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Is Clacky open source?

No. Clacky is a closed-source app: its code isn’t public, and it is sold at clacky.app for $4.99 once after a 3-day free trial.

If you want a keyboard sound app whose code you can read, Mechvibes, Thock, Keyboard Sounds Pro and KeyEcho are free and open source (checked 5 November 2026). Clacky instead publishes every request it makes on its privacy page.

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Open-source keyboard sound apps for Mac

These four publish their code on GitHub. Facts are from their own pages, read on 5 November 2026.

AppLicenceRuns onWorth knowing
MechvibesMITMac, Windows, LinuxMac version marked experimental and not notarized, so the first launch needs right-click and Open
ThockMITMac, macOS 13.5 or laterNative menu-bar app with recorded packs, your own packs, and mouse clicks since version 1.19
Keyboard Sounds ProMITMac, Windows, Linux13 keyboard and 7 mouse profiles, and an editor for your own
KeyEchoAGPLMac (12.4 or later on the App Store), Windows, LinuxA few free packs, crafted packs at $3.99 each or $9.99 for all

What the open-source apps do better

Anyone can read their code, check what they do with key presses and build them from source. They are free, and Mechvibes, Keyboard Sounds Pro and KeyEcho also run on Windows and Linux, so you can use the same app on every computer you own.

Pick one of them if reading the code matters most to you. The full comparison, with prices and what each app sends online, is in the best keyboard sound apps for Mac.

How Clacky earns trust instead

With closed code, Clacky relies on Apple’s checks and on telling you exactly what it does.

  • Signed with an Apple Developer ID and notarized by Apple.
  • Keyboard sounds listen for key down/up only. Clacky never records, stores or sends which keys you type, and respects Secure Input.
  • It watches input through a listen-only tap, which can’t change, delay or block anything you do.
  • The privacy page lists every network request, and Settings → General → More options → “Every event Clacky can send” lists every usage stats event, with a Copy button.
  • Updates use Sparkle, an open-source updater, and only install when signed with Clacky’s own key.

Check any closed app yourself

These checks work for Clacky or any other app, with tools already on your Mac.

  1. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security and look at Input Monitoring, Accessibility, Screen Recording and Microphone to see which permissions the app holds.
  2. Open Activity Monitor, choose the Network tab, and watch the app’s Sent Bytes while you type for a minute.
  3. Read the app’s privacy page for a plain promise that it never records, stores or sends what you type.

Where these facts come from

Each page below was read on 5 November 2026, through our keyboard sound app comparison. Checked on 5 November 2026.

Questions

Is there a free, open-source alternative to Clacky?

For keyboard sounds, yes: Mechvibes, Thock, Keyboard Sounds Pro and KeyEcho. See free alternatives to Clacky for more.

Does Clacky use any open-source code?

Yes. Its updates use Sparkle, an open-source updater for Mac apps.

Is a closed-source app less safe?

Open code lets anyone check it. A closed app relies on Apple’s signing and notarization and on its own word, so check its permissions, its privacy page and its network use.

Can I see exactly what Clacky sends?

Yes. The privacy page lists every request, and the app lists every usage stats event in Settings with a Copy button.

Facts checked on 5 November 2026.

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