Questions
Gamepad Mapper alternative for Mac
Gamepad Mapper is a long-running Mac App Store mapper that turns a controller into a mouse and keyboard. It is free to download, and support for specific controllers is sold inside the app: PS5, Xbox Series X and Switch Pro drivers at $3.99 each, or everything for $2.99 a month. Its current version, 1.8, came out in August 2024. I make InputConfig, the free alternative on this page, so weigh that. The full comparison of Mac mappers covers every other option too.
Steps
- Install InputConfig and allow Accessibility access.
- Pair the controller.
- Pick a preset or build one with Scan.
- Activate.
What InputConfig includes for free
Every controller macOS sees, including the DualSense, DualSense Edge, Xbox Series and Elite, Switch Pro, Joy-Cons, 8BitDo and the adaptive controllers; the DualSense touchpad as a trackpad and gyro aim; macros, chords, turbo, hold and double tap; per-app auto-switch; MIDI in and out; 450+ ready layouts. There is no subscription and nothing to unlock. An optional tip jar exists and unlocks nothing.
InputConfig is free on the Mac App Store. macOS 14 or later, no account, no tracking, open source.
When Gamepad Mapper is the better fit
If your Mac runs macOS 12 or 13, InputConfig will not install and Gamepad Mapper will. If you already paid for its drivers and it does what you need, there is no reason to switch.
Checked on 22 September 2026 against each app's App Store listing, GitHub or Codeberg page, and the maker's own site.
Switching in five minutes
- Install InputConfig from the Mac App Store and allow Accessibility access.
- Pair the controller if it is not already.
- Pick a built-in preset or search the Smart Preset Maker for the game or app.
- Open the editor to change any row: Scan a button, choose what it sends.
- Activate. The menu bar icon and the emergency stop turn it off instantly.
Gamepad Mapper and the PS5 controller
In Gamepad Mapper, DualSense support is one of the drivers sold in the app, at $3.99, or part of the $2.99 monthly All Access plan. In InputConfig the DualSense and DualSense Edge work with no purchase, and so do the parts people usually want next: the touchpad as a trackpad, gyro aim, rumble and the light bar colour. Mapping a PS5 controller to keys walks through it.
Questions
Is Gamepad Mapper free?
It is free to download. PS5, Xbox Series X and Switch Pro support are in-app purchases at $3.99 each, or all features for $2.99 a month.
Is there a free Gamepad Mapper alternative with no in-app purchases?
Yes. InputConfig is free with nothing locked, and open source.
Is Gamepad Mapper safe?
It is sold through the Mac App Store, so Apple reviewed and signed it; download it from there rather than a mirror site. Like every mapper, it needs the Accessibility permission to send keys and clicks. InputConfig needs the same permission, is on the Mac App Store too, has no network access, and its source is public under the MIT licence.
Can I play Minecraft with Gamepad Mapper?
Any mapper that sends keys and mouse movement can drive Minecraft Java, which has no controller support on the Mac. InputConfig has a built-in Minecraft preset ready to use, so there is nothing to build.
Related
Free. macOS 14 or later. No account, nothing leaves your Mac. Open source on GitHub.