A Visual Keyboard Maestro Alternative for Mac

What is Keyboard Maestro?

Keyboard Maestro is a Mac application for automating tasks on your Mac using macros. A macro is activated by one or more triggers and can contain any number of actions, including decision-making and branching when needed.

Its strength is depth. A macro might start with one keyboard shortcut or grow into a larger workflow that controls apps, processes text, and performs system actions. That flexibility allows Keyboard Maestro to handle both simple tasks and detailed, multi-step automations.

Rulr vs Keyboard Maestro

Keyboard Maestro organizes automation as macros, while Rulr organizes automation as visual Rules. In Rulr, each Rule follows a When → If → Do structure, keeping its Triggers, optional Conditions, Variables, branches, and Actions visible as the workflow grows.

Rulr also offers AI Builder. Describe a task in natural language to get help creating a Rule, or ask the AI assistant to find, explain, and update existing Rules. You can review and adjust the result on the same visual canvas and undo AI edits. To use it, connect your own AI provider with an API key in AI Connection settings and choose a model; a request token limit is also available.

See How to Build Mac Automations with AI for a walkthrough of creating, reviewing, and refining one Rule.

The two apps handle inspection differently too. Keyboard Maestro uses a separate Macro Debugger, where you can pause a macro and step through it, with logs available when something goes wrong. Rulr keeps run details on the Rule canvas instead. Open Inspect Mode and you can follow the branch it took and check step results without leaving the Rule.

If you prefer to build, read, and inspect an automation in one visual flow, Rulr offers a different approach while covering many of the same kinds of Mac automation tasks.

The same differences carry through to how each app handles the rest of an automation. Here is how Rulr and Keyboard Maestro compare across workflow structure, branching, data, triggers, scripts, run inspection, and licensing.

	Rulr	Keyboard Maestro
Workflow model	Visual When → If → Do Rules	Macros with Triggers, Actions, and control flow
Branching	Branches shown on the Rule canvas	Control-flow Actions inside a macro
Variables and data	Trigger outputs and Action results can be used by Conditions and later Actions	Variables and tokens can be used throughout a macro
Hotkeys and events	Hotkeys, schedules, files, apps, devices, system events, and more	Hotkeys and a broad range of macro triggers
Scripts and Shortcuts	AppleScript, Shell scripts, browser JavaScript, and Apple Shortcuts	AppleScript, Shell scripts, browser JavaScript, and Apple Shortcuts
Run inspection	Inspect Mode shows the path, step details, and values used, while Log View keeps a broader execution history	Macro Debugger and logs
Free access	Free version with optional Pro upgrade	Free trial before purchasing a license
Licensing	Optional one-time Pro purchase	One-time purchase for the current major version

Which one is right for you?

Rulr is not designed to copy every part of Keyboard Maestro. They suit different ways of working, so the choice depends on how you like to build and manage automations.

Keyboard Maestro has a deep feature set, a large library of Actions and Triggers, and a macro system refined over many years. It makes sense if you already depend on complex macros, need capabilities that Rulr does not yet provide, or prefer its established ecosystem.

Rulr takes a more visual approach. A Rule keeps its Triggers, Conditions, branches, Variables, Actions, and run details in a When → If → Do structure. This works well when you want the logic to remain visible as a workflow grows and prefer to build and inspect it on the same canvas. AI Builder gives you another starting point: describe what you want, then review and refine the Rule visually or through conversation.

You do not have to choose only one. Keep the Keyboard Maestro macros that already work for you, and try Rulr for a workflow that feels easier to express as a visual Rule. Rulr Free gives you room to build a few Rules and see which approach feels more natural.

Mac automation examples with Rulr

These Rules show how Rulr applies its visual model to practical workflows across files, text, apps, browsers, Shortcuts, and audio.

• Automatically Sort Downloads on Mac — Route new images, PDFs, and archives from Downloads into separate folders.
• Translate Selected Text on Mac — Translate selected text and show the result without leaving the app you are using.
• Open Work Apps Automatically — Open a chosen set of work apps with one keyboard shortcut during selected hours.
• Search Chrome Windows and Tabs — Search open Chrome windows and tabs, then switch directly to the page you need.
• Watch a Folder and Run a Shortcut — Run an Apple Shortcut when the contents of a watched folder change.
• Set Volume by Audio Device — Apply different volume levels when the audio output changes between devices and open Spotify when needed.

Explore all Rulr capabilities to see the available building blocks, or browse the Rule Gallery for more examples.

Frequently asked questions

Is Rulr a replacement for Keyboard Maestro?

Rulr can replace Keyboard Maestro for some workflows, but it is not intended to reproduce every Keyboard Maestro feature. Whether it can replace Keyboard Maestro for you depends on the Triggers, Actions, scripts, and other capabilities your macros use.

Can I recreate Keyboard Maestro macros in Rulr?

Some Keyboard Maestro workflows can be rebuilt in Rulr. Describe what a macro does to AI Builder for help creating a Rule, then review its logic and settings on the canvas. More complex macros may depend on Keyboard Maestro features without a direct equivalent, so it comes down to what each macro does.

Is Rulr free to try?

Yes. Rulr has a free version for everyday Mac automation.

Try a visual alternative to Keyboard Maestro

Describe the task you want to automate to AI Builder, import a Rule from the Gallery, or build one from a blank canvas around the way you use your Mac.