KeyslamFree options · checked November 2, 2026
Free keyboard sound apps for Mac, and when a $3.99 one is worth it
9 free or free-to-start keyboard sound apps for Mac, what “free” gets you with each one, and ways to hear keyboard sounds without installing anything.
Updated
Short answer: yes. Mechvibes, Thock (the open-source one), Keyboard Sounds Pro, Clank Keys and Tacque cost nothing, and KeyEcho is free with 18 of its 71 packs. Each has a catch: Mechvibes' Mac build is experimental and Apple silicon only, Clank Keys isn't notarized, and Tacque needs macOS 15. Keyslam isn't free. It's $3.99 once after a 7-day free trial, and its browser tester costs nothing, with no time limit.
Every free option we found, and the catch
| App | What you get free | The catch | Runs on | Follows typing force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechvibes | The app and every pack: “completely free to use, including all sound packs”1 | Experimental Mac build, ad-hoc signed and not notarized2; re-add its permissions after each update3 | Apple silicon only, for now4 | No |
| KeyEcho | The app and 18 of its 71 packs5 | The other 53 packs cost $3.99 each or $9.99 for all, with no trial6 | Apple silicon and Intel; Windows and Linux too7 | No |
| Thock (open source) | Everything, under the MIT license8 | Not the $4.99 App Store app with the same name9 | macOS 13.5 or later10 | No |
| Keyboard Sounds Pro | Everything, MIT-licensed11 | Its site still says “for Windows & Linux”12; the Mac installer is on GitHub | Universal DMG: Apple silicon and Intel13 | No |
| Clank Keys | Everything: “You pay nothing.”14 | Closed source and not notarized15; the first launch needs a Terminal command | Apple silicon, macOS 13 or later16 | Yes, on MacBooks with the sensor |
| Tacque | The app and its six packs; a $1.99 tip is optional17 | The packs are synthesized18 | macOS 15 or later19 | No |
| KeyClicker | A free tier; $1.99 buys All Access for life20 | The listing doesn't say what the free tier includes | macOS 14 or later21 | No |
| Kachunk | The Underwood 1938 typewriter and the Cream pack, “free to download and keep forever”22 | The other 24 packs: $4.99 once unlocks all 2623 | macOS 13 or later24 | No |
| Klakk | A free Mac App Store download25 | Full Version costs $4.99 or $2.99, and the free version's limits aren't stated; its site mentions activation and usage telemetry26 | macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon or Intel (website edition)27 | No |
| Keyslam (trial) | Everything for 7 days, no account or card; the browser tester with no time limit | $3.99 once after the trial | macOS 13 or later, Apple silicon or Intel | Yes, on MacBooks with the sensor |
Checked on each app's own site, its App Store or Setapp listing, or its GitHub page. The notes below quote them word for word. Paid apps, with prices and trials, are in every Mac keyboard sound app compared.
What “free” means with each app
Mechvibes 3
Mechvibes is free and MIT-licensed, and its library is free too: 985 community pack pages on mechvibes.com when we counted, plus an editor for making your own. Version 3.4.0 of Mechvibes 3, which is written in Rust, came out on November 1, 2026. On the Mac, the project is upfront about the rough edges: its macOS README says the build “has never been run on a real Mac by the maintainer”. One-click pack install works on Windows and Linux; on a Mac you download a pack's ZIP and import it. It sends one anonymous Aptabase ping per launch, which you can turn off, and checks GitHub for updates once a day. The Homebrew cask has been disabled since September 1, 2026, and Mechvibes 2 is no longer developed. Can't get it to play? See why Mechvibes isn't working on a Mac.
KeyEcho
KeyEcho, from WaveApp LLC, is open source under AGPL-3.0, with notarized Mac builds and a Homebrew cask. You get 18 packs free. Each of the other 53 is a $3.99 Crafted Pack, or $9.99 buys “All Sounds Forever”. There's no trial for those, but there is a 14-day refund with no reason required, and one key works on Windows, macOS and Linux. Every key has its own press and release sample, and the app sends no usage analytics or crash reports. How Keyslam compares with KeyEcho.
