs macros and test suites on any number of machines but cannot save new macros. Includes 10,000 OCR conversions a day.
Ways to pay less
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.
Ui.Vision
- Education
Discounts for students and universities
The pricing page says discounts on the paid editions are available for students and universities on request.
- Other savings
Free Enterprise licenses for open-source projects
Open-source projects can ask a9t9 software for a free Enterprise license, according to the pricing page.
