The Keyboard Maestro Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Keyboard Maestro in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Keyboard Maestro
The Insider’s Guide
Macro automation for macOS with triggers and actions
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among desktop utilities, read from Keyboard Maestro’s own pages.
Made by Stairways Software Pty Ltd · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Keyboard Maestro’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Keyboard Maestro’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 7 of the 94 other desktop utilities we grade
Keyboard Maestro is a macOS automation app from Stairways Software. Users build macros from triggers and actions to launch and control applications, fill in web forms, transform text and images, and run scripts, either on command or on a schedule. It also includes a clipboard history switcher, named clipboards, and application and window switchers. Each major version is sold as a one-time purchase rather than a subscription.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Keyboard Maestro, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It's Mac only, so Windows and Linux users should look elsewhere.
- 1
Best for automating repeated jobs on a Mac
Keyboard Maestro is a Mac automation app: a trigger such as a hot key, a time of day or a plugged-in USB device runs a list of actions.
- 2
What it costs
Paid plans start at US$36 one-time purchase for version 11, plus applicable tax.
- 3
You can try it first
Fully functional trial download; the pages read do not state how long it lasts
- 4
It runs on macOS
macOS.
- 5
Macros built from triggers and actions
A macro pairs one or more triggers with a list of actions, created by hand or by recording. Built-in actions include control flow, conditions and loops, and third-party plug-in actions can be added.
- 6
Many trigger types
Macros can fire from a hot key, a typed string, a time of day or cron schedule, an application launching, a folder change, a USB or MIDI device, a Wi-Fi network change or a remote web link.
- 7
Clipboard history and named clipboards
The Clipboard History Switcher browses and pastes past clipboard entries, and an unlimited number of Named Clipboards are saved permanently.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 7 of 94
That is against the other desktop utilities we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Keyboard Maestro you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Keyboard Maestro at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from US$36 one-time purchase for version 11, plus applicable tax
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Fully functional trial download; the pages read do not state how long it lasts
- Runs on
- macOS
- Made by
- Stairways Software Pty Ltd, since 1995
- Category
- Desktop Utilities
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for automating repeated jobs on a Mac
Keyboard Maestro is a Mac automation app: a trigger such as a hot key, a time of day or a plugged-in USB device runs a list of actions. It's US$36 once for version 11, but there's a real learning curve, the trial's length isn't stated, and later major versions are paid upgrades every 12 to 36 months. It's Mac only, so Windows and Linux users should look elsewhere.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | US$36 once, which one person may use on five Macs. Utilities here run about $2.99 a month in the middle, so that's a shade over a year's subscription and then nothing, and it takes in clipboard history and text expansion too. Upgrades are US$25. |
| Free plan and trial | C | No free plan. You can download a fully functional trial with no card asked for, but the pages read for this listing don't say how long it lasts, and carrying on needs a licence. |
| Features | B | This covers the whole automation job. Macros built by hand or recorded, with conditions and loops, fired by hot keys, typed strings, cron schedules, folder changes or a Wi-Fi network. It fills web forms, does OCR, moves windows, runs AppleScript and shell scripts, and keeps clipboard history. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record, and there's a real learning curve: triggers, actions, conditions and loops are a lot to meet at once, even though you build macros in the app rather than in a file. Expect to spend an evening on your first few. |
| Platforms and integrations | D | Mac only, and version 11 needs macOS 10.13 High Sierra or later. It works with Safari, Chrome, Stream Deck and 1Password, and macros sync between Macs through Dropbox. One operating system, though. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Keyboard Maestro is for
- Fits if you repeat the same many-step chore on a Mac and want it on one key
- Works for people who'd rather pay once per major version than subscribe
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you're on Windows or Linux, or on a Mac older than macOS 10.13 High Sierra
- Not for you if you want something free: the trial's length isn't stated, and carrying on needs a US$36 license
- Watch out: the license covers 11.x only, and later major versions are paid upgrades, released every 12 to 36 months
- Tight if you're new to automation: triggers, actions, conditions and loops take an evening or more to learn
- Watch out: licenses are per user for up to five Macs, and 10 or more users have to ask for a quote
Good to know
Good for
- Mac users who repeat the same multi-step tasks and want to automate them
- People who prefer paying once per major version to a subscription
- Users who want clipboard history, text expansion and app switching in one tool
Worth knowing
- macOS only; version 11 requires macOS 10.13 High Sierra or later.
- The license covers version 11.x. Later major versions are paid upgrades, which the vendor says it releases roughly every 12 to 36 months.
- There is no free plan: the programs are free to download and try, but continued use requires a license.
- Licensed per user for up to five Macs; customers with ten or more users are asked to contact the vendor for a volume quote.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$36 one-time
To start
Keyboard Maestro is a paid product with a free trial, starting at US$36 one-time purchase for version 11, plus applicable tax.
Keyboard Maestro 11
US$36
one-time purchase, plus applicable tax
A per-user license for version 11.x that an individual may use on up to five Macs. Not a subscription; version 11 can be used indefinitely.
Upgrade to version 11
US$25
one-time upgrade, plus applicable tax
For owners of any previous version. Purchases made since 1 March 2023 were issued a free upgrade to version 11.
Trying it first
Fully functional trial download; the pages read do not state how long it lasts
Read from keyboardmaestro.com on Oct 5, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Other savings
US$25 upgrade from any previous version
Owners of an earlier version can buy an upgrade to version 11 for US$25 plus tax instead of the US$36 new-license price.
Stated on keyboardmaestro.comOther savings
Volume discount for ten or more users
The user manual asks customers with ten or more users to contact Stairways Software for a volume discount quote.
Stated on wiki.keyboardmaestro.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: macOS
Macro automation for macOS with triggers and actions. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, workflow automation, clipboard manager, window management, text expansion.
It fills web forms, does OCR, moves windows, runs AppleScript and shell scripts, and keeps clipboard history.
- Macros built from triggers and actions
- A macro pairs one or more triggers with a list of actions, created by hand or by recording. Built-in actions include control flow, conditions and loops, and third-party plug-in actions can be added.
- Many trigger types
- Macros can fire from a hot key, a typed string, a time of day or cron schedule, an application launching, a folder change, a USB or MIDI device, a Wi-Fi network change or a remote web link.
- Clipboard history and named clipboards
- The Clipboard History Switcher browses and pastes past clipboard entries, and an unlimited number of Named Clipboards are saved permanently.
- Text, image and web actions
- Type or paste strings, expand typed snippets, run calculations, OCR and capture images, and work with the front page in Safari or Chrome, including filling in forms.
- Application and window control
- Launch, quit, show or hide applications, move and resize windows, and switch between running apps and open windows with the Application and Window Switchers.
- Scripting and syncing
- Macros can run AppleScript, shell scripts and JavaScript, and can be triggered from scripts, a URL or the keyboardmaestro command-line tool. Macros sync across Macs through Dropbox or other file sharing.
Where it runs
- macOS
What it works with
- Safari
- Google Chrome
- Stream Deck
- Dropbox
- 1Password
- AppleScript
Keyboard Maestro is made by Stairways Software Pty Ltd, and has been around since 1995.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
7/94
Other desktop utilities it is graded above
Keyboard Maestro's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 7 of the 94 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 10.
It stands best on features (B, above 72 of 94) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 95 desktop utilities we grade, cut by the letter each got. Keyboard Maestro’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 12 of 94
- CFree plan and trialAbove 4 of 94
- BFeaturesAbove 72 of 94
- CEase of useAbove 6 of 94
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 94
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Keyboard Maestro you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 77 of the 94 other desktop utilities grade higher. It costs $36, paid once.
What you could not
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- Control over other apps' windows.