Thock (open source)
Kamil Lobinski's Thock is the free one: MIT-licensed, macOS 13.5 or later, installed with Homebrew or a ZIP from GitHub. It loads custom packs written in simple JSON, has an in-app registry of community packs, mutes itself while music plays, places each sound by key position, and comes with a Raycast extension and a command-line tool. The latest release when we checked was 1.23.0, from March 28, 2026. Its site is clear about the name: this Thock “is not distributed on the App Store and is not affiliated with any app that has taken this name”. The $4.99 Thock on the Mac App Store is a different app; the two Thock apps, side by side.
Keyboard Sounds Pro
Keyboard Sounds Pro, by Nathan Fiscaletti, is free and MIT-licensed. It ships 20 built-in profiles (13 keyboard, 7 mouse), lets you build your own, and has pitch shift, pan and equalizer effects. Its website title still reads “Customizable Keyboard & Mouse Sounds for Windows & Linux”, but desktop v0.3.2, released May 1, 2026, includes a universal macOS DMG, built for both Apple silicon and Intel Macs. The pages we checked don't say whether the Mac build is notarized or what, if anything, it sends online.
Clank Keys
Of the free apps we found, Clank Keys is the one with force-sensitive sound, on MacBooks with the motion sensor. Its README says it “Reads the accelerometer hidden inside your MacBook and plays a real switch recording that matches how hard you hit the key.” Without the sensor, it varies the sound by typing rhythm. The switch recordings come from the Mechvibes project (MIT). The trade-offs are in setup: the source isn't published (the GitHub repo holds release builds only), the app isn't notarized, and you clear macOS's quarantine flag with a Terminal command before the first launch. The README also says the app contains no networking code. It needs macOS 13 and Apple silicon. Version 1.3.0, its first public build, came out on September 13, 2026.
Free on the Mac App Store: Tacque, KeyClicker and Klakk
Tacque, by Luminoxe, is free with an optional $1.99 tip, needs macOS 15, and plays six synthesized packs with spatial sound and per-key pitch variation. Its Setapp listing also mentions importing custom sounds and pausing during calls and media. KeyClicker, by Chujiang Wang, is free with a $1.99 All Access Lifetime purchase, needs macOS 14, and adds typewriter sounds and an on-screen display of the shortcuts you press. Both have “Data Not Collected” privacy labels. Klakk is a free App Store download with $4.99 and $2.99 Full Version purchases; its website editions cost $4.49 after a 3-day trial. Klakk isn't Klack: they come from different developers.
Kachunk's free tier
Kachunk, from Trifecta Labs, is “free to download and keep forever” with two packs: the Underwood 1938 typewriter and the Cream mechanical pack. $4.99 once unlocks all 26, including an Olivetti typewriter, on every Mac you own, with a 30-day refund. Its site says it's notarized, works offline and has zero telemetry. For a free typewriter sound, start here.
Is there a free Klack alternative?
Klack itself isn't free. It's $4.99 on the Mac App Store with no trial; its FAQ suggests previewing each switch on its website, and it offers a 14-day refund (App Store refunds go through Apple). The nearest free match on paper is Tacque: also on the Mac App Store, also spatial sound, and the same macOS 15 minimum. The difference is the sound itself: Tacque's packs are synthesized, while Klack says each of its switch sets is made of over 100 audio files, each recorded and mastered individually. KeyClicker and Kachunk are free App Store downloads with paid upgrades. Outside the App Store, Mechvibes, KeyEcho and the open-source Thock are free. Weighing paid options too? See how Keyslam compares with Klack.
Hear keyboard sounds without installing anything
To hear what a switch sounds like, or to pick a sound before you install an app, a browser is enough. These demos are free. They only play inside that browser tab, so to hear sounds in all your apps you still need one of the apps above.
| Demo | What it plays |
|---|---|
| Keyslam keyboard simulator | A full on-screen Mac keyboard with all 15 boards, four strength bands and shareable links |
| Keyslam keyboard sound test | Two boards back to back, with measured loudness |
| Typing test with sound | A words-per-minute test with every key playing |
| KeyEcho sound test | The letter keys A–Z only, per its page28 |
| TypeLouder sound test | A free keyboard sound test on its website29 |
| Klack previews | A play button for each switch on its home page30 |
| TapNoise demos | Sound demos on its website31 |
Notes and sources
Word-for-word quotes from each maker's page, with an archive.org copy saved on November 2, 2026 where archive.org could save one.
