Mos vs SteerMouse (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Mos grades higher than SteerMouse: 3.2 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Mos grades higher on the free plan, features and ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money and platforms.
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 Mos if
- Fits if you use a wheel mouse on a Mac and want it to scroll like a trackpad
- Works for per-app scroll settings
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you use Windows or Linux, as it is Mac only
- Watch out: the CC BY-NC 4.0 licence is non-commercial, not a standard open source one
- Too light for you if you want paid support: its own comparison page points those users to commercial tools
- Watch out: it needs the macOS Accessibility permission
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
| 3.2GPAMosVery good | 2.4GPASteerMouseFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree to use, with a donate link offered, and no paid plan is listed on the site. | 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 | AThe whole app is free, with no paid edition, limit or trial on record. | CA 30-day free trial, with no card mentioned. No free edition after it. |
| Features | BSmooth scrolling, per-app profiles, separate axes, button bindings and Logitech support. Nothing in the listing is missing from the job, though pointer acceleration is left to other tools. | 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 | BA menu bar app that works once the Accessibility permission is granted. No store rating is on record. | CMany settings to work through per mouse and per app. No store rating is on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | CMac only. No Windows, Linux or phone version. | CMac only, macOS 12 or later for version 5.8.2. No other platform. |
| Best for | smoother mouse wheel scrolling on a Mac | 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: Mos and SteerMouse. How we grade
Where they differ
- Mos is open source, according to its own site.
- SteerMouse can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Mos also covers menu bar app.
In commonmacOSKeyboard and mouse remapping
At a glance
| Mos | SteerMouse | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free trial |
| Starts at | Free | $19.99 one-time, lifetime license |
| Free plan | The whole app is free; a Donate link is offered. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 30-day free trial |
| macOS | ||
| Made by | Caldis | PLENTYCOM SYSTEMS |
| Price read from | mos.caldis.me | plentycom.jp |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Mos
- Mac only; it needs the macOS Accessibility permission to work.
- Licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0, which is a non-commercial license rather than a standard open source one.
- Its own comparison page says users who want paid support or a commercial product lifecycle may prefer commercial tools.
- Pointer acceleration and broader device settings are better handled by other tools, according to the vendor.
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
Mos
- Smooth wheel scrolling
- Turns raw wheel steps into continuous motion, with step, speed and duration values that can be tuned.
- Per-app profiles
- Each app can inherit the defaults or override its own scroll and button behavior.
- Separate axes and reversal
- Vertical and horizontal scrolling are configured independently, and direction can be reversed per axis.
- Mouse button bindings
- Record a mouse, keyboard or custom event and bind it to an action such as Mission Control, Spaces, screenshots or a script.
- Logitech button support
- Handles button events from Logitech devices connected over Bolt, Unifying or Bluetooth.
- Scroll hotkeys
- Keys can be bound to accelerate scrolling, convert the axis or temporarily turn smoothing off.
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
Mos
Free$0
Full app, distributed through GitHub Releases and Homebrew.
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, Mos or SteerMouse?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Mos is free, and SteerMouse starts at $19.99 one-time, lifetime license.
Which has a free plan, Mos or SteerMouse?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Mos 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.