Teclo vs Mechvibes
Updated
Mechvibes is the best-known free keyboard sound app: its GitHub repository has over 2,300 stars. It is open source and runs on Windows, macOS and Linux. Teclo is a paid app made only for the Mac.
Side by side
| Teclo | Mechvibes | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 once | Free, open source (MIT)1 |
| Free trial | 7 days, no account | Not needed: free1 |
| Macs per licence | Up to 3 | Not listed |
| macOS | 13 or later | Not listed |
| Where to get it | Direct, at teclo.app, through Polar | GitHub releases, for Windows, macOS and Linux2 |
| Sounds | 16 packs in 5 categories, synthesized | Bundled sample packs, plus 94 community packs with no licence stated3 |
| Press, release and variation | Separate press and release; 5 variants for ordinary keys plus Space, Return and Delete; small random pitch and level changes | Bundled packs play press and release from one slice1 |
| Stereo by key position | Yes | Not listed |
| Mouse and trackpad | A click pair for every pack; trackpad swipe and pinch sounds | MechvibesDX: 4 mouse packs4 |
| Scroll sounds | Yes, optional | Not listed |
| Your own sounds | Yes, folders of WAV files | Yes, with a pack editor5 |
| Muting | Pause from the menu bar; no per-app or automatic mute | Not listed |
| Typing pet | Yes, a keycap pet with moods and power-ups | Not listed |
| Worth knowing | Rain, marimba, typewriter, arcade and sci-fi packs next to nine keyboards | Last classic release v2.3.4 on 2023-12-08; the MechvibesDX rewrite shipped v0.8.3 on 2026-10-074 |
- Mechvibes on GitHub, read October 2026
- mechvibes.com, read October 2026
- Mechvibes community sound packs, read October 2026
- MechvibesDX on GitHub, read October 2026
- Mechvibes pack editor guide, read October 2026
Teclo's column is ours. Other apps change their prices and features; check their pages before you buy.
The short answer
- Pick Mechvibes if you want it free, need it on Windows or Linux too, or want the community’s packs.
- Pick Teclo if you want a Mac menu bar app with separate press and release sounds, mouse and scroll sounds, and the keycap pet, for $4.99 once after a 7-day trial.
Community packs, and their licences
Mechvibes’ strength is its community: its sound-pack page lists 94 packs, from switch recordings to game sounds. Those packs carry no licence or copyright text on the page, so their provenance is unclear. Teclo ships only packs its own engine made, and you can add your own WAV files in a folder.
Release sounds
A real key makes two sounds: one going down and one coming back up. Mechvibes’ bundled packs play one slice per key, and adding key-up sounds was the reason Mechvibes++ was forked. Teclo plays a separate sound for each, and gives Space, Return and Delete sounds of their own.
Listen first
Every Teclo sound page has a keyboard you can play in the browser, and the guide to keyboard sound apps for Mac puts Mechvibes next to the paid apps.
Questions
Is Mechvibes free?
Yes. Mechvibes is free and open source under the MIT licence, funded by donations and merchandise.
Is Mechvibes still maintained?
The original Mechvibes' last release was v2.3.4 on 2023-12-08. Its rewrite, MechvibesDX, shipped v0.8.3 on 2026-10-07.
Why pay for Teclo when Mechvibes is free?
Teclo is a native Mac menu bar app with its own synthesized packs, separate press and release sounds, mouse and scroll sounds and a typing pet. If you want free, cross-platform and community packs, Mechvibes is the better fit.
Sources
Other facts on this page come from these pages, read on or before the date above.