Mouseless vs Shortcat (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Mouseless grades higher than Shortcat: 2.0 against 1.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Mouseless grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Mouseless
Control the mouse from the keyboard on Mac, Windows and Linux
Free trial
Which one is for you
Pick Mouseless if
- Fits if mouse strain or accessibility needs push you to the keyboard
- Works for people who switch between Mac, Windows and Linux
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free, because the trial ends after 14 days
- Not for you if you need a price first, as the paid amounts are not published
- Watch out: each license activates on 5 machines and must be validated at least every 30 days
- Skip it if you want phones or tablets covered, since it is desktop only
Pick Shortcat if
- Fits if you live on a Mac and want to click things from the keyboard
- Works for people who like Vimium-style clicking in every app
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use Windows or Linux, as it is Mac only
- Tight if you want a free tool, since the listing shows no free plan or trial
- Not for you if you need to know the cost first, because the site publishes no price or license terms
- Watch out: it needs macOS 13 or later and Accessibility permission, and some Electron apps expose less than others
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAMouselessFair | 1.6GPAShortcatWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CThe lifetime and subscription prices sit behind a purchase dialog and are not on record, so there is no figure to compare. | CNo price is published on the site, so there is nothing to set against the category's $8.00 middle or $19 one-time figure. |
| Free plan and trial | CA 14-day trial with no card or email, but no free plan after it. | FThe listing records no free plan and no trial, and the site shows no price or terms to say otherwise. |
| Features | CEvery button and action, plus a free-movement mode. It does that job fully, and it is a smaller job. | CClicking, menu search, window search and emoji search, but results depend on each app's Accessibility support, including some Electron apps. It does that one job fully, and it is a smaller job. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record, and typing coordinates on an overlay is a habit to learn. | CNo store rating on record, and it needs macOS 13 or later plus an Accessibility permission before it does anything. |
| Platforms and integrations | CMac, Windows and Linux, but computers only, with no integrations listed. | CMac only, with Safari, Chrome and Firefox support but no other devices and no integrations listed. |
| Best for | controlling the mouse from the keyboard on any desktop | clicking buttons on a Mac without the mouse |
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: Mouseless and Shortcat. How we grade
Where they differ
- Mouseless also covers keyboard and mouse remapping.
- Shortcat also covers launcher and window management.
In commonmacOSKeyboard-first
At a glance
| Mouseless | Shortcat | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Paid |
| Starts at | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 14-day trial, no card or email required | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Sonuscape LLC | Sproutcube |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Mouseless
- The price of the lifetime and subscription licenses sits behind a purchase dialog that could not be read, so no amount is listed.
- Each license activates on 5 machines and must be validated at least every 30 days.
- The site states 25% off for academic emails.
Shortcat
- Needs macOS 13 or later and Accessibility permission.
- Results depend on how well each app implements Accessibility, including some Electron apps.
- The site shows no price or license terms, so the cost could not be confirmed.
Key features
Mouseless
- Coordinate clicking
- Click by typing a few coordinates on an on-screen overlay.
- All mouse actions
- Left, right, middle, back and forward buttons, plus drag, drop, scroll, and double and triple clicks.
- Free mode
- Smooth, configurable cursor movement without the overlay, as an upgrade on built-in mouse keys.
- Offline licensing
- Lifetime license holders can activate and refresh without a network.
Shortcat
- Click with the keyboard
- Type what you want to click, such as ok for an OK button; supports right, double and modified clicks.
- Window search
- Searches window titles to bring a window forward without cycling through the app switcher.
- Menu search
- Exposes the front app's menu items to fuzzy search.
- Browser support
- Works in Safari, Chrome, Firefox and some Chromium browsers such as Vivaldi.
- Emoji mode
- Fuzzy search for emojis by several labels.
Plans
Mouseless
Pricing could not be confirmed. See mouseless.click.
Shortcat
Pricing could not be confirmed. See shortcat.app.
Ways to pay less
Mouseless
- Education
25% off for academic email addresses
Request a code with an academic institution email for 25% off the lifetime license or first subscription payment.
Shortcat
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Mouseless or Shortcat?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Mouseless has no price we could confirm, and Shortcat has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, Mouseless or Shortcat?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither Mouseless nor Shortcat has a free plan. Mouseless has a free trial.
Which platforms do Mouseless and Shortcat run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Mouseless lists Windows and Linux apps. Both list a macOS app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
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.