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Karabiner-Elements vs kanata: catalog facts
Karabiner-Elements	kanata
Free Free and open source, released into the public domain under the Unlicense. Donations are…	Free The open-source application is available without a license fee.
macOS	Windows, macOS, Linux
Per-device rules, so a laptop keyboard and an external one can be mapped differently Complex modifications handle tap-versus-hold, layers and per-application rules	Layers and advanced key behaviors
macOS only Installs a driver extension and needs input monitoring permission, which some managed Macs block	Setup requires learning its configuration format.
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: Unlicense	License: LGPL-3.0
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 21, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.