Raycast AlternativesApplication Launchers & File Search Utilities like Raycast

Raycast is described as 'Access tools with shortcuts, automate tasks with AI, and streamline productivity with Raycast's powerful Mac app. Enhance efficiency with snippets, quicklinks, and integrated commands' and is a popular application launcher in the office & productivity category. There are more than 50 alternatives to Raycast for a variety of platforms, including Mac, Linux, Windows, Web-based and KDE Plasma apps. The best Raycast alternative is Microsoft PowerToys, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Raycast are Flow Launcher, Alfred, Keypirinha and Fluent Search.

filter to find the best alternatives

Raycast alternatives are mainly Application Launchers, but if you're looking for File Search Utilities or Web Search Engines you can filter on that. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Raycast.
Raycast iconRaycast
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Access tools with shortcuts, automate tasks with AI, and streamline productivity with Raycast's powerful Mac app. Enhance efficiency with snippets, quicklinks, and integrated commands.

More about Raycast
More about Raycast
Raycast alternatives page was last updated Apr 30, 2025
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  1. Microsoft PowerToys icon

    Microsoft PowerToys

     228 likes
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    Open-source utilities for Windows include FancyZones for window management, PowerRename for bulk renaming, and Keyboard Manager for custom shortcuts. Ad-free, supports multi-monitor setups, no registration needed, lightweight resource usage, and works offline.

    58 Microsoft PowerToys alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Microsoft PowerToys screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  File Search
    2.  Key Mapping
    3.  Tiling Window Manager
    4.  Color Picker
    5.  SVG Preview
    6. File Explorer icon  Windows Explorer Extension
    7.  Application Launchers
    8.  Batch Rename Files
    9.  On top
    10.  Snap windows
    11.  Works Offline
    12.  OCR

    Microsoft PowerToys VS Raycast

     

    • Microsoft PowerToys is the most popular Windows alternative to Raycast.

    • Microsoft PowerToys is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Raycast.

    • Microsoft PowerToys is Free and Open SourceRaycast is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Microsoft PowerToys is LightweightRaycast is not according to our users
  2. Flow Launcher icon

    Flow Launcher

     65 likes
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    Dedicated to make your workflow flow more seamlessly. Aimed at being more than an app launcher, it searches, integrates and expands on functionalities. Flow will continue to evolve, designed to be open and built with the community at heart.

    41 Flow Launcher alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Flow Launcher screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Customizable
    2.  Lightweight
    3.  Support for Themes
    4.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Application Launchers
    2.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    3.  File Search
    4.  Indexed search
    5.  Portable
    6.  Ad-free
    7.  Dark Mode
    8.  Works Offline
    9.  No registration required
    10.  Built-in viewer
    11.  No Tracking

    Flow Launcher VS Raycast

     
  4. Alfred icon

    Alfred

     295 likes
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    Alfred is a productivity application for macOS, which boosts your efficiency with hotkeys, keywords and text expansion. Search your Mac and the web, and control your Mac using custom actions with the Powerpack.

    128 Alfred alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • GB flagUnited Kingdom

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    Alfred screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Support for Themes
    2.  Customizable

    Features

    1.  Application Launchers
    2.  Launcher
    3.  Workflow Automation
    4.  File Search
    5.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    6.  Dark Mode
    7.  Full-Text Search
    8.  Ad-free
    9.  Cloud Sync

    Alfred VS Raycast

     
    Comments about Alfred as an Alternative to Raycast
    Nick Scientist
    Positive Feb 7, 2023
    1

    Raycast is just plain better and free.

    Raycast Icon
    Alfred icon

    • Alfred is the most popular Mac, iPhone & iPad alternative to Raycast.

    • Alfred is Freemium and ProprietaryRaycast is also Freemium and Proprietary
  5. Keypirinha icon

    Keypirinha

     213 likes
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    A lightning fast and flexible keystroke launcher for Windows. No installation required (portable). Extensible with Python3 plugins.

    156 Keypirinha alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • FR flagFrance
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Windows
    smart search

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Customizable
    3.  Configurable
    4.  Support for Themes

    Features

    1.  Portable
    2.  Launcher
    3.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    4.  Application Launchers
    5.  File Search
    6.  Ad-free
    7.  Dark Mode
    8.  Works Offline
    9.  Support for scripting
    10.  No registration required
    11.  Calculus solving

    Keypirinha VS Raycast

     
  6. Fluent Search icon

    Fluent Search

     40 likes
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    Fluent Search is a fast and easy-to-use search application that lets you search for running applications, browser tabs, bookmarks, files, and more. Unlike Windows Start Menu, Fluent Search focuses on continuing existing work, it let you jump easily between running application...

