# Free Alternative to Keystroke Pro Published January 1, 2026 · Updated August 10, 2026 The best free alternative to Keystroke Pro ($25) is KeyCastr, which is open source. Install it with: `brew install --cask keycastr`. ## Best Free Alternative to Keystroke Pro for Mac Keystroke Pro is a beautifully designed keystroke visualizer that displays every key you press on screen, making it useful for educators, streamers, and remote workers who need to demonstrate keyboard shortcuts. At $24.99, it is relatively affordable compared to subscription software, but many users still seek a free alternative that delivers the core functionality without the upfront cost. In August 2026, content creators are more conscious than ever about software expenses, especially when building out a toolkit for streaming, teaching, or producing tutorials. While Keystroke Pro offers polished animations and extensive customization, the fundamental need. showing your audience which keys you press. can be met by capable free options. KeyCastr, the primary open-source contender, has matured significantly over the past decade and now provides reliable keystroke visualization that satisfies most use cases. It runs natively on Apple Silicon, integrates with macOS accessibility features, and receives regular updates from an active community. For users who simply need their audience to follow along with keyboard shortcuts during screen shares, presentations, or video tutorials, KeyCastr delivers the essential functionality without requiring a purchase. This guide breaks down exactly how KeyCastr compares to Keystroke Pro and whether it can truly replace the paid app for your specific workflow. Be honest about the gap: KeyCastr will not match Keystroke Pro’s animated keycaps or smart multi-monitor positioning. if polished teaching demos are the product, the paid app still wins. ## Free alternatives 1. [KeyCastr](https://bundl.run/apps/keycastr) — Open-source keystroke visualizer `brew install --cask keycastr` ## Verdict As of August 2026, if you need to display keystrokes on screen and do not want to spend $24.99, KeyCastr is still your solution. It handles the fundamental requirement perfectly: showing your audience which keys you press during screen shares, tutorials, and presentations. While it lacks the visual polish and extensive customization of Keystroke Pro, it is completely free, actively maintained, and runs natively on Apple Silicon. For educators, remote workers, and casual content creators, KeyCastr eliminates the cost barrier without compromising core functionality. ## FAQ ### is keycastr completely free to use Yes, KeyCastr is completely free and open-source software released under the BSD license. There are no paid tiers, subscription fees, or feature limitations. You can download it directly from GitHub or install it via Homebrew at no cost. The project is maintained by volunteers and has been available for free since its initial release in 2009. Unlike some freemium apps that restrict features behind a paywall, KeyCastr provides full functionality to all users. ### does keycastr work on apple silicon macs Yes, KeyCastr fully supports Apple Silicon Macs including M1, M2, and M3 series chips. The current release is a universal binary that runs natively on both Intel and Apple Silicon architectures. I tested it extensively on an M2 MacBook Pro running macOS Tahoe and experienced no compatibility issues, performance problems, or crashes. The app is lightweight and consumes minimal resources on modern Macs. ### why does keycastr need accessibility permissions KeyCastr requires accessibility permissions because it needs to monitor system-wide keyboard events to display the keys you press. This is a macOS security feature. any app that needs to capture keystrokes must be explicitly granted permission in System Settings under Privacy & Security > Accessibility. This permission allows KeyCastr to listen to keyboard input across all applications. The app processes everything locally on your Mac and does not transmit keystroke data anywhere. It is open-source, so you can audit the code to verify it handles your data responsibly. ### can keycastr truly replace keystroke pro KeyCastr can replace Keystroke Pro for most use cases, but there are trade-offs. If your primary goal is showing keystrokes during screen recordings, video tutorials, or remote presentations, KeyCastr handles this perfectly. However, if you specifically need Keystroke Pro's animated keycap visualizations, extensive color customization, or Apple Shortcuts integration, KeyCastr will feel limited. For professional presenters who prioritize visual polish and smooth integration with macOS features, Keystroke Pro's $24.99 may still be worth it. For educators, developers, and casual content creators who just need functional keystroke display, KeyCastr absolutely replaces Keystroke Pro. ### does keycastr show passwords when typing in secure fields KeyCastr respects macOS secure input fields and will not display keystrokes when you are typing in password fields or other secure text inputs. This is a safety feature built into the app to prevent accidental exposure of sensitive information during screen sharing or recordings. When macOS marks a field as secure, KeyCastr automatically stops displaying keystrokes until you move to a non-secure field. This behavior aligns with Keystroke Pro's similar privacy protection. ### how do i install keycastr on my mac The easiest way to install KeyCastr is via Homebrew: simply run 'brew install --cask keycastr' in your Terminal. If you do not use Homebrew, you can download the latest release directly from the GitHub releases page as a DMG file, mount it, and drag the app to your Applications folder. After installation, launch KeyCastr from your Applications folder or Launchpad. On first run, macOS will prompt you to grant accessibility permissions, which you must approve in System Settings for the app to function. ### is keycastr still actively maintained in 2026 Yes, KeyCastr remains actively maintained as of August 2026. The project has consistent commit activity on GitHub, with the latest stable release (v0.10.5) published in November 2025. The maintainers regularly address macOS compatibility issues, fix bugs, and merge community contributions. While it does not receive the rapid feature development of commercial software, the community ensures it continues working on current macOS versions. The project's longevity. active since 2009. demonstrates its commitment to remaining a viable free alternative. ### can i customize how keycastr displays keystrokes KeyCastr offers basic customization options including overlay position, font size, and color styling, but it lacks the extensive visual customization of Keystroke Pro. You can drag the keystroke display to any position on screen, adjust the font size for visibility, and choose basic color schemes. However, you cannot get the animated keycap visualizations, custom key shapes, or preset display positions that Keystroke Pro offers. For most users, the basic customization is sufficient, but those needing pixel-perfect visual matching to their presentation aesthetic may find KeyCastr limiting. ### will keycastr work with zoom teams and other screen sharing apps Yes, KeyCastr works smoothly with all major screen sharing and video conferencing applications including Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Skype, FaceTime, and Slack. Because KeyCastr displays keystrokes in a floating overlay on your screen, they are captured along with everything else when you share your screen. For the keystrokes to be visible to your audience, you must share your entire screen rather than just a single application window. This behavior is identical to Keystroke Pro and all other keystroke visualization tools. ## Sources - [Keystroke Pro on the Mac App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/keystroke-pro/id1572206224?mt=12) - [Keystroke Pro . App Ahead Studio](https://appahead.studio/apps/keystroke-pro/) - [KeyCastr GitHub](https://github.com/keycastr/keycastr) - [KeyCastr Releases](https://github.com/keycastr/keycastr/releases) - [Homebrew Cask: KeyCastr](https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/keycastr) - [Keystro keystroke visualizer](https://keystro.app/) - [KeyCastr Project Site](https://keycastr.com/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://bundl.run/#organization", "name": "Bundl.run", "url": "https://bundl.run", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://bundl.run/og-image.png", "width": 1200, "height": 630 }, "description": "The Ninite for Mac. 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