Macro & Automation (Consumer)

Consumer / personal-flavoured automation — "when I plug in my headphones, switch audio output and start Spotify"; "summarise this article and email it to me"; "rename these 100 files." For team / workflow-engine integrations see workflow-engines; for self-hosted automation servers see ops selfhost-automation; for OS-level keyboard remapping see prod-keyboard-system-tweakers.

Apple ecosystem

• ★ Apple Shortcuts — free, built-in (Mac/iPad/iPhone/Watch); the cross-Apple automation language; visual blocks; runs on each device with iCloud sync; massive library of community shortcuts (RoutineHub, Shortcuts Gallery).
• ★ Hammerspoon — free OSS Lua; the Mac power-user "glue" — file watchers, USB events, app focus, key combos, HTTP, WiFi events, all in Lua. See prod-keyboard-system-tweakers.
• Keyboard Maestro — paid (~$36 one-time); the visual-flow Mac automation editor; richer triggers than Shortcuts; pre-built actions for everything.
• BetterTouchTool — paid one-time; trackpad / mouse / hotkey / corner triggers — see prod-keyboard-system-tweakers.
• Alfred Workflows — paid (Powerpack); workflow language for Alfred — see prod-launchers.
• Raycast Script Commands / Extensions — free + paid Pro; shell / Python / TypeScript actions in Raycast — see prod-launchers.
• AppleScript / JavaScript for Automation (JXA) — free, built-in; deep, old, still works; Hammerspoon often replaces in modern setups.
• Folder Actions (macOS) — free; trigger scripts when files land in a folder.

Windows

• ★ AutoHotkey v2 — free OSS; the Win automation flagship — keyboard, mouse, window, registry, COM (Excel/Word).
• Microsoft Power Automate (Desktop) — free with Win11; Microsoft's RPA tool; visual flow; cloud workflows on paid plans.
• AutoIt — free; older AHK-shape automation language.
• Pulover's Macro Creator — free; record-and-replay macro editor on top of AHK.
• Macro Express — paid; record macros + scripted actions.
• PowerShell — free, built-in; not a macro tool but the right answer for system-level automation.

iOS

• ★ Apple Shortcuts — free; Personal Automations (location, time, NFC, focus, charger, app open) are surprisingly powerful in iOS 18+.
• Pushcut — paid + free; advanced iOS automation triggers.
• Toolbox Pro — paid one-time; extensions for Shortcuts.
• Data Jar — paid; persistent variables across Shortcuts.
• Scriptable — free; JavaScript on iOS; pair with Shortcuts.

Android

• ★ Tasker — paid one-time (~$3); the legendary Android automation tool; deeply scriptable; the gold standard.
• MacroDroid — paid + free; friendlier UI than Tasker.
• Automate (LlamaLab) — free + paid; flowchart-based; kid-friendly.
• Join (joaoapps) — paid + free; cross-device push + automation; pair with Tasker.

Cross-platform

• ★ n8n — free OSS + cloud paid; the most-loved cross-platform automation in 2024–26 — see ops selfhost-automation and workflow-engines.
• IFTTT — paid + free (very limited); the original consumer "if-this-then-that"; thinner than n8n but easier.
• Zapier — paid + free trial; SaaS-flavour — see workflow-engines.
• Make (formerly Integromat) — paid + free; visual scenarios; richer than Zapier.
• Pipedream — paid + free; code-friendly serverless automation.
• Espanso scripts — see prod-text-expansion; shell-out from a typed trigger.

Common consumer automations to crib

• NFC-tag triggers — tap to start a focus session, log a meal, start the car charger, "go to bed" routine.
• Plug headphones → switch audio + open music.
• Open work apps when you connect to office WiFi.
• Auto-rename + move screenshots to dated folders.
• Save Twitter likes / Reddit saves to Readwise / Notion — IFTTT or n8n.
• Daily journal prompt at 9pm — Shortcut + Day One.
• Convert HEIC → JPG when added to a folder — Folder Actions / Shortcuts.
• Send today's calendar to your morning email — Hammerspoon / n8n.

What's "consumer" vs "ops" automation

• Consumer (this page) — runs on your machine, single user, low concurrency, ergonomic-first.
• Ops — server-hosted, scheduled, multi-user, observability-first; see workflow-engines and ops selfhost-automation.
• n8n lives in both worlds — runs locally on your machine for personal use or as a hosted server for ops.

Pricing reality check

• Apple Shortcuts / AutoHotkey / Power Automate Desktop / AppleScript / Hammerspoon / Tasker (one-time) — basically free or one-time-cheap.
• Keyboard Maestro / Alfred / BetterTouchTool — one-time Mac purchases, no subscription.
• n8n self-host — free (just hosting cost); n8n Cloud has free + paid tiers.
• Zapier / Make / IFTTT all run $5–$30/mo — only worth it if you don't want to host n8n.

Patterns that actually work

• ★ Start with the OS-native tool — Shortcuts / AHK / Power Automate Desktop solve 80% of consumer automations for free.
• Don't automate something you do twice a year — XKCD applies.
• Version-control your automations — keep them in dotfiles or a personal repo; you'll lose them otherwise.
• Test the "what could break" path — automation failures (sent wrong email, deleted wrong files) are worse than the manual work they save.
• Pair with prod-text-expansion and prod-keyboard-system-tweakers — the trio is the productivity power-user kit.

Pick this if…

• Cross-Apple visual default: Apple Shortcuts.
• Mac power-user code-flavour: Hammerspoon (Lua).
• Mac visual editor, paid: Keyboard Maestro.
• Default Windows automation: AutoHotkey v2 (or Power Automate Desktop for visual flow).
• Default Android: Tasker.
• iOS extras over Shortcuts: Pushcut + Scriptable.
• Cross-platform / web integrations: n8n (self-host or cloud).
• No-code SaaS: Zapier or Make.