# USB Overdrive review (2026): is the free plan enough? > Mac driver utility for mice, keyboards, trackballs and gamepads Checked Nov 13, 2026 ยท graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA. USB Overdrive is a macOS driver utility for USB and Bluetooth mice, keyboards, trackballs, trackpads, joysticks and gamepads from most vendors. It lets you remap buttons and tune scrolling. It does not handle Apple's own mice, trackpads or keyboards. The unregistered version works fully, with a reminder at login and a short countdown. - **Category:** Desktop Utilities - **Made by:** USB Overdrive - **Website:** https://www.usboverdrive.com/ - **Runs on:** macOS - **Who should skip it:** Not for you if you use an Apple mouse, trackpad or keyboard, as none is handled. - **Facts last checked:** Nov 13, 2026 ## Pricing As of Nov 13, 2026, USB Overdrive has a free plan, and paid plans start at $20 one-time license. - **Pricing model:** Free plan - **Free plan:** The unregistered version has no feature limits and no time limit, with a reminder at login and a short countdown when the interface opens. - **Free trial:** None listed. | Plan | Price | What you get | | --- | --- | --- | | Unregistered | $0 | Every feature and no time limit, plus a login reminder and a short countdown on opening the interface. | | USB Overdrive license | $20 one-time; the vendor says licenses do not expire | Registers the app and removes the reminders. Price shown in US dollars on the vendor's FastSpring store page. | Read from https://sites.fastspring.com/usboverdrive/instant/usboverdrive on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with USB Overdrive before buying. ## Key features - **Wide device support:** Works with USB and Bluetooth mice, keyboards, trackballs, trackpads, joysticks, gamepads and other gaming devices from almost any vendor. - **Scroll axis options:** Version 5.3 added options to invert each scroll axis separately and to swap the axes while a modifier key is held. - **Free to try without limits:** The unregistered version has no feature limits or time limits; a built-in uninstaller removes the app if it does not fit. - **Long-running license:** The vendor says original registration codes from 25 years ago are still accepted and the license will not expire. ## Good for - Mac users with third-party mice, trackballs or gamepads that need remapping - People who want to try every feature before paying - Owners of older Macs, since builds exist back to OS X 10.11 ## Worth knowing - Does not handle any Apple mouse, trackpad or keyboard, because that would remove native macOS support. - Version 5.4 runs only on macOS 15 and later; older releases are for earlier systems. - Version 4 or earlier must be uninstalled before installing version 5.x. - The vendor says it may ask for a voluntary upgrade fee at a future major release. ## ToolGPA grades **GPA: 2.8 out of 4**, graded Nov 13, 2026. USB Overdrive remaps buttons and tunes scrolling for third-party mice, trackballs and gamepads, and it works fully unregistered. But it doesn't handle any Apple devices, version 5.4 needs macOS 15, and the vendor may ask for an upgrade fee later. - **Value for money: A.** $20 one-time, and the vendor says licences don't expire. The unregistered version works fully. - **Free plan and trial: A.** The unregistered version has no feature or time limit, only a reminder at login and a short countdown. - **Features: C.** Wide device support, button remapping and scroll options. It leaves out all Apple mice, trackpads and keyboards, which the listing names as a limit. - **Ease of use: C.** Driver-style settings per device to work through. No store rating is on record. - **Platforms and integrations: C.** Mac only, macOS 15 or later for version 5.4. No other platform. These are ToolGPA's own grades. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from USB Overdrive's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. ## Where it stands among desktop utilities - USB Overdrive's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 116 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 37. - It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 107 of 186) and worst on features (C, above 2). The category's chart of price against score: https://toolgpa.com/charts/utilities ## Keep it, or make your own? **Keep it.** To replace USB Overdrive you would be making keys and buttons remapped below the level of apps. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one. It costs $20, paid once. - You could not: Keys and buttons remapped below the level of apps. - You could not: A real app for macOS. Something home-made would be a web page. - You could not: It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team. A judgement by ToolGPA from this listing, by rules that are the same for every tool. Nothing was built to test it. **Tags:** Keyboard and mouse remapping, One-time purchase ## Alternatives - [SteerMouse](https://toolgpa.com/tools/steermouse): Mac utility for customizing mouse buttons, wheels and cursor speed. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/steermouse-vs-usb-overdrive) - [Mac Mouse Fix](https://toolgpa.com/tools/mac-mouse-fix): Trackpad-style gestures and smooth scrolling for third-party mice. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/mac-mouse-fix-vs-usb-overdrive) - [LinearMouse](https://toolgpa.com/tools/linearmouse): Free, open-source mouse and trackpad customizer for Mac. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/linearmouse-vs-usb-overdrive) - [BetterTouchTool](https://toolgpa.com/tools/bettertouchtool): Mac input customization: gestures, shortcuts and automation. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/bettertouchtool-vs-usb-overdrive) - [Scroll Reverser](https://toolgpa.com/tools/scroll-reverser): Mac menu bar app that sets scroll direction per device. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/scroll-reverser-vs-usb-overdrive) ## Sources The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026: - https://www.usboverdrive.com/ - https://www.usboverdrive.com/why-buy/ - https://www.usboverdrive.com/downloads/ - https://sites.fastspring.com/usboverdrive/instant/usboverdrive Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/usb-overdrive Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).