Best App Launcher Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Launchy is ranked #1 of 40 as of 7 October 2026, ahead of Raycast and Alfred. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Raycast. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Raycast at $8/mo.
An app launcher can make it quicker to open software, find files or run commands, depending on the features it offers. Compare command launching, file search and workflow support to see whether an option fits your everyday tasks. Plugin support and shortcut limits matter if you want to tailor how it works; cloud sync and supported platforms help you check its fit across devices. Also weigh free-plan availability against paid-from pricing. Launchy, Raycast and Alfred are among the entries to consider, alongside options such as Ueli and Keypirinha. Match the capabilities and plan details to the way you use your computer.
40 app launcher software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
14 of the 25 here have a free tier you can use, 0 have open-source code on record, and 0 have full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LaunchyWindows · Mac · Linux · Android | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 2 | RaycastWindows · Mac · iPhone · API · Extension | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | $8/mo | 6.6 | |
| 3 | AlfredMac · iPhone | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 4 | UeliWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 5 | KeypirinhaWindows | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 6 | RofiMac · Linux | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 7 | SyMenuWindows | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 8 | WalkerLinux | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 9 | DropzoneMac | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.3 | |
| 10 | KeybreezeWindows | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.3 | |
| 11 | KISS LauncherAndroid | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.3 | |
| 12 | WinLaunchWindows | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.3 | |
| 13 | Winstep Nexus DockWindows | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.3 | |
| 14 | WofiLinux | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.3 | |
| 15 | KunkunWindows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 16 | WoxWindows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 17 | ActiveDockMac | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.4 |
| 18 | KupferLinux | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.4 |
| 19 | bemenuMac · Linux | No signal | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 20 | CerebroWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 21 | footLinux | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 22 | PinokioWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 23 | PortableApps.com PlatformWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 24 | dmenuLinux | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 25 | ExecutorWindows | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
Compare all 25 in a table
| # | App | Score | Free plan | From | Free plan | Paid from | Supported platforms | File search |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Launchy | 6.6 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | cross-platform | Yes |
| 2 | Raycast | 6.6 | Free plan | $8/mo | Yes | 10 /mo | cross-platform | Yes |
| 3 | Alfred | 6.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | macos | Yes |
| 4 | Ueli | 6.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | cross-platform | Yes |
| 5 | Keypirinha | 6.4 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | windows | Yes |
| 6 | Rofi | 6.4 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | cross-platform | No |
| 7 | SyMenu | 6.4 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | windows | Yes |
| 8 | Walker | 6.4 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | linux | Yes |
| 9 | Dropzone | 6.3 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | macos | — |
| 10 | Keybreeze | 6.3 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | windows | Yes |
| 11 | KISS Launcher | 6.3 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 12 | WinLaunch | 6.3 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | windows | — |
| 13 | Winstep Nexus Dock | 6.3 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 14 | Wofi | 6.3 | Free plan | Free | — | — | linux | No |
| 15 | Kunkun | 5.5 | No | — | — | — | cross-platform | — |
| 16 | Wox | 5.5 | No | — | Yes | — | cross-platform | Yes |
| 17 | ActiveDock | 5.4 | No | — | — | — | macos | Yes |
| 18 | Kupfer | 5.4 | No | — | Yes | — | linux | Yes |
| 19 | bemenu | 5.3 | No | — | — | — | cross-platform | No |
| 20 | Cerebro | 5.3 | No | — | Yes | — | cross-platform | Yes |
| 21 | foot | 5.3 | No | — | Yes | — | linux | No |
| 22 | Pinokio | 5.3 | No | — | Yes | — | cross-platform | — |
| 23 | PortableApps.com Platform | 5.3 | No | — | Yes | — | cross-platform | — |
| 24 | dmenu | 5.2 | No | — | Yes | — | linux | No |
| 25 | Executor | 5.2 | No | — | Yes | — | windows | Yes |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored, and a sponsored row is labelled as paid.
Questions about this list
Which app launcher software is ranked first on Freedom251?
Launchy is ranked #1 of 40 with a score of 6.6. Raycast is second and Alfred third.
How many of these have a free plan?
14 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Raycast has the lowest first paid tier we found: $8/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation.