# Macro Recorder

> Records mouse and keyboard actions for replay on Windows and Mac

Macro Recorder is a desktop automation tool for Windows and Mac that records mouse movements, clicks and keystrokes and replays them as often as needed. A recording opens in a built-in editor as a list of actions, where steps such as image and text detection, waits, repeats and AI actions can be added without a scripting language. It is sold as a one-time license in three editions, alongside a feature-limited freeware version for personal use.

- **Category:** Automation
- **Made by:** Bartels Media GmbH
- **Website:** https://www.macrorecorder.com
- **Runs on:** Windows, macOS
- **Facts last checked:** Oct 6, 2026

## Pricing

Macro Recorder has a free plan. Paid plans start at $99.95 one-time for the Standard edition, with 12 months of updates.

- **Pricing model:** Free plan
- **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.
- **Free trial:** Paid-edition features can be tested in the free download before buying; license notifications appear while they are in use.

| Plan | Price | What you get |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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. |

Read from https://www.macrorecorder.com/press/ on Oct 6, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Macro Recorder before buying.

## Ways to pay less

- **One-time purchase with a lifetime license** (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. Source: https://www.macrorecorder.com/shop/
- **Volume discounts in the cart** (Other savings): The shop FAQ says a volume discount is applied automatically when the quantity is raised in the shopping cart. Source: https://www.macrorecorder.com/shop/faq/

## Key features

- **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.

## Good for

- 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

## Worth knowing

- 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.

## Works with

PhraseExpress, OpenRouter, OpenAI, Anthropic, Ollama

**Tags:** Workflow automation, No-code, One-time purchase, AI features

## Alternatives

- [RoboTask](https://toolgpa.com/tools/robotask): Task automation for Windows built from ready-made actions. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/macro-recorder-vs-robotask)
- [Ui.Vision](https://toolgpa.com/tools/ui-vision): Open-source browser and desktop automation with computer vision. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/macro-recorder-vs-ui-vision)
- [Microsoft Power Automate](https://toolgpa.com/tools/microsoft-power-automate): Cloud workflows and desktop RPA in the Microsoft Power Platform. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/macro-recorder-vs-microsoft-power-automate)
- [Keyboard Maestro](https://toolgpa.com/tools/keyboard-maestro): Macro automation for macOS with triggers and actions. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/keyboard-maestro-vs-macro-recorder)
- [AutoHotkey](https://toolgpa.com/tools/autohotkey): Free, open-source scripting language for Windows automation. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/autohotkey-vs-macro-recorder)

## Sources

The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 6, 2026:

- https://www.macrorecorder.com/
- https://www.macrorecorder.com/press/
- https://www.macrorecorder.com/shop/
- https://www.macrorecorder.com/shop/faq/
- https://www.macrorecorder.com/shop/maintenance/
- https://www.macrorecorder.com/freeware/
- https://www.macrorecorder.com/download/
- https://www.macrorecorder.com/faq/
- https://www.macrorecorder.com/doc/

Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/macro-recorder
Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).