Spotlight AlternativesOnly Free apps categorised as Application Launchers for Mac

There are many alternatives to Spotlight for Mac if you are looking for a replacement. The best free Mac Application Launcher alternative is Raycast. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 50 alternatives to Spotlight and many of them are free and Application Launchers available for Mac so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting free Mac Application Launcher alternatives to Spotlight are Alfred, ueli, Tuna and RustCast.

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Spotlight alternatives are mainly Application Launchers, but if you're looking for File Search Utilities or Clipboard Managers you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Linux, Windows, Mac and Linux + Open Source. You can also filter by region, for example EU-based alternatives if you prefer software developed in the European Union. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Spotlight.
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Alternatives list

  1. Raycast icon
     74 likes

    Raycast revolutionizes Mac productivity with AI-driven task automation, command shortcuts, and customizable workflows. Create snippets, manage clipboard history, translate text, and maintain sync across devices. Discover day planning, distraction-free focus, and versatile virtual assistance.

    86 Raycast alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • Google Chrome
    • Safari
     
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    1
  2. Alfred icon
     305 likes

    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.

    145 Alfred alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • iPhone
    • iPad
     
  3. ueli icon
     75 likes

    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...

    87 ueli alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
     
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    1
  4. Tuna icon
     10 likes

    Modern macOS launcher with native Swift implementation, offering Fuzzy, Leader, Text, and Talk modes, modal interface, extension support, no subscription required, free version with soft limits, and one-time unlock for full features for customizable workflow.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Mac
     
  5. RustCast icon
     8 likes

    Open-source launcher offering blazing speed, customisable interface, app launching, web search, built-in calculator, clipboard history, no native AI, and native macOS support, with Linux and Windows compatibility planned for future releases.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Platforms

    • Mac
     
  6. Albert icon
     70 likes

    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.

    68 Albert alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Mac
     
  7. Leader Key icon
     10 likes

    This macOS tool leverages fighting game style key combinations to expedite app launches, execute commands, or even activate fun features like confetti, providing a faster alternative to launchers like Spotlight, Alfred, and Raycast. It supports customization and seamless integration with existing tools.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
     
  8. Quicksilver icon
     125 likes

    Quicksilver is a fast and free macOS productivity application that gives you the power to control your Mac quickly and elegantly.

    98 Quicksilver alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
     
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    1
  9. SOL icon
     5 likes

    If you ever liked tools like Raycast and Alfred, but wanted to own them and tweak them yourself, then SOL is the tool for you. All the affordances of complex tools now made open source.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Platforms

    • Mac
     
  10. SupaSidebar icon
     6 likes

    SupaSidebar is a macOS app that brings Arc's sidebar to every browser - one sidebar for tabs, bookmarks, files, and apps across Safari, Chrome, and even Finder.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Mac
     
  11. Lacona icon
     16 likes

    Lacona is a docker app for Mac OSX that accepts natural language commands. Call up Lacona with a keyboard shortcut and type whatever you want to do. It gives intelligent suggestions as you type and then follows your orders.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
     
  12. Spotter icon
     6 likes

    Productivity tool that allows to launch everything (e.g. switch the next song, connect Bluetooth device, set a timer, etc.) so you can stay focused on your current task.

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
     
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