ControllerBuddy vs JoyShockMapper
ControllerBuddy
controllerbuddy.orgJoyShockMapper
github.comSide by side
| Figure | ControllerBuddy | JoyShockMapper |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Spec score · Controller Mapping Software | 8.8 (#1) | 8.5 (#3) |
| Spec score · Game Controller Mapper Software | 8.8 (#2) | 8.5 (#5) |
| Controllers | It supports Xbox Controller, DualShock 4, DualSense, and other controllers supported by SDL_GameControllerDB. | The project describes support for DualSense, DualShock 4, JoyCons used in pairs, and Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. |
| Documentation depth | Documentation consists of a long FAQ, README feature and build instructions, simulator profiles, Linux setup guides and GitHub issue reporting. | The README contains command references, calibration procedures, configuration-file behavior, troubleshooting, and known issues. |
| License | ControllerBuddy is released under the GNU General Public License version 3.0. | The repository is released under the MIT License with an as-is warranty disclaimer. |
| Limit: setup complexity | A Reddit user reported that the software was not straightforward initially, although the developer spent about 30 minutes helping through Discord. | Users report that learning commands and calibration requires reading the GitHub documentation and can be difficult initially. |
| Purpose | ControllerBuddy maps gamepad inputs for flight simulators, aiming to let users fly without a joystick, keyboard, or mouse. | JoyShockMapper maps game controller input to keyboard, mouse, or virtual controller events for playing PC games. |
| Support | The project directs bug reports to GitHub Issues and questions to its Discord community. | The project directs users with problems to its troubleshooting and known-issues documentation, the GyroGaming subreddit, and an affiliated Discord server. |
| What it does | ControllerBuddy maps gamepad controls to keyboard, mouse and virtual-joystick inputs for flight simulators. | JoyShockMapper converts controller input into keyboard, mouse, and virtual-controller events for PC games. |
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.
JoyShockMapper
JoyShockMapper maps game controller input to keyboard, mouse, or virtual controller events for PC games. It supports gyro controls and flick stick for aiming and turning. Buttons can map to keyboard or mouse inputs with tap-and-hold, chorded, and simultaneous-press options; stick modes can control the mouse or trigger keys, including scroll-wheel and flick-stick modes. The project describes support for DualSense, DualShock 4, paired JoyCons, and Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. It loads commands from text configuration files, and its download includes example gyro configurations. JoyShockMapper is free, with a Windows release and Linux builds available from source. Development primarily targets Windows, and Linux builds may not always work. Linux use requires read and write access to /dev/uinput and the relevant /dev/hidraw device; focused-window detection works only on X11. Virtual Xbox or DS4 output requires separate ViGEm bus software. The releases page lists v3.6.1 as the latest release.