- Mechvibes: “completely free to use, including all sound packs. It's open-source software released under the MIT License” mechvibes.com · archived
- Mechvibes: “This build is produced by CI and has never been run on a real Mac by the maintainer. It carries only an ad-hoc signature and is NOT notarized.” github.com/hainguyents13/mechvibes/releases/download/v3.4.0/README-macos-3.4.0.txt · no archive copy
- Mechvibes: “You have to remove and re-add both entries after replacing the app with a newer build” github.com/hainguyents13/mechvibes/releases/download/v3.4.0/README-macos-3.4.0.txt · no archive copy
- Mechvibes: “macOS Apple Silicon (experimental) Download dmg • v3.4.0 • 52.0 MB” mechvibes.com/download · archived
- KeyEcho: “Sound packs (18 free, 53 paid)” keyecho.app/llms-full.txt · archived
- KeyEcho: “One Crafted Pack: $3.99, one-time. - All Sounds Forever: $9.99, one-time.” keyecho.app/llms.txt · archived
- KeyEcho: “Version 1.1.1 macOS Apple Silicon arm64” keyecho.app/download · archived
- Thock (open source, thockapp.com): “Distributed under the MIT License.” github.com/kamillobinski/thock · no archive copy
- Thock (open source, thockapp.com): “Thock is not distributed on the App Store and is not affiliated with any app that has taken this name.” thockapp.com/llms.txt · archived
- Thock (open source, thockapp.com): “Thock requires macOS 13.5 Ventura or later.” github.com/kamillobinski/thock · no archive copy
- Keyboard Sounds Pro: “© 2026 Nathan Fiscaletti · MIT License” keyboardsounds.pro · archived
- Keyboard Sounds Pro: “Keyboard Sounds Pro — Customizable Keyboard & Mouse Sounds for Windows & Linux” keyboardsounds.pro · archived
- Keyboard Sounds Pro: “macOS Download Keyboard-Sounds-Pro-Installer-macOS-universal.dmg” github.com/keyboard-sounds/keyboardsounds-pro/releases/tag/desktop/v0.3.2 · no archive copy
- Clank Keys: “Reads the accelerometer hidden inside your MacBook and plays a real switch recording that matches how hard you hit the key. You pay nothing.” github.com/VishnuViez/clank-keys-releases · archived
- Clank Keys: “The app is signed by its maker, not notarised by Apple, so the first launch is refused.” github.com/VishnuViez/clank-keys-releases · archived
- Clank Keys: “macOS 13 or later, Apple Silicon (M1 or newer)” github.com/VishnuViez/clank-keys-releases · archived
- Tacque: “In-App Purchases Yes Tip $1.99” apps.apple.com/us/app/tacque-mechanical-keyboard/id6778518424 · archived
- Tacque: “Six synthesized sound packs, spatial sound, per-key pitch variation, in the menu bar.” luminoxe.com/tacque · archived
- Tacque: “Requires macOS 15.0 or later.” apps.apple.com/us/app/tacque-mechanical-keyboard/id6778518424 · archived
- KeyClicker: “All Access Lifetime $1.99” apps.apple.com/us/app/keyclicker/id6740425504 · archived
- KeyClicker: “Requires macOS 14 or later.” apps.apple.com/us/app/keyclicker/id6740425504 · archived
- Kachunk: “Kachunk is free to download and keep forever, with the Underwood 1938 typewriter and the Cream mechanical pack included.” getkachunk.com · archived
- Kachunk: “$4.99 unlocks all 26 packs” getkachunk.com · archived
- Kachunk: “macOS 13+ · 6 MB, no dock icon · zero telemetry” getkachunk.com · archived
- Klakk: “Klakk Full Version $4.99 Klakk Full Version $2.99” apps.apple.com/us/app/klakk-keyboard-sounds/id6754638652 · archived
- Klakk: “Activation and usage telemetry are separate network features described in the privacy policy. This is not a claim of zero network activity.” tryklakk.com/llms.txt · archived
- Klakk: “Mac website edition: 1.4.1 (build 23), macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon or Intel” tryklakk.com/llms.txt · archived
- KeyEcho: “The browser preview covers the letter keys A–Z . Space, Enter, Backspace and the other dimmed keys show the keyboard layout but do not play in this preview.” keyecho.app/keyboard-sound-test · archived
- TypeLouder: “Can I try it before buying? Yes. The free keyboard sound test on this site” typelouder.app · archived
- Klack: “Can I try Klack before I buy it? No, you may however preview each switch on the landing page by clicking on their respective play buttons.” tryklack.com/faqs · archived
- TapNoise: “You can still try the sound demos on tapnoise.com before buying.” tapnoise.com/changelog · archived
Free, right here
Try the boards without installing anything
Click a board, then type. These are the same 15 packs the Keyslam app plays, free in your browser with no time limit.
