Top 10 Raycast Alternatives for macOS in 2025 (Free & Paid)

When you discover an app that seamlessly integrates with your workflow, you can’t imagine your life without it. Raycast has been that app for many of us Mac users. It is quick, has a ton of features, and seems to really boost your everyday workflow. As a huge fan myself, I can honestly say that it’s difficult to top.

But the problem is that my curiosity never truly goes to sleep. I’m constantly searching for the next big thing, something that might just satisfy a slightly different need, something completely free, or something with a distinctive USP. In order to find out Raycast alternatives for macOS, I made the decision to go on a small personal adventure to find out some of the best Raycast alternatives in 2025.

I’ve tried a number of them out and put them to the test in my own daily work. And believe me, I’ve discovered some worthwhile alternatives to Raycast! All of them provide something truly valuable, even though some are paid and some are free. You’re in the right place if, like me, you enjoy Raycast but secretly wonder, “What else is out there?”

Here are my top 10 Raycast alternatives for macOS in 2025, both Free & Paid, that I have personally used, along with a summary of what makes each unique.

Here are My Top 10 Best Raycast Alternatives for macOS in 2025

1. Alfred: Overall Good Alternative

Alright, let’s begin with a traditional example. Alfred was the industry leader in Mac launchers for power users before Raycast announced. And to be completely honest, I still have a huge place in my heart for it. When I first started digging into alternatives, Alfred was the first one I revisited, and it’s evolved beautifully.

What I Love About It?

What I adore most about it is how well Alfred works with its “Workflows.” Consider them as downloadable or buildable automation sequences or personalized mini-apps. Workflows have been used for everything from instant currency conversion to controlling Spotify playback without ever touching the app itself, to searching specific websites (like Wikipedia or IMDb) with a few keystrokes.

Because Alfred has such a large community, there are many pre-built workflows that you can simply plug in. It also has great file navigation and a great clipboard history, which is a must for me. It feels really sturdy and dependable, like a real workhorse.

My Honest Take

In my opinion, Alfred’s interface isn’t as “modern” or ostentatious as Raycast’s, and it can be a little more difficult to set up intricate workflows at first. However, the power and customization are amazing once you get the hang of it.

The Powerpack is a one-time purchase that is necessary for workflows, and in my experience, the investment has been well worth it for years of increased productivity.

• Pricing: Basic features are free, while Powerpack (a one-time purchase) costs money.

2. LaunchBar: A Clever Learner

Another established player that is intelligent is LaunchBar. Very intelligent. I was truly impressed by how quickly it adjusted to my routine when I gave it a serious try.

What I Love About It?

I’m impressed with how amazing its “adaptive abbreviation search” is. LaunchBar quickly learns your short acronyms so you don’t have to type the full name of an application or file. For example, typing “SP” to open System Preferences or “DDR” to open “Daily Report.docx” simply causes it to open.

It’s great for browsing your web bookmarks, contacts, and calendar events. Its “Send To” feature was also very helpful to me for sending text to another program or moving files quickly. It really delivers on its promise to keep your hands on the keyboard.

My Honest Take

LaunchBar’s learning curve was a little steeper than Alfred’s at first, but after it “learned” my patterns, it became incredibly effective. Although its community-contributed extensions may not be as extensive as Raycast’s, its core intelligence sets it apart significantly.

• Pricing: Paid (one-time purchase), with a free trial available.

3. Spotlight: The Underappreciated Workhorse (built into macOS)

Alright, I understand. “Priority? “Really?” But listen to me! I took the time to thoroughly investigate the capabilities of macOS’s built-in Spotlight before diving into all of these third-party launchers. And to be honest, it’s surprisingly powerful for a free, always-available tool.

What I Love About It?

It’s simply there, which is what I adore about it. No setup, no installation. For quick calculations, app launches, and file searches, it is lightning fast. Apple has significantly improved Spotlight with the latest macOS updates, including adding richer web results, better unit conversions, and even direct actions like starting a timer.

