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Homerow alternatives: 4 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Homerow: some apps expose few elements to label, and mac only, macOS 13 or later. We ranked 4 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Homerow, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. BetterTouchTool currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1BetterTouchTool logoBetterTouchToolPaidNomacOS5 of 559.6
2Raycast logoRaycastFree plan + paidNomacOS, Windows, iOS5 of 554.5
3KeKeyboard MaestroPaidNomacOS4 of 452.2
4Hammerspoon logoHammerspoonOpen sourceYesmacOS4 of 448.9
  1. BetterTouchTool logo

    1. BetterTouchToolTop pick

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

    PaidmacOS

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Homerow

    Map shortcuts to UI actions and menu items across apps.

    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 ×0.377
    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 Homerow 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)
  2. Raycast logo

    2. Raycast

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

    Free plan + paidmacOS, Windows, iOS

    54.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Homerow

    Launch apps and run commands from the keyboard, complementing or replacing some clicks.

    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 ×0.360
    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 Homerow 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)
  3. Ke

    3. Keyboard Maestro

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

    PaidmacOS

    52.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Homerow

    Build macros that click menus and buttons for repeated tasks.

    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 ×0.352
    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 Keyboard Maestro a good Homerow 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)
  4. Hammerspoon logo

    4. Hammerspoon

    Best for: Developers who want to script their own Mac utilities instead of buying several

    Open sourcemacOS

    48.9

    score / 100

    Why switch from Homerow

    Script keyboard-driven UI control yourself in Lua.

    Pros

    • Can replace many small utilities with code
    • Broad APIs across windows, input, network and devices
    • Spoons provide ready-made modules
    • Free and open source

    Cons

    • Requires writing Lua
    • No graphical editor for automations
    • Debugging configs can be fiddly
    Visit Hammerspoon 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 Hammerspoon a good Homerow alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    MIT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Scripting language
    Lua
    Checked Oct 25, 2026hammerspoon.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Default behaviour
    Does nothing until configured
    Checked Oct 25, 2026hammerspoon.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Plugins
    Spoons
    Checked Oct 25, 2026hammerspoon.org(opens source in a new tab)

The best Homerow alternative for…

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

BetterTouchTool logo

Best Homerow alternative for most people

BetterTouchTool

Map shortcuts to UI actions and menu items across apps.

Hammerspoon logo

Best Homerow alternative for a free option

Hammerspoon

Script keyboard-driven UI control yourself in Lua.

Raycast logo

Best Homerow alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Raycast

Launch apps and run commands from the keyboard, complementing or replacing some clicks.

Hammerspoon logo

Best Homerow alternative for open source

Hammerspoon

Script keyboard-driven UI control yourself in Lua.

Ke

Best Homerow alternative for Mac

Keyboard Maestro

Build macros that click menus and buttons for repeated tasks.

Raycast logo

Best Homerow alternative for Windows

Raycast

Launch apps and run commands from the keyboard, complementing or replacing some clicks.

Homerow alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Homerow?

BetterTouchTool ranks first right now. Map shortcuts to UI actions and menu items across apps. Raycast and Keyboard Maestro follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Homerow?

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

Is there an open-source alternative to Homerow?

Yes: Hammerspoon.

Why do people switch from Homerow?

The complaints we hear most: some apps expose few elements to label; mac only, macOS 13 or later; single-purpose tool.

How is this list ranked?

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