Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Karabiner VS Sizer

Compare Karabiner VS Sizer and see what are their differences

Karabiner logo Karabiner

Karabiner, previously called KeyRemap4MacBook, is a very powerful keyboard remapper for Mac OS X.

Sizer logo Sizer

Sizer is a freeware utility that allows you to resize any window to an exact, predefined size.
  • Karabiner Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-06
  • Sizer Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-03-14

Karabiner features and specs

  • Customizability
    Karabiner-Elements allows users to remap keys and create complex keyboard configurations that can greatly enhance productivity and convenience.
  • Open Source
    Being an open-source tool, Karabiner-Elements is free to use and comes with the potential for community contributions and transparency in development.
  • Flexibility
    The tool supports a wide range of devices and configurations, making it adaptable to various user needs and setups.
  • Ease of Use
    The user interface is designed to be intuitive, allowing both novice and experienced users to easily configure and remap their keyboards.
  • Regular Updates
    The tool is actively maintained with regular updates, ensuring compatibility with the latest macOS versions and adding new features.

Possible disadvantages of Karabiner

  • Compatibility Issues
    Some users may experience compatibility issues with certain applications or hardware, potentially causing unexpected behavior.
  • Learning Curve
    Although the interface is intuitive, mastering its full range of features, especially for complex configurations, can require a steep learning curve.
  • System Performance
    On occasion, Karabiner-Elements may consume significant system resources, which could impact overall system performance.
  • Limited Platform Support
    As of now, Karabiner-Elements only supports macOS, limiting its utility for users on other operating systems such as Windows or Linux.
  • Potential for Errors
    Incorrect configuration or updates may lead to errors in key mappings, which can disrupt the user experience until resolved.

Sizer features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    Sizer provides a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for users to quickly resize windows to predefined dimensions. This is particularly useful for those who need to manage multiple windows efficiently.
  • Customizable Presets
    Users can define their own window sizes, allowing them to create a personalized set of window dimensions that suit their specific workflow or screen setup.
  • Productivity Boost
    By facilitating quick window management, Sizer helps improve productivity, especially for users who frequently switch between multiple applications or need precise window arrangements.
  • Lightweight Software
    Sizer is a small and unobtrusive program that doesn't consume significant system resources, ensuring that it runs smoothly alongside other applications.

Possible disadvantages of Sizer

  • Compatibility Issues
    Some users may experience compatibility problems with certain applications or operating system updates, which can limit the effectiveness of the tool.
  • Limited Features
    While Sizer is effective for window resizing, it lacks additional features that are found in more comprehensive window management tools, such as advanced snapping or tiling options.
  • Windows-Only
    Sizer is primarily designed for Windows operating systems, which excludes users on macOS or Linux from taking advantage of its functionality.
  • Manual Setup Required
    Users need to manually set up their preferred window sizes, which might be time-consuming for some initially, especially if they require a large number of presets.

Analysis of Karabiner

Overall verdict

  • Karabiner-Elements is considered a good tool for macOS users seeking to customize their keyboard. Its reliability, versatility, and active community support make it a valuable addition to any power user's toolkit.

Why this product is good

  • Karabiner-Elements is highly regarded for its ability to customize and remap keyboard keys on macOS. It offers a powerful and flexible suite of features that allow users to tailor their keyboard setup to their specific needs, enhancing productivity and ergonomics. With an intuitive interface and extensive documentation, both novice and advanced users can benefit from its functionality.

Recommended for

  • Developers who need custom keyboard shortcuts.
  • Mac users experiencing discomfort with standard keyboard layouts.
  • Professionals requiring specific keybindings for software applications.
  • Users transitioning from Windows or Linux who want to emulate key behaviors from those systems.

Karabiner videos

REVIEW: Should you play the Vetterli 71 Karabiner? [Hunt Gun Review #1]

More videos:

  • Review - Vim screencast #59: Karabiner Elements
  • Review - Evolution of the Karabiner 98k, From Prewar to Kriegsmodell

Sizer videos

sizer review

More videos:

  • Review - CoverGirl The Super Sizer Mascara: First Impression + Review!
  • Demo - Review & Demo: CoverGirl The Super Sizer Mascara

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Karabiner and Sizer)
Automation
100 100%
0% 0
Window Manager
89 89%
11% 11
OSX Tools
0 0%
100% 100
Note Taking
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Karabiner seems to be a lot more popular than Sizer. While we know about 277 links to Karabiner, we've tracked only 1 mention of Sizer. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Karabiner mentions (277)

  • Ubuntu 26.04 LTS Released
    As a both old Linux and now decade user of MacOS, after I got used to no middle-click paste and no focus-follows-mouse: 1. Keyboard shortcuts are Emacs, Ctrl-A: start of line, E: end of line, K: kill selected or to end of line, Y to paste, etc. https://support.apple.com/en-au/102650#text 2. Karabiner elements (FOSS) fixes keyboard mappings outside of the Settings: https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org/ 3. I have the... - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Show HN: BoringBar โ€“ a taskbar-style dock replacement for macOS
    I've always setup my macbooks with a custom json config using https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org/ to avoid the dock, but couldnt convince any friends to give it a try since its high effort, I guess so I hacked together https://dockshortcut.com really quick and that kinda made the difference in how some people use their macbooks these days, but tough market, nobody likes paying for something that should come out... - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Claude Code Voice Mode
    I've had success in the past in customizing macOS key bindings using Karabiner: https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago
  • Ask HN: What Are You Working On? (July 2025)
    Hey! These kinds of keyboard related things are well solved by Karabiner elements: https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org/ There you can map (whatever key) to (whatever other key). E.g. I have right command mapped to F20, available to all other apps . - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Ergonomic Mac Keyboard Setup
    I use Karabiner as the driver for keyboard customizations. Karabiner intercepts hardware keystrokes and sends keystrokes to the computer allowing me to configure Karabiner to have a flexible setup and map key(s) presses to other keys(s) or commands. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
View more

Sizer mentions (1)

  • Mix window covering up other programs - new issue
    Here's a solution if you don't want to manually resize. I use a windows utility (Sizer) http://brianapps.net/sizer/ to size the window on the other monitor to fit the screen, That way it looks maximized but doesn't prevent me from switching to other windows. I've bound the Sizer app to a keyboard shortcut. That way I can detach the mixer, move it to the 2nd monitor, then use Sizer to max. Source: over 4 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Karabiner and Sizer, you can also consider the following products

BTT Remote - A remote control for you Mac, using your iPhone or iPad

SmartSystemMenu - SmartSystemMenu extends system menu of all windows in the system

Rectangle - Window management app based on Spectacle, written in Swift.

altdrag - AltDrag allows you to move and resize windows much easier.

SteerMouse - Advanced driver for USB and Bluetooth mouses.

AquaSnap - Too many windows on your screen? Stop wasting your productivity.