BetterTouchTool is incredibly powerful but complex. Pie Menu focuses on doing one thing beautifully — radial menus that just work.
What is each tool?
- BetterTouchTool (BTT) is a very powerful gesture and shortcut tool with a steep learning curve, capable of touch bar customization, window snapping, and deep system-level automation.
- Pie Menu is focused specifically on beautiful radial menus that are easy to set up and use, with no configuration complexity.
Key Differences
| Feature | BetterTouchTool | Pie Menu |
|---|---|---|
| Learning curve | Steep | Easy |
| Radial menus | Possible, complex setup | ✅ Built-in, simple |
| Touch bar support | ✅ Extensive | ❌ Not included |
| Window snapping | ✅ Powerful | ❌ Not included |
| UI focus | Utility-first | ✅ Beautiful design |
Who should choose Pie Menu?
- You want radial menus that just work without complex configuration
- You appreciate beautiful, well-designed interfaces
- You don't need touch bar customization or window management
- You want something simple you can set up in minutes
- You prefer focused tools over do-everything software
Who should choose BetterTouchTool?
- You need deep system-level gesture customization
- You want to customize your touch bar extensively
- You need window snapping and advanced window management
- You're willing to invest time learning a complex tool
- You want one tool to handle all your gestures and shortcuts
Can you use both?
Yes, but with caveats. Both tools can intercept similar triggers. If you use BTT for other gestures, you can disable BTT's radial menu features and use Pie Menu for that purpose instead.
Many users find that Pie Menu's focused approach satisfies their radial menu needs completely, making BTT unnecessary unless they specifically need its other features like touch bar customization or window snapping.
