Rebind vs AutoHotkey
AutoHotkey alternative that runs on Mac and Linux with hardware output. Rebind Link adds real USB output at up to 8,000 Hz.
Bind a key, transform an input, fire a hook, run a macro: if you write AutoHotkey, you already think in Rebind. Scripts are Luau, a fast, typed Lua.
AutoHotkey sends input from software, on Windows only. Rebind runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and with Rebind Link your output leaves a real USB device as standard HID.
Rebind is free. Rebind Link adds hardware output at up to 8,000 Hz.
Scripting language
AHK (v1 and v2), purpose-built
Luau: fast, typed, coroutines
Platforms
Windows only
Windows, macOS, Linux
Output method
Software-level (SendInput)
Software output, or USB HID from Rebind Link hardware
Input capture
OS hooks
Rebind Link catches input before the OS does
USB report rate
Not applicable
Up to 8,000 Hz with Rebind Link
Works across keyboard and mouse brands
Yes
Yes, no vendor lock-in
Built-in HTTP client
No (external libraries)
Yes: Net.Get, Net.Post
Built-in HTTP / WS server
No
Yes: Net.Listen, Net.WSListen
Shared-memory IPC
No
Yes: Pipe (Windows-only) for a Python or Node sidecar
Real coroutines
Limited
Yes: Run, Sleep, After, Async
Declarative UI panels
No
Yes: UI.Schema, Toggle, Slider, Keybind
Drive from other languages
Community
Official TS, Python, and Rust clients
Per-app targeting
Yes (#HotIf WinActive)
Yes (process= / window= modeline)
Pixel sampling, window control
Some
Yes: Screen, Window, Macro
Price
Free, open source
Free. Rebind Link adds hardware output.
AutoHotkey:
CapsLock::Escape
Rebind, the same remap, and it runs on macOS and Linux too:
-- rebind: name=CapsLock to Escape
-- rebind: version=1.0.0
-- rebind: min_sdk=3.0.0
Bind.Remap("CapsLock", "Escape")
AutoHotkey:
#HotIf WinActive("ahk_exe Photoshop.exe")
^j::Send("^+s")
#HotIf
Rebind, where the modeline scopes the whole script, so there are no per-binding guards:
-- rebind: name=Photoshop Save As
-- rebind: version=1.0.0
-- rebind: min_sdk=3.2.2
-- rebind: process=Photoshop.exe
Bind("LCtrl+J", function()
HID.Combo("LCtrl+LShift+S")
return false
end)
Use AutoHotkey when you only use Windows and software output is enough.
Use Rebind when you want portable core remaps across Windows, macOS, and Linux; standard USB HID output from dedicated hardware; a built-in HTTP/WebSocket runtime; or clients for TypeScript, Python, and Rust.
Use both: keep AutoHotkey on Windows, move what should travel or run on hardware to Rebind.
Can I run my exact AutoHotkey scripts in Rebind? Not as-is: scripts are Luau. Same model, so porting is quick, and RebindGPT drafts the port from a plain-English description.
Rebind vs AutoHotkey