Tap the key, or type
MX Brown
Tactile · Cherry MX Brown switches: a soft bump and a muted clack.
Recorded by majod · 42 takes ↗Fifteen real boards
CC0 recordingsOn a MacBook the app reads how hard you actually hit. Here, pick a strength or let it vary.
Want a score? Take the typing test with sound: 15, 30 or 60 seconds on any of these boards.
When free is enough, and when $3.99 is worth it
Free is enough if:
- You want sounds now and then, or just want to hear a switch. The browser tester above does that.
- You also use Windows or Linux. KeyEcho, Mechvibes and Keyboard Sounds Pro run on all three.
- You want to read or change the code. Mechvibes, KeyEcho, the open-source Thock and Keyboard Sounds Pro are open source.
- You have a MacBook with the motion sensor and don't mind a Terminal step. Clank Keys gives you force-sensitive sound for nothing.
Keyslam is worth $3.99 if:
- You want force-sensitive sound in an app Apple has notarized, with no Terminal step. On MacBooks with the motion sensor, Keyslam reads the accelerometer about 800 times a second and picks real strikes from four strength bands.
- You want named boards with documented sources: Cherry MX Blue, Cherry MX Brown, Cherry MX Red, Cherry MX Black (Leopold FC980M PD), Gateron Red (GMMK TKL), Topre, Leopold FC660M with MX Browns, WhiteFox (Hako Violet), Rainy 75, Unicomp buckling spring, IBM Model F XT, vintage Technics, MacBook Pro (2018) keyboard, IBM Selectric II typewriter and Olivetti Lettera 22 typewriter. Each is cut from CC0 Freesound recordings, credited to the people who made them.
- You're on an Intel Mac, a desktop or macOS 13. Keyslam runs on all of them and plays a strength you pick where there's no sensor.
- You want an app that makes no network connections, and pauses on its own while any app is using the microphone.
Paid apps compared with each other, with prices and trials: the best keyboard sound app for Mac, by what you need.
Try Keyslam free for 7 days
Everything is unlocked for 7 days, with no account and no card. After that, sounds stop until you buy a $3.99 lifetime license, which covers all the Macs you own. If it doesn't work for you, you get a full refund within 14 days. The trial date is kept in your Mac's Keychain, not on a server. How the trial and license work.
Free keyboard sound app questions
Is there a completely free keyboard sound app for Mac?
Yes. Mechvibes, Thock (the open-source one), Keyboard Sounds Pro and Clank Keys charge nothing for anything, and Tacque asks only for an optional $1.99 tip. KeyEcho, KeyClicker and Kachunk are free with paid extras. Mechvibes runs only on Apple silicon for now, and Clank Keys isn't notarized.
Is Mechvibes completely free on a Mac?
Yes. The app is free and MIT-licensed, and every pack is free too. On a Mac, version 3.4.0 is an experimental build for Apple silicon only and isn't notarized, so macOS blocks the first launch until you allow it, and you re-add its permissions after each update.
Is Keyslam free?
No. Keyslam is free for 7 days with everything unlocked and no account or card, then $3.99 once for a lifetime license. The browser keyboard simulator is free with no time limit.
Is Keyboard Sounds Pro safe?
We haven't audited it, so we can't vouch for it. What we can check: it's MIT-licensed with its code on GitHub, and the Mac installer comes from the project's GitHub releases. Its pages don't say whether the Mac build is notarized or what it sends online. Like any keyboard sound app, it needs your permission to see key presses, so download it only from GitHub and read what Input Monitoring lets an app see before you allow it.
Which free keyboard sound app works on Intel Macs?
KeyEcho and Keyboard Sounds Pro have Intel builds. Mechvibes 3 doesn't yet (an Intel build is merged for its next release), and Clank Keys is Apple silicon only. Keyslam runs on Intel Macs with macOS 13 or later, free for 7 days. More in keyboard sounds on Intel Macs and desktops.