Spotlight frequently completes tasks quickly and easily for anyone who feels overloaded with options or simply wants a straightforward, efficient solution. I still use it for incredibly fast, basic searches.

My Honest Take

Spotlight still lacks the extensive customization, workflow features, and extensibility that make Raycast (and many other products on this list) so potent, even though it has improved. You won’t find advanced window management, snippets, or a clipboard history here. But it’s a good starting point for the fundamentals.

• Pricing: Free (included with macOS).

4. Ueli: The Open-Source Minimalist

Ueli appeared when I was searching for free alternatives that provided a little more than simple launching. I’m always interested in open-source projects, and this one is surprisingly quick.

What I Love About It?

How quick and light it is. Without a lot of extraneous details, it concentrates on the essential functions of opening apps, searching files, and conducting web searches. I liked how simple and straightforward its interface was.

It also has some cool features, such as the ability to run shell commands directly and a basic calculator. Ueli is a very attractive option for people who respect privacy and open-source software. It also supports basic plugins, though not as many as Alfred or Raycast.

My Honest Take

It is unquestionably more practical than Raycast. The AI capabilities and extensive range of integrations that come with Raycast’s ecosystem are not available to you. However, Ueli is an excellent choice that won’t slow down your system if you’re looking for something quick, free, and effective for app launches and fast searches.

• Pricing: Free (open-source).

5. Lacona: The Expert in Natural Language

This was an interesting find! Lacona wants you to be able to interact with your Mac as if you were speaking to it by using simple, everyday language. I tried using Lacona to “chat” with my Mac for quite some time, and it was surprisingly simple.

What I Love About It?

Its ability to process natural language is truly amazing. Lacona would frequently comprehend and carry out my commands, such as “play Alt-J on Spotify,” “send email to John about meeting,” or “remind me to pick up milk tomorrow at 5 PM.” You can take action without going through menus thanks to its integration with a number of macOS services and third-party apps. In that sense, it feels very futuristic!

My Honest Take

Even though the natural language feature is fantastic, I occasionally still felt that for really repetitive tasks, I preferred the speed of direct commands or abbreviations. Overall, it’s a strong and distinctive way to communicate with your Mac, though there were a few times when it didn’t fully understand what I was trying to say.

Lacona is definitely worth a look if you value a more conversational approach to computing. Setapp is a great way to try it out.

• Pricing: Probably available as a stand-alone purchase option or through a Setapp subscription (with a free trial).

6. Quicksilver: The Launchers’ Grandfather (Always Going Strong)

For casual Mac users, the name Quicksilver evokes fond memories. Predating many others, it was one of the first “power user” launchers and is still free and actively maintained today!

What I Love About It?

Quicksilver has a fervent community and is incredibly powerful despite its age. Its foundation is the idea of “objects” and “actions,” which let you do countless things with files, contacts, and apps. After choosing an object (such as a file), you choose an action (such as “move to”) and then another object (such as a folder). Once you understand the idea, it makes perfect sense. With its plugin architecture, it’s also very extensible, allowing you to integrate it with a wide range of other apps.

My Honest Take

Quicksilver’s learning curve is arguably the steepest on this list, and its interface can seem a little antiquated in comparison to Raycast’s sleekness. It’s a tool for people who enjoy experimenting and completely personalizing their experience. But it’s difficult to dispute its capabilities given its sheer strength and adaptability, especially for free. For good reason, it’s a cult classic!

• Pricing: Free (open-source).

7. Homerow: The UI Navigator First on the Keyboard

Although it’s a little different, this is a must if you want to use your mouse as little as possible. Although Homerow isn’t a conventional app launcher like Raycast, it works well with it (or serves as a partial substitute if your primary objective is to avoid using the mouse).

What I Love About It?

