Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Vimium VS Vimac

Compare Vimium VS Vimac and see what are their differences

Vimium logo Vimium

The Hacker's Browser.

Vimac logo Vimac

Like Vimium but for macOS.
  • Vimium Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-08-02
  • Vimac Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-12-27

Vimium features and specs

  • Keyboard Efficiency
    Vimium enhances navigation efficiency by allowing users to browse using keyboard shortcuts similar to those in Vim, reducing reliance on a mouse.
  • Customizability
    Users can customize key bindings and shortcuts to suit their preferences, making it adaptable to individual workflows.
  • Productivity
    Increased productivity through reduced context switching between using a mouse and keyboard, as actions can be executed swiftly using shortcuts.
  • Free and Open Source
    Vimium is available at no cost and its source code can be reviewed and modified, promoting transparency and community-driven enhancements.
  • Cross-Browser Support
    Available as an extension for multiple browsers, allowing users to utilize Vim-like navigation across different environments.

Possible disadvantages of Vimium

  • Learning Curve
    Users unfamiliar with Vim may find the initial learning process challenging as they adjust to new shortcuts and navigation methods.
  • Limited Mouse Interaction
    Users who prefer or rely heavily on mouse interactions might find Vimium's keyboard-focused approach limiting.
  • Compatibility Issues
    Some websites or web applications may not fully support Vimium's features, leading to inconsistent performance or conflicts.
  • Overwhelming for Basic Users
    Casual users or those needing only basic browsing features may find Vimium's advanced options unnecessary and overly complex.

Vimac features and specs

  • Efficiency
    Vimac enhances productivity by allowing users to execute macOS actions quickly through keyboard shortcuts, reducing reliance on the mouse.
  • Customization
    Users can customize keyboard shortcuts and settings to match their workflow, providing a personalized experience.
  • Accessibility
    The app can make macOS more accessible to users with physical limitations by offering alternative ways to interact with the system.
  • Integration
    Vimac integrates seamlessly with many macOS applications, allowing users to navigate and control them efficiently.

Possible disadvantages of Vimac

  • Learning Curve
    New users might find the keyboard-centric interface challenging at first, requiring time to become proficient with all the features.
  • Limited to macOS
    Vimac is designed specifically for macOS, restricting its benefits to users of this operating system only.
  • Potential Compatibility Issues
    Some macOS updates or specific applications may not work perfectly with Vimac, leading to occasional compatibility issues.
  • Dependency
    Users might become overly reliant on Vimac shortcuts, which could create difficulties when using different systems without Vimac.

Vimium videos

Vimium : Intro to using keyboard in your browser

More videos:

  • Review - Quick Look at Vimium Chrome Chromium Firefox Extension
  • Tutorial - How to browse the web faster using your keyboard and Vimium extension (sous-titres FR)

Vimac videos

Vimac - Use Keyboard to Click with Hints - Keyboard Junkie on Mac

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Vimium and Vimac)
Web Browsers
67 67%
33% 33
Web Development Tools
64 64%
36% 36
Text Editors
65 65%
35% 35
Web Tools
65 65%
35% 35

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Vimium should be more popular than Vimac. It has been mentiond 28 times since March 2021. 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.

Vimium mentions (28)

  • A Small Change to Improve Browsers for Keyboard Navigation
    I installed Vimium a few months ago and haven't looked back -> https://vimium.github.io/ Mouseless as well for navigating anywhere on the computer without a mouse -> https://mouseless.click/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
  • Nyxt: The Emacs-like web browser
    To those that have tried the browser or investigated the project more, what is the utility of this browser over, say, Firefox with a vim plugin[1] that lets me also navigate with a keyboard? I am all for new browsers and believe that hobby projects don't need a reason, but I am curious what distinguishes this over something that can be achieved with plugins in a more stable browser. [1] https://vimium.github.io/. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago
  • Ewnium - The Emacs EWW version of Vimium plugin (Experimental!!!)
    It essentially tries to mimic Vimium, a vim navigation like extension in browsers. Source: about 2 years ago
  • RSI-Friendly Programming Languages and Patterns
    Use VI key bindings as much as possible. You can find plugins for popular editors like VSCode and Emacs, use it in the terminal. I personally use vimium in my browser, which allows me to perform complex editing tasks with minimal keystrokes. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Vimium-like shortcuts for links?
    Iโ€™ve sifted through all the logseq plugins and canโ€™t find one that provides the ability to hit a hotkey to show keyboard shortcuts next to every visible link like in vimium, jump to link in Obsidian, or link-hint in emacs. Is there such a thing in logseq? Source: over 2 years ago
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Vimac mentions (15)

  • Vim Keybindings Everywhere โ€“ The Ultimate List
    If you like vimium, there's an app called Vimac that's like vimium but for macOS. So you can control all kinds of apps with they keyboard like in vimium. https://vimacapp.com/. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • I made a Mac productivity app that helps you click on buttons & links with the keyboard
    It is inspired by Vimium! In fact, when I when 17, I made Vimac (https://vimacapp.com) because I had wrist pain from a semester of using the trackpad to do Figma + Photoshop, and really wished there was Vimium for the entire OS. Few years later now, I've reworked the workflow incorporating the lessons I've learned and called it Homerow. Source: over 2 years ago
  • I made a Mac productivity app that helps you click on buttons & links with the keyboard
    P.S. I also made Vimac (https://vimacapp.com) a few years back. Homerow is a more polished and performant version of Vimac, taking into account all the things I learned from its predecessor. Source: over 2 years ago
  • What features is Gnome missing according to you
    I would like to have an equivalent to vimac. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Shortcat.app to ditch your mouse
    It is definitely a more intuitive app than Vimac. Source: about 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Vimium and Vimac, you can also consider the following products

Tridactyl - Replace Firefox's default control mechanism with one modelled on the one true editor, Vim.

Shortcat - Keep your hands on the keyboard and boost your productivity! Shortcat is a keyboard tool for Mac OS X that lets you 'click' buttons and control your apps with a few keystrokes. Think of it as Spotlight for the user interface.

Vieb - Browse the web with Vim-bindings

qutebrowser - An actively developped, keyboard-focused browser with a minimal GUI, inspired by other...

cVim - An extension adding Vim-like bindings to Google Chrome.

Surfingkeys - Rich shortcuts to click links/switch tabs/scroll pages or capture full page, use Chrome like vim for productivity.