- Text expansion that works in every app.
- A clipboard history running in the background of your computer.
- A real app for macOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Keyboard Maestro’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
BetterTouchTool, Hammerspoon, Karabiner-Elements, Raycast and Alfred
The 5 tools Keyboard Maestro is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
BetterTouchTool
Free trial · from $15 one-time
Mac input customization: gestures, shortcuts and automation.
- Keyboard Maestro also covers text expansion.
- BetterTouchTool also covers launcher and keyboard and mouse remapping.
- 2.6GPA
Hammerspoon
Free
Free, open-source macOS automation scripted in Lua.
- Hammerspoon has a free plan. Keyboard Maestro does not, though it has a free trial.
- Keyboard Maestro can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Hammerspoon is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.6GPA
Karabiner-Elements
Free
Free, open-source keyboard customizer for macOS.
- Karabiner-Elements has a free plan. Keyboard Maestro does not, though it has a free trial.
- Keyboard Maestro can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Karabiner-Elements is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.8GPA
Raycast
Free plan · from $96/yr
Keyboard launcher with extensions, clipboard history and AI.
- Raycast has a free plan. Keyboard Maestro does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Raycast lists Windows and iOS apps.
- Only Raycast lists a browser extension.
- 2.4GPA
Alfred
Free plan · from £34 one-time
Mac launcher with hotkeys, snippets and custom workflows.
- Alfred has a free plan. Keyboard Maestro does not, though it has a free trial.
- Keyboard Maestro also covers window management.
- Alfred also covers launcher.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Keyboard Maestro free?
No, Keyboard Maestro is a paid product, but you can try it first. Fully functional trial download; the pages read do not state how long it lasts.
How much does Keyboard Maestro cost?
Keyboard Maestro lists 2 plans. Keyboard Maestro 11: US$36 one-time purchase, plus applicable tax.
What platforms does Keyboard Maestro work on?
Keyboard Maestro is available on macOS.
Does Keyboard Maestro offer any discounts?
Keyboard Maestro publicly lists the following: US$25 upgrade from any previous version; Volume discount for ten or more users.
Does Keyboard Maestro have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Keyboard Maestro is listed for macOS.
Does Keyboard Maestro have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Keyboard Maestro is listed for macOS.
Is Keyboard Maestro open source?
Keyboard Maestro is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
What does Keyboard Maestro integrate with?
Keyboard Maestro's listing names Safari, Google Chrome, Stream Deck, Dropbox, 1Password and AppleScript.
Who makes Keyboard Maestro?
Keyboard Maestro is made by Stairways Software Pty Ltd. It dates from 1995.
What are the alternatives to Keyboard Maestro?
The closest alternatives to Keyboard Maestro in our directory are BetterTouchTool, Hammerspoon, Karabiner-Elements, Raycast and Alfred.
How does Keyboard Maestro compare with other desktop utilities?
Keyboard Maestro's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 7 of the 94 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 10.
Could I make my own version of Keyboard Maestro?
To replace Keyboard Maestro you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Keyboard Maestro’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Stairways Software's own pages on 5 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-09-12.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Stairways Software Pty Ltd. Prices change, so check keyboardmaestro.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Keyboard Maestro, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/keyboard-maestro
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Keyboard Maestro: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/keyboard-maestro
Know someone choosing between desktop utilities?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/keyboard-maestro/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded desktop utilities after Keyboard Maestro, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Desktop Utilities Insider's GuideEvery one of the 95 desktop utilities we grade, compared
- LocalSend Insider's GuideOpen-source file sharing between nearby devices, no cloud3.2 GPA
- Ninite Insider's GuideInstalls and updates many Windows apps at once3.2 GPA
- 7-Zip Insider's GuideFree, open-source file archiver with the 7z format3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Keyboard Maestro’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Keyboard Maestro is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Stairways Software Pty Ltd. Prices and plans change: check keyboardmaestro.com before you buy.