A free Bome MIDI Translator alternative for Mac
InputConfig is completely free on the Mac App Store. You don't have to make an account, there are no subscriptions, and nothing is locked. Optimized for Apple silicon.
If your job is a MIDI pad or keyboard pressing shortcuts on the Mac, a free app is enough. InputConfig turns MIDI notes, knobs and transport messages into keystrokes, macros, mouse actions and more, and it is free and open source. I make it, so read this knowing that. Bome MIDI Translator Pro is a serious tool and worth its price if you use its rules and routing, and I list below what it still does better.
On this page
Know what Bome MIDI Translator Pro does
Version 1.9.2, released 30 December 2025, costs 79 euros (about US$91) and runs on macOS 11 to 26 and Windows 10 and 11. The trial is free and runs for 20 minutes at a time.
- Translation. MIDI into keystrokes, key sequences, typed text, mouse movement and clicks.
- Routing. It can also translate and route MIDI between ports.
- Logic. Rules, variables and presets that switch on conditions.
See what InputConfig covers
- Inputs. MIDI notes, Control Change, pitch bend, channel and polyphonic aftertouch, Program Change, and, from version 1.6, transport Start, Continue and Stop, from any device macOS lists.
- Outputs. Keys and shortcuts, timed macros, Type Text, mouse clicks, scroll and motion, volume and media, brightness, Siri Shortcuts, Open App, Open URL, and MIDI out through its own virtual port.
- Three knob modes. Switch for pedals, Dial for scrolling and continuous control, Turn for stepped nudges with four step sizes. A knob can also be the Mac's volume fader.
- Per-row control. Channel and device filters, hold and double-tap actions, toggle, and per-app auto-switch, so the same pads do different things in different apps.
- More than MIDI. Game controllers, the Mac's own keyboard and mouse, and MIDI devices in one preset, which Bome does not list. A controller's stick can send a CC across the whole 0 to 127 range, starting just past its deadzone.
It is free, open source under the MIT license, on the Mac App Store, and needs macOS 14 or later. There is an optional tip jar that adds no features.
What Bome still does better
Check these before you switch:
- Rules and variables. Bome can check a value, do arithmetic, and branch. InputConfig rows fire outputs. They do not run logic.
- MIDI routing between hardware ports. InputConfig sends MIDI only through its own virtual port, so it cannot light a controller's pads or feed a hardware synth directly.
- Windows. InputConfig is Mac only.
- Older Macs. Bome runs on macOS 11. InputConfig needs macOS 14.
If a project depends on any of those, stay with Bome.
Compare them side by side
| InputConfig | Bome MIDI Translator Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, open source | 79 euros, 20-minute trial sessions |
| Platforms | macOS 14 or later | macOS 11 to 26, Windows 10 and 11 |
| MIDI to keys, macros, text, mouse | Yes | Yes |
| Rules, variables, logic | No | Yes |
| MIDI routing between hardware ports | No, virtual port only | Yes |
| Game controllers as input | Yes | Not listed |
Checked on 22 September 2026 against bome.com and the Mac App Store.
Move a simple Bome project across
There is no importer, but a shortcut project moves quickly by hand. For each translator that turns an incoming note or CC into a keystroke:
- You: Add a row in InputConfig, press Scan, and touch the same pad or knob. Pick the same keystroke as the output, or a macro if the translator sent a sequence.
- InputConfig: Fills the input with the note or CC it heard, on its channel and device.
- Check: Activate the preset and touch the pad. The shortcut fires in the app in front. If the translator only ran in one app, add that app to the preset's auto-switch list.
The MIDI to keystroke page explains every option, and the Knob Deck and Media Deck presets are finished examples to re-scan onto your own hardware.
The short version
- Shortcuts from pads and knobs. InputConfig does it for free.
- Logic, hardware routing, Windows or macOS 11. Stay with Bome.
- Moving across. Make one row per translator, and fill each with Scan.
Pay for Bome when you need its rules, not for keystrokes alone.
Questions
Is there a free version of Bome MIDI Translator for Mac?
Bome's trial is free but stops after 20 minutes each session. For MIDI to keystrokes, mouse and macros with no time limit, InputConfig and MIDI Mapper are free.
Can a game controller run the same shortcuts?
Yes. InputConfig reads game controllers, the Mac's own keyboard and mouse, and MIDI devices, and one preset can hold rows for all of them. A controller can also send MIDI notes and CC into a DAW through the InputConfig virtual port.
Does it need drivers or an account?
No. Class-compliant MIDI devices work with no drivers, and InputConfig has no account, no analytics and no network access.
Can a sequencer's Start and Stop run Mac shortcuts?
Yes, in InputConfig. Start, Continue and Stop from a drum machine, a sequencer, or a DAW sending sync over the IAC Driver bind like any pad. MIDI Start and Stop as shortcuts has an OBS example.
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