Keyboard Maestro vs Macro Recorder
Keyboard Maestro
keyboardmaestro.comMacro Recorder
macrorecorder.comSide by side
| Figure | Keyboard Maestro | Macro Recorder |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $36/mo | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 3 | 4 |
| Spec score · Keyboard and Mouse Customization Software | 8.3 (#21) | 7.3 (#88) |
| Spec score · Task Automation Software | 8.2 (#12) | 7.6 (#24) |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Headquarters | Perth, Western Australia | Trier, Germany |
| Privacy | The maker says it does not sell or trade customer records and limits stored customer data primarily to name, email, and purchase and program details. | The maker says the software runs locally and does not send data to third parties or the maker except optional update checks and one-time license activation; AI is optional and disabled by default. |
| Purpose | Keyboard Maestro automates Mac applications, websites, text, and images, either on command or on a schedule. | Macro Recorder records mouse and keyboard actions on Windows or Mac and can replay the procedure repeatedly. |
| Support | Support is available by email, online documentation, and a forum where developers and users help with specific macros. | The maker says product support is handled directly by the people who build its products, while support for freeware users is reserved for paying users. |
Plans
Keyboard Maestro
- Keyboard Maestro 11$36 a month
- Upgrade to Keyboard Maestro 11$25, paid once
- Keyboard Maestro 11$36, paid once
Macro Recorder
- FreewareFree
- EnterprisePrice not published
- ProfessionalPrice not published
- StandardPrice not published
In their own words
Keyboard Maestro
Keyboard Maestro has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
Macro Recorder
Macro Recorder records mouse and keyboard actions on Windows or Mac and replays them to repeat desktop procedures. Each recording appears as editable actions that can be adjusted or rearranged, and macros can also be assembled step by step. SmartClick searches for visual context around a captured click target during playback and clicks when it finds a match. The software supports screen image capture, OCR text capture, and barcode or QR code extraction into variables. Optional cloud and self-hosted AI integrations include OpenAI and local models such as Llama and DeepSeek; AI is disabled by default. The maker says the software runs locally, apart from optional update checks and one-time license activation. Freeware is limited to personal use: organizational use and paid-edition features require a license, and financially beneficial use requires purchase after 30 days. Paid licenses are one-time purchases with no recurring payment and apply to versions released during the maintenance term. One license covers either one Mac or one Windows user, not simultaneous use on both computers. Linux is not planned at this time.