ControllerBuddy vs QJoyPad
ControllerBuddy
controllerbuddy.orgQJoyPad
github.comSide by side
| Figure | ControllerBuddy | QJoyPad |
|---|---|---|
| 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) | 7.2 (#24) |
| Installation | Windows installation requires vJoy and a downloaded ZIP, while Linux installation uses uinput permissions and a TGZ archive. | The GitHub fork documents building from source with CMake and make, and provides no stated binary package offer on that page. |
| Security and compliance | The pages reviewed do not state security certifications or compliance claims. | The GitHub repository lists a GPL-2.0 license; the opened project pages do not state security certifications or compliance claims. |
| Support | The project directs bug reports to GitHub Issues and questions to its Discord community. | The repository directs users to GitHub issues for bug reports and feature requests, and the documentation also gives an email address for layout-file help. |
| What it does | ControllerBuddy maps gamepad controls to keyboard, mouse and virtual-joystick inputs for flight simulators. | QJoyPad converts gamepad or joystick input into keystrokes or mouse actions for XWindows programs. |
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.