The Mid Click vs BetterTouchTool
If you only want three-finger middle click on a Mac trackpad, The Mid Click is the simpler option. If you want extensive gesture customization and automation, BetterTouchTool is the more capable option. Both can produce a middle click from a three-finger gesture; they're built for different people.
| The Mid Click | BetterTouchTool | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Middle click from the trackpad | Broad input automation: trackpad, keyboard, mouse, Touch Bar, window snapping, scripting |
| Three-finger middle click | Yes, tap or click, three or four fingers | Yes, as one of many configurable gestures |
| Middle-drag | Yes, in Click mode | Yes |
| Other gestures and actions | None | Hundreds, with per-app profiles |
| Setup time | Under a minute; two settings | Minutes to hours, depending on ambition |
| Permissions | Accessibility | Accessibility, Input Monitoring, Screen Recording for some features |
| Running footprint | Menu bar item, no Dock icon, a few MB | Menu bar app with a configuration window, larger |
| Price | 7-day trial, then $1/year or $10 lifetime | Paid, with a trial; licence tiers by update period |
| Best fit | Someone who wants a middle button and nothing else to think about | Someone who wants to remap and automate inputs across the whole Mac |
Choose BetterTouchTool if
- You already use it, or want window snapping, custom keyboard shortcuts, or per-app gesture sets. Adding middle click there is one more row in a list you already maintain.
- You want the gesture to do different things in different apps.
- You want more exotic triggers: corner clicks, force-touch levels, tip taps.
Choose The Mid Click if
- Middle click is the only thing missing from your trackpad. You don't want to learn, configure, or back up a preferences tree to get it.
- You want a tap that feels like a system gesture, with a test pad that shows the button macOS actually received.
- You'd rather pay a dollar a year than a licence you'll renew for features you don't use.
Can you run both?
Yes, as long as only one of them is configured to handle the three-finger gesture. If both act, you'll get two middle clicks.
What they have in common
Both rely on the same macOS mechanism: an event tap that observes trackpad touches and sends a synthetic middle-button event, which is why both require Accessibility permission and why neither is sold on the Mac App Store. More on the permission.