What is Keyboard Maestro used for?

Keyboard Maestro is a macOS app for building macros triggered by keystrokes, schedules and events to automate Mac tasks. It is a good fit for automating repetitive Mac tasks, text expansion and snippets, and window and app management.

How much does Keyboard Maestro cost?

Paid plans for Keyboard Maestro start at $25 as a one-time payment, and there is no free plan. A free trial is available.

Is Keyboard Maestro open source?

No. Keyboard Maestro is proprietary (closed-source) software. Open-source alternatives to Keyboard Maestro include AutoHotkey, Hammerspoon and AutoKey.

Can I self-host Keyboard Maestro?

Yes. Although Keyboard Maestro is closed source, it can be self-hosted on your own servers.

What are some alternatives to Keyboard Maestro?

Keyboard Maestro competes with Hazel, Alfred and Raycast. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source Keyboard Maestro alternatives.

Keyboard Maestro: features, pricing and alternatives

About Keyboard Maestro

Keyboard Maestro is a Mac automation tool for creating macros that perform tasks on command or on a schedule. If you can do something manually on a Mac, the app can often automate it, from typing text to launching apps and moving windows.

Its site lists capabilities for controlling applications, manipulating text and images including OCR and snippet expansion, working with a multi-entry clipboard history, and controlling websites by filling forms and downloading reports. Version 11 is the current release listed on the site, is native for Apple Silicon and supports recent macOS releases.

Keyboard Maestro is commercial software that you can try for free before buying a license, with pricing on its site. It runs locally on your Mac and has no hosted service, and it suits power users who want repeatable shortcuts.

Key features

Keystroke-triggered macros
Scheduled and event-based automation
Application and window control
Text and image manipulation with OCR
Clipboard history and snippets
Web form filling and downloads

Good fit for

→Automating repetitive Mac tasks
→Text expansion and snippets
→Window and app management

Tags: macos; automation; macros; productivity; keyboard-shortcuts; text-expansion; clipboard; desktop-software

Keyboard Maestro: questions and answers

What is Keyboard Maestro used for?: Keyboard Maestro is a macOS app for building macros triggered by keystrokes, schedules and events to automate Mac tasks. It is a good fit for automating repetitive Mac tasks, text expansion and snippets, and window and app management.
How much does Keyboard Maestro cost?: Paid plans for Keyboard Maestro start at $25 as a one-time payment, and there is no free plan. A free trial is available.
Is Keyboard Maestro open source?: No. Keyboard Maestro is proprietary (closed-source) software. Open-source alternatives to Keyboard Maestro include AutoHotkey, Hammerspoon and AutoKey.
Can I self-host Keyboard Maestro?: Yes. Although Keyboard Maestro is closed source, it can be self-hosted on your own servers.
What are some alternatives to Keyboard Maestro?: Keyboard Maestro competes with Hazel, Alfred and Raycast. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source Keyboard Maestro alternatives.