AppBreakup
Submit an app

Hammerspoon alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Hammerspoon: requires writing Lua, and no graphical editor for automations. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Hammerspoon, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Keyboard Maestro currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1KeKeyboard MaestroPaidNomacOS4 of 466.5
2BetterTouchTool logoBetterTouchToolPaidNomacOS5 of 552.2
3Karabiner-Elements logoKarabiner-ElementsOpen sourceYesmacOS4 of 450.3
4Raycast logoRaycastFree plan + paidNomacOS, Windows, iOS5 of 548.9
5SwiftBar logoSwiftBarOpen sourceYesmacOS4 of 438.6
  1. Ke

    1. Keyboard MaestroTop pick

    Best for: Mac users who want to automate repetitive work across many apps without coding

    PaidmacOS

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Hammerspoon

    Visual macro editor for similar automation without writing code.

    Pros

    • Hundreds of actions and many trigger types
    • No subscription; one-time purchase
    • Active community forum with shared macros

    Cons

    • Interface feels dated and dense
    • Major upgrades cost extra
    • Accessibility permission issues can need manual fixing after macOS updates
    Visit Keyboard Maestro Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Keyboard Maestro a good Hammerspoon alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Price
    US$36 one-time
    Checked Oct 25, 2026keyboardmaestro.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Upgrade price
    US$25
    Checked Oct 25, 2026keyboardmaestro.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Actions
    Hundreds built in
    Checked Oct 25, 2026keyboardmaestro.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Current version
    11
    Checked Oct 25, 2026keyboardmaestro.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. BetterTouchTool logo

    2. BetterTouchTool

    Best for: Mac power users who want to remap gestures, mice and keys and automate with them

    PaidmacOS

    52.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Hammerspoon

    Gesture, shortcut and window automation through a settings UI.

    Pros

    • Huge range of triggers and actions
    • Window snapping, clipboard and launcher included
    • Low one-off price with a lifetime option
    • Long free trial

    Cons

    • Dense, complicated settings
    • Mac only
    • Standard licence only covers two years of updates
    Visit BetterTouchTool Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.352
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is BetterTouchTool a good Hammerspoon alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Standard licence
    $15, 2 years of updates
    Checked Oct 25, 2026folivora.ai(opens source in a new tab)
    Lifetime licence
    $25
    Checked Oct 25, 2026folivora.ai(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    45 days
    Checked Oct 25, 2026folivora.ai(opens source in a new tab)
    Built-in actions
    600+
    Checked Oct 25, 2026folivora.ai(opens source in a new tab)
    Setapp
    Included
    Checked Oct 25, 2026folivora.ai(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Karabiner-Elements logo

    3. Karabiner-Elements

    Best for: Mac users who want to remap keys, build a hyper key or customise external keyboards

    Open sourcemacOS

    50.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Hammerspoon

    Dedicated, free keyboard remapping for low-level key changes.

    Pros

    • Free and open source
    • Simple remaps in a GUI, complex ones as rules
    • Large library of community rules
    • Per-device and per-app rules

    Cons

    • Complex rules require editing JSON
    • Setup needs a system extension and permissions
    • Keyboard-only; no gestures or window tools
    Visit Karabiner-Elements Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.346
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Karabiner-Elements a good Hammerspoon alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    Unlicense (public domain)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Apple Silicon
    Supported, as is Intel
    Checked Oct 25, 2026karabiner-elements.pqrs.org(opens source in a new tab)
    GUI remapping
    Yes, for simple mappings
    Checked Oct 25, 2026karabiner-elements.pqrs.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Community rules
    Importable from the web
    Checked Oct 25, 2026karabiner-elements.pqrs.org(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Raycast logo

    4. Raycast

    Best for: Mac or Windows users who want one launcher for apps, clipboard, snippets and windows

    Free plan + paidmacOS, Windows, iOS

    48.9

    score / 100

    Why switch from Hammerspoon

    Script commands and extensions in a friendlier launcher interface.

    Pros

    • Free tier includes clipboard history, snippets and window management
    • Large extension store for popular work tools
    • Extensions are easy to write in TypeScript and React
    • Fast, polished interface with good defaults

    Cons

    • AI features and sync are locked behind a subscription
    • Requires an account for sync and team features
    • Windows version is newer and has fewer extensions
    Visit Raycast Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.341
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Raycast a good Hammerspoon alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Free plan
    Yes, for personal and work use
    Checked Oct 25, 2026raycast.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro price
    From $8/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026raycast.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Teams Pro price
    $12 per user/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026raycast.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    macOS, Windows, iOS and iPadOS
    Checked Oct 25, 2026raycast.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Student discount
    50% off Pro
    Checked Oct 25, 2026raycast.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. SwiftBar logo

    5. SwiftBar

    Best for: Developers and tinkerers who want custom status info or quick actions in the Mac menu bar

    Open sourcemacOS

    38.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Hammerspoon

    Simpler if all you need is script output in the menu bar, and it runs BitBar/xbar plugins.

    Pros

    • Runs existing BitBar and xbar plugins
    • Any scripting language works
    • Supports streaming, Shortcuts-based and temporary plugins
    • Free and MIT-licensed

    Cons

    • You need to write or adapt scripts; there is no visual editor
    • macOS only
    • Plugins from the community vary in quality and upkeep
    Visit SwiftBar Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.37
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is SwiftBar a good Hammerspoon alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    MIT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    macOS 12 and later
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    BitBar/xbar plugins
    Compatible
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Install via Homebrew
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Hammerspoon alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Ke

Best Hammerspoon alternative for most people

Keyboard Maestro

Visual macro editor for similar automation without writing code.

Karabiner-Elements logo

Best Hammerspoon alternative for a free option

Karabiner-Elements

Dedicated, free keyboard remapping for low-level key changes.

Raycast logo

Best Hammerspoon alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Raycast

Script commands and extensions in a friendlier launcher interface.

SwiftBar logo

Best Hammerspoon alternative for open source

SwiftBar

Simpler if all you need is script output in the menu bar, and it runs BitBar/xbar plugins.

BetterTouchTool logo

Best Hammerspoon alternative for Mac

BetterTouchTool

Gesture, shortcut and window automation through a settings UI.

Raycast logo

Best Hammerspoon alternative for Windows

Raycast

Script commands and extensions in a friendlier launcher interface.

Hammerspoon alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Hammerspoon?

Keyboard Maestro ranks first right now. Visual macro editor for similar automation without writing code. BetterTouchTool and Karabiner-Elements follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Hammerspoon?

Yes. Karabiner-Elements (open source), Raycast (free plan + paid) and SwiftBar (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Hammerspoon?

Yes: Karabiner-Elements and SwiftBar.

Why do people switch from Hammerspoon?

The complaints we hear most: requires writing Lua; no graphical editor for automations; debugging configs can be fiddly.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Hammerspoon, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.