    111 Fluent Search alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Search for browser tabs

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  File Search
    2.  Application Launchers
    3.  Custom search
    4.  Custom commands
    5.  Indexed search
    6.  Consistent UI
    7.  Dark Mode
    8.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    9.  Ad-free
    10.  Portable
    11.  Works Offline
    12.  No registration required

    Fluent Search VS Raycast

     
  7. Ulauncher icon

    Ulauncher

     51 likes
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    • Ulauncher provides instant search results. It also remembers your previous choices and automatically selects the best option for you.
    59 Ulauncher alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • RU flagRussia

    Platforms

    • Linux
    Dark theme

    Properties

    1.  Support for Themes
    2.  Lightweight
    3.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    2.  Application Launchers
    3.  Integrated Search
    4.  Launcher
    5.  File Search
    6.  No registration required
    7.  Dark Mode
    8.  Ad-free
    9.  No Tracking
    10.  Works Offline
    11.  Smooth
    12.  Legacy addons support

    Ulauncher VS Raycast

     

    • Ulauncher is the most popular Linux alternative to Raycast.

    • Ulauncher is Free and Open SourceRaycast is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Ulauncher is LightweightRaycast is not according to our users
  9. Wox icon

    Wox

     191 likes
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    Wox is a full-featured plugin-powered launcher that supports file and web searching.

    52 Wox alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • CN flagChina

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Wox screenshot 1

    Wox Features

    1.  Application Launchers
    2.  Integrated Search

    Wox VS Raycast

     
  10. ueli icon

    ueli

     65 likes
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    Developed with the Electron framework, ueli is the type of tool that adopts simplicity, leaving out any unnecessary options and configuration settings. It creates an icon in the system tray at startup, where it sits silently throughout its runtime, without disturbing you with...

    79 ueli alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    ueli screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Support for Themes

    Features

    1.  Application Launchers
    2.  File Search
    3.  Custom commands
    4.  Portable
    5.  Fast file and folder search
    6.  Launcher
    7.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions

    ueli VS Raycast

     
    Comments about ueli as an Alternative to Raycast
    Nick Scientist
    Positive Feb 7, 2023
    0

    Not as stable as Raycast, missing some features too.

    Raycast Icon
    ueli icon
    • ueli is Free and Open SourceRaycast is Freemium and Proprietary
  11. Cerebro icon

    Cerebro

     57 likes
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    Cerebro is an open source and free electron-based productivity software alternative to Alfred and Spotlight. It is focused on speed and good UI and UX. In most cases you don't even need to open another application, because you can see results right in Cerebro, like google...

    57 Cerebro alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Cerebro screenshot 1

    Cerebro Features

    1.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    2.  Theme changing
    3.  Launcher
    4.  Electron based
    5.  Calculus solving
    6.  Multiplatform Export

    Cerebro VS Raycast

     
  12. QuickFind icon

    QuickFind

     10 likes
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    QuickFind is a unified search tool providing instant access to files, apps, and web pages. It supports major search engines such as Google and Bing. Seamlessly switch between local and online content, and categorize searches into files, photos, music, and videos.

    32 QuickFind alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    QuickFind screenshot 1

    QuickFind Features

    1.  Built-in AI Assistant
    2. ChatGPT icon  ChatGPT integration
    3.  Voice Search
    4.  Unified search
    5.  Widgets
    6.  AI-Powered

    QuickFind VS Raycast

     
  13. Albert icon

    Albert

     70 likes
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    Albert is a C++/Qt based desktop agnostic keyboard launcher that helps you to accomplish your workflows in a breeze. Its goals are usability and beauty, performance and extensibility.

    59 Albert alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Linux
    chromium triggered

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Support for Themes
    3.  Customizable

    Features

    1.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    2.  Search Bar
    3.  Autocompletion
    4.  Ad-free
    5.  Works Offline
    6.  Currency Conversion
    7.  No Coding Required
    8.  Dark Mode
    9.  Support for scripting
    10.  No Tracking
    11.  No registration required
    12.  Launcher

    Albert VS Raycast

     
  14. Monarch Launcher icon

    Monarch Launcher

     4 likes
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    Designed for beginners and professionals alike, Monarch is a command center that makes it easier than ever to switch apps, run calculations, search clipboard history, take notes and more with only a single hotkey. No complicated setup or configuration required.

    License model

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    Monarch Launcher screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  No Tracking
    2.  Dark Mode
    3.  No registration required
    4.  Ad-free
    5.  Command palette

    Monarch Launcher VS Raycast

     

    • Monarch Launcher is the most popular commercial alternative to Raycast.

    • Monarch Launcher is Paid and ProprietaryRaycast is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Monarch Launcher is LightweightRaycast is not according to our users
12 of 65 Raycast alternatives