Questions
A free Bome MIDI Translator alternative for Mac
I make InputConfig, so read this knowing that. Bome MIDI Translator Pro is a serious tool and worth its price if you use its rules and routing. Most people I hear from use it for one job: a MIDI pad or keyboard pressing shortcuts on the Mac. For that job a free app is enough.
What Bome MIDI Translator Pro is
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. It translates MIDI into keystrokes, key sequences, typed text, mouse movement and clicks, and it can also translate and route MIDI between ports, with rules, variables and presets that switch on conditions.
What InputConfig covers
- MIDI notes, Control Change, pitch bend, channel aftertouch and Program Change as inputs, 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. A knob can also be the Mac's volume fader.
- Per-row 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.
- Game controllers, the Mac's own keyboard and mouse, and MIDI devices in one preset, which Bome does not list.
It is free, open source under the MIT licence, on the Mac App Store, and needs macOS 14 or later. There is an optional tip jar that unlocks nothing.
InputConfig is free on the Mac App Store. macOS 14 or later, no account, no tracking, open source.
What Bome still does better
Be honest with yourself about 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.
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.
Moving 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:
- Add a row in InputConfig and press Scan, then touch the same pad or knob.
- Pick the same keystroke as the output, or a macro if the translator sent a sequence.
- 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.
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.
Related
Free. macOS 14 or later. No account, nothing leaves your Mac. Open source on GitHub.