Espanso vs Keyboard Maestro: Complete Comparison

Compare Espanso and Keyboard Maestro side-by-side to find the best text expander for your needs.

TL;DR

Espanso is best for developers comfortable with config files, while Keyboard Maestro is better for power users who need comprehensive automation.

Neither quite right? Consider Retext for AI-powered snippet generation with native Mac performance.

Quick Comparison

Espanso

Open-source, cross-platform text expander configured via YAML files

Pricing:

Free and open source

Free tier: Completely free, open source

Best for:

• Developers comfortable with config files
• Users who want open source solutions
• Linux users needing text expansion

Keyboard Maestro

Powerful Mac automation tool with text expansion as one of many features

Pricing:

$36 one-time purchase

Free tier: Trial available, no ongoing free tier

Best for:

• Power users who need comprehensive automation
• Users who want to automate complex workflows
• Those who need conditional logic and scripting

Feature Comparison

Feature	Espanso	Keyboard Maestro
Snippet Expansion
AI Generation	Not available	Not available
Variables & Placeholders
Folder Organization
Team Sharing		Not available
Cross-Platform
Native Performance
Privacy & Local Storage
Customization
Ease of Use

Pricing Comparison

Product	Pricing Model	Price	Free Tier
Espanso	Open Source	Free and open source	Completely free, open source
Keyboard Maestro	One-Time	$36 one-time purchase	Trial available, no ongoing free tier

Pros and Cons

Espanso

Strengths

Completely free and open source
Cross-platform (Mac, Windows, Linux)
Written in Rust for excellent performance
Powerful YAML configuration
Shell script and custom extension support

Weaknesses

No graphical interface for editing
Requires YAML configuration knowledge
No AI capabilities
Learning curve for non-technical users
No built-in backup or sync

Keyboard Maestro

Strengths

Incredibly powerful automation capabilities
One-time purchase, no subscription
Advanced variables and scripting
Can automate virtually anything on Mac
Long history and stable development

Weaknesses

Very steep learning curve
Text expansion is just one small feature
Interface is complex and overwhelming
No AI capabilities
Overkill for simple snippet needs

When to Choose Each

Choose Espanso if you:

•Need developers comfortable with config files
•Need users who want open source solutions
•Need linux users needing text expansion
•Need those who want full customization control
•Need privacy-conscious users

Choose Keyboard Maestro if you:

•Need power users who need comprehensive automation
•Need users who want to automate complex workflows
•Need those who need conditional logic and scripting
•Need users with advanced technical requirements

Consider Retext Instead

If neither Espanso nor Keyboard Maestro is quite right, Retext might be what you're looking for.

✓AI-powered snippet generation - Let AI help create your snippets
✓Native Mac app - Fast, lightweight, no Electron bloat
✓Simple pricing - $19/month or $99/year, no per-seat costs
✓Privacy-first - Your data stays on your device

Retext vs Espanso →Retext vs Keyboard Maestro →

Ready to try Retext?

Get started with AI-powered text expansion. Free to try with 3 snippets and 5 AI generations per day.

Download for Mac View Pricing

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