ControllerBuddy vs DSTX
ControllerBuddy
controllerbuddy.org
DSTX
dstxapp.orgSide by side
| Figure | ControllerBuddy | DSTX |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Controller Mapping Software | 8.8 (#1) | 7.6 (#18) |
| Profiles | Profiles are JSON configuration files that can be edited and saved inside the application. | Users can save and load custom controller profiles. |
| Purpose | ControllerBuddy maps gamepad inputs for flight simulators, aiming to let users fly without a joystick, keyboard, or mouse. | DSTX emulates an Xbox 360 controller from DualShock 4, DualSense, or Nintendo Switch Pro controllers on Linux. |
| Support | The project directs bug reports to GitHub Issues and questions to its Discord community. | The project lists Ko-fi, PayPal, GitHub Sponsors, and PIX as donation options. |
Plans
In their own words
ControllerBuddy
ControllerBuddy maps gamepad inputs to keyboard and mouse actions or a virtual joystick for flight simulators. Profiles can assign controls through different modes, and an overlay displays the active mode and virtual-axis states. A gamepad-controlled on-screen keyboard supports selecting keys and holding multiple keys at once. The software supports Xbox Controller, DualShock 4, DualSense and other controllers supported by SDLGameControllerDB. Community-maintained profiles are listed for simulators and aircraft, including DCS World and Microsoft Flight Simulator versions 2020 and 2024. ControllerBuddy runs on Windows 10 or 11 (x64) and Linux (x64 or aarch64); its official Flatpak package includes profiles and optional helper scripts for Proton games and DOSBox Staging. The software is free and open-source under GNU GPL v3.0. There are control limits: mode actions must be assigned at Default Mode level and cannot combine multiple buttons, and the two triggers cannot be merged into one rudder axis. It uses rolling releases, with backward compatibility not guaranteed.
DSTX
DSTX is a free Linux application that makes DualShock 4, DualSense and Nintendo Switch Pro controllers appear as Xbox 360 controllers. It supports up to four controllers simultaneously through USB or Bluetooth and provides virtual controller output. Users can remap buttons, adjust rumble and stick sensitivity, calibrate deadzones, invert the Y axis and configure LED effects. Custom profiles can be saved and loaded for different setups. DSTX includes a GTK4 graphical interface, a terminal interface and a background daemon that keeps settings active after the window closes. Installation choices include Flatpak, Debian .deb, Fedora/RHEL .rpm, AppImage, binary tarball and source build. The AppImage contains only the GUI, so the core package is separate. Controller group permissions may require logging out and back in after installation. DSTX is GPLv3 open source, says it has no telemetry or tracking, and publishes its source code.