It is that you can “click” anything on your screen with just your keyboard thanks to Homerow. Every clickable element (buttons, links, text fields, menu items) has a number or letter next to it when you press a hotkey. All you have to do is type the matching character, and it will click. This is revolutionary for navigating apps for someone like me who tries to keep their hands on the keyboard as much as possible.

My Honest Take

Homerow is an excellent supplementary tool, but it won’t take the place of Raycast for app launches or snippets. Homerow is the solution if you’re frustrated by macOS’s incessant reliance on the trackpad or mouse for small on-screen operations. Although it takes some getting used to, it soon becomes instinctive.

• Pricing: Free trial, paid (one-time purchase).

8. PopClip: The Contextual Mini-Launcher

PopClip is another excellent productivity enhancer that operates on a similar “quick action” premise, though it is not a direct rival of Raycast. It’s very convenient and frequently eliminates the need to launch a full launcher for text-based operations alone.

What I Love About It?

PopClip displays a small, action-able bar directly above the text you select on your Mac. Imagine it as an enhanced version of the iOS selection menu. I use it frequently for tasks like sending text to my notes app, translating text, converting units, instantly searching highlighted text on Google or Wikipedia, and even automatically opening a URL. It’s very quick and makes text-related tasks less difficult.

My Honest Take

PopClip is a specialized tool. It’s a huge time-saver for anything involving text, but it won’t manage windows or launch apps. Because of the numerous services it integrates with through its extensions, it is surprisingly powerful considering its small size. This app simply makes your life easier by allowing you to “set it and forget it.”

• Pricing: Free trial, paid (one-time purchase).

9. Apptivate: Easy, Targeted App Installation

Apptivate could be a fun, easier option if you find that you primarily use Raycast to quickly launch your favorite apps using a keyboard shortcut.

What I Love About It?

Apptivate is how intensely focused it is. It enables you to give any program, file, or folder global keyboard shortcuts. That’s all. Just pure, unadulterated apps that launch using your favorite hotkeys—no complicated workflows, no clipboard history.

Apptivate is excellent if you have a core set of apps that you use every day and want to open them quickly without using a search bar. It also stays out of your way and is incredibly light.

My Honest Take

It has fewer features than Raycast. None of the extensions or utility tools will be available to you. However, it works well for its particular function, which is to launch apps directly and instantly using customized hotkeys. Less can sometimes be more, particularly if you want to maintain a mean and lean system.

• Pricing: One-time, paid purchase.

10. CheatSheet: Your Keyboard Shortcut Lifesaver

Despite not being a direct launcher, CheatSheet is a tool that significantly improves keyboard efficiency, particularly when you’re trying out new apps or simply can’t remember that one obscure shortcut. It also fits in perfectly with our discussion of productivity driven by keyboards!

What I Love About It?

The simplicity of this app is brilliant. Any application will display a pop-up window with all of the keyboard shortcuts for that particular application if you simply hold down the Command (⌘) key for a few seconds. It’s similar to always having a cheat sheet on hand. Using CheatSheet, I’ve found a ton of hidden shortcuts that have increased my speed in a variety of apps and decreased my need for the mouse.

My Honest Take

Although CheatSheet won’t launch apps for you, it will enable you to use your keyboard to launch apps much more efficiently. This free tool is an indispensable addition to any launcher if you’re attempting to create a genuinely keyboard-centric workflow on your Mac. It all comes down to teaching you shortcuts you were unaware of in order to increase your efficiency.

• Pricing: Free.

Wrapping It Up

That’s it! I took a personal look at some of the top Raycast substitutes for macOS in 2025. As you can see, there are many different apps, and each one has its own distinct flavor and advantages. There is a strong tool available to help you increase your productivity, regardless of whether you’re looking for something completely free, a one-time purchase, or a subscription.

My recommendation? Try a few of them out without fear. Numerous companies provide free trials, and you might discover the ideal fit for your particular working style. Cheers to your launch!