Scroll Reverser vs Smooze (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Scroll Reverser grades higher than Smooze: 3.0 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Scroll Reverser grades higher on the free plan and ease of use. Smooze grades higher on features. 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.
Smooze
Mac app for smooth scrolling and mouse button actions
Free trial · from $19.99 one-time
Which one is for you
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
Pick Smooze if
- Fits if you use a wheel mouse on a Mac and want animated scrolling plus button gestures
- Works for per-app and per-display scroll settings
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you use Windows or Linux, as it is Mac only
- Watch out: the vendor's own site gives no price, only the Paddle checkout does
- Watch out: one licence covers two Macs, and moving it to a new machine goes through support
- Tight if you want to decide quickly, since the trial is 7 days
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAScroll ReverserVery good | 2.6GPASmoozeGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree under Apache 2.0, with voluntary donations. | A$19.99 one-time before VAT, for two Macs, under a year of this category's typical subscription. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe whole app is free, and donations are voluntary, so nothing is charged on record. | CA 7-day trial, and the page we read doesn't mention a card. No free edition. |
| Features | CSeparate direction per device, horizontal control and wheel step size. It does that job fully, but it is a smaller one. | BAnimated scrolling, button actions and gestures, auto scroll, grab-and-throw and per-app and per-display settings. Nothing in the listing is missing from the job. |
| Ease of use | BInstall and tick a box: nothing to set up. No store rating is on record. | CMany per-app settings to work through. No store rating is on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | CMac only, macOS 13.5 or later for version 2.1.1. Intel and Apple silicon builds. | CMac only, macOS Catalina 10.15 and up, with no other platform listed. |
| Best for | different scroll directions for mouse and trackpad | animated mouse scrolling 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: Scroll Reverser and Smooze. How we grade
Where they differ
- Scroll Reverser is open source, according to its own site.
- Smooze can be bought with a one-time purchase.
In commonmacOSMenu bar appKeyboard and mouse remapping
At a glance
| Scroll Reverser | Smooze | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free trial |
| Starts at | Free | $19.99 one-time, excluding VAT |
| Free plan | The whole app is free; the author accepts voluntary donations. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 7-day trial |
| macOS | ||
| Made by | Pilotmoon Software | Smooze |
| Price read from | pilotmoon.com | buy.paddle.com (not the vendor's own page) |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Smooze
- Mac only; the site lists macOS Catalina 10.15 and up.
- The price is shown only in the vendor's Paddle checkout, as US$19.99 before VAT; the vendor's own site gives no price.
- One license can be used on two Macs; moving it to a new machine goes through support.
- People who bought the earlier non-Pro version are pointed to a separate download.
Key features
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.
Smooze
- Animated scrolling
- Adds smooth, animated scrolling to a scroll wheel mouse in every app.
- Button actions and gestures
- Attach mouse buttons to actions, and assign gestures and rocker gestures to buttons, shortcuts or apps.
- Auto scroll
- Scrolls anywhere on the screen hands-free with animated movement.
- Grab, drag and throw
- Grab the screen to scroll; throwing it animates the scroll the way a trackpad does.
- Free acceleration control
- Turn off scroll acceleration and choose lines per tick. The vendor says these features are and will stay free.
- Per-app and per-display settings
- All settings can be set for each app on each display.
Plans
Scroll Reverser
Free$0
Full app, open source under Apache 2.0. Voluntary donations are accepted.
Smooze
Smooze Pro$19.99
one-time, excluding VAT; one license covers two Macs
Full app with animated scroll, button actions, gestures, auto scroll and per-display settings.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Scroll Reverser or Smooze?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Scroll Reverser is free, and Smooze starts at $19.99 one-time, excluding VAT.
Which has a free plan, Scroll Reverser or Smooze?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Scroll Reverser has a free plan. Smooze 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.