Alternatives to Alfred
macOS productivity launcher with custom workflows, clipboard history, and snippets. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Alfred
macOS productivity launcher with custom workflows, clipboard history, and snippets.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Alfred.
Raycast
Fast macOS launcher replacing Spotlight with clipboard history and extensions.
Raycast is also a freemium macOS launcher with clipboard history and extensions, and adds built-in window management, with team features on a paid plan.
Albert
Extensible keyboard launcher for Linux and macOS inspired by Alfred.
Albert is free and open source for macOS and Linux, inspired by Alfred, with a plugin architecture that needs manual configuration instead of paid workflows.
Wox
A fully native keyboard launcher for Windows, macOS and Linux, with GPU rendering and a plugin system, as an open Raycast alternative.
Wox is free under GPL-3.0 and runs natively on macOS, Windows and Linux, but its plugin ecosystem is much smaller than the one Alfred has.
Ueli
A keystroke launcher that works the same on Windows, macOS and Linux, which most launchers do not.
Ueli is free under MIT and works across macOS, Windows and Linux, though it uses Electron and its macOS downloads are unsigned.
Cerebro
Launch applications and run searches from a keyboard-driven panel.
Cerebro is free, MIT-licensed and runs on macOS, Windows and Linux, with plugins whose availability depends on third-party maintenance.
LaunchBar
A keyboard-driven macOS launcher for apps, documents, contacts, reminders, files and web searches.
LaunchBar is a paid macOS launcher with clipboard history, snippets, file browsing and indexed reminders and contacts, and it takes time to learn its actions.
Quicksilver
An open-source macOS launcher that opens apps and files and acts on them from the keyboard.
Quicksilver is free and open source for macOS, acting on files and apps through hundreds of plugins, but its action-based workflow takes time to learn.
Sol
An open-source launcher and command palette for macOS, similar in approach to Raycast.
Sol is a free, open-source macOS launcher and command palette with no paid tier, though its extension ecosystem is smaller.
Also worth comparing
These listings name Alfred as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.
Gauntlet
An open-source, Raycast-inspired cross-platform application launcher with plugins written in React.
Alfred is macOS only and closed source, and its workflows and clipboard history require the paid Powerpack.
Monarch
A keyboard-driven macOS launcher with a calculator, clipboard history, system controls and bookmarks.
Alfred offers custom workflows, clipboard history and snippets, but those features require the paid Powerpack.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
Kando
Circular pie menu that launches apps, runs scripts and fires keyboard shortcuts.
Ulauncher
Fast, extensible application launcher built for Linux desktops.
Script Kit
A cross-platform desktop app for writing and launching JavaScript and TypeScript scripts from a prompt.
Contexts
A Mac window switcher with fuzzy search, a sidebar, gestures and a replacement Command-Tab.
Witch
A macOS switcher that moves between individual windows and tabs, not just applications.
