A KeyCastr alternative that also highlights your cursor

KeyCastr is a free, open-source macOS app focused on one thing: keystroke visualization. When you type, it shows the keys you press on screen, which is exactly what you want for a coding tutorial, a shortcut demo, or a screencast. If keystrokes on screen are all you need, and you prefer free and open-source, KeyCastr is an excellent choice and you should use it.

Limelight is a native Swift/SwiftUI macOS menu-bar app (not Electron) that covers keystroke display and goes further in one place. It shows your keystrokes on screen (⌃⌥2), but it also adds a glowing cursor spotlight that follows your mouse (⌃⌥1), draw-on-screen so you can circle and underline anything (⌃⌥3), a region spotlight that dims everything around a box you choose (⌃⌥4), and on-screen text labels (⌃⌥5). It supports live resize and custom colors, and every tool runs live over any app via a single global hotkey. KeyCastr does not highlight the cursor; that cursor spotlight is the main reason people switch.

Here is the honest split. If you only need keystrokes and want free and open-source, stay with KeyCastr — it is purpose-built and free. If you also want cursor highlighting, drawing, and spotlighting bundled in one native app, Limelight is the KeyCastr alternative that does it. Limelight's cursor spotlight is free forever, and Pro — which unlocks the on-screen keystroke display plus the rest — is a one-time $34 lifetime purchase with no subscription. Nothing is ever recorded or uploaded; everything runs live over Zoom, Meet, Keynote, OBS, or any app, which suits demos, online teaching, coding tutorials, streaming, and screen recordings.

Quick comparison — KeyCastr vs Limelight. Keystroke display: both show your keystrokes on screen. Cursor highlight: only Limelight adds a glowing cursor spotlight that follows your mouse; KeyCastr does not highlight the cursor. Draw on screen: only Limelight. Region spotlight (dim around a box): only Limelight. On-screen text labels: only Limelight. Native, not Electron: both KeyCastr and Limelight are native macOS apps. Price: KeyCastr is free and open-source; Limelight's cursor spotlight is free forever and Pro is a one-time $34 lifetime purchase, no subscription. Best for: KeyCastr for keystrokes-only and open-source; Limelight for people who also want cursor highlighting, drawing, and spotlighting in one app.