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

#	App	Pricing	Open source	Platforms	Verified facts	Score
1	Hammerspoon	Open source	Yes	macOS	4 of 4	48.9

1. HammerspoonTop pick
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.

Best Homerow alternative for most people

BetterTouchTool

Map shortcuts to UI actions and menu items across apps.

Best Homerow alternative for a free option

Hammerspoon

Script keyboard-driven UI control yourself in Lua.

Best Homerow alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Raycast

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

Best Homerow alternative for open source

Hammerspoon

Script keyboard-driven UI control yourself in Lua.

Best Homerow alternative for Mac

Keyboard Maestro

Build macros that click menus and buttons for repeated tasks.

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.