Alternatives to Listary
Instant file search and app launching on Windows, with a search box that appears inside file dialogs as well as on its own. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Listary
Instant file search and app launching on Windows, with a search box that appears inside file dialogs as well as on its own.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Listary.
Flow Launcher
Press a hotkey, type a few letters, and open an app, a file, a bookmark or a web search on Windows.
Flow Launcher is free and MIT-licensed, with instant Everything-based file search and a plugin store, though its binaries are unsigned and trigger a security prompt.
Keypirinha
A very fast keystroke launcher for Windows, entirely portable, with packages written in Python.
Keypirinha is free and fully portable with Python packages, but it is closed source, configured through INI files and unreleased since November 2020.
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 Windows, macOS and Linux, with a plugin store for Node.js, Python and script plugins.
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 on Windows, macOS and Linux, with extra actions per result, though it runs on Electron and uses more memory.
Cerebro
Launch applications and run searches from a keyboard-driven panel.
Cerebro is free, MIT-licensed and cross-platform, launching apps and searches from a keyboard panel extended by third-party plugins.
Fluent Search
A Windows search launcher for files, apps, browser tabs, open windows and on-screen elements.
Fluent Search is free with no paid tier, searching files, apps, browser tabs and open windows, and adds keyboard Screen Search, though its source code is not published.
Executor
A keyword-based launcher for Windows that opens programs, files, websites and web searches.
Executor is free and uses custom keywords for programs, sites and web searches, with built-in clipboard history, but it is closed source and lacks drive-wide indexed file search.
Also worth comparing
These listings name Listary as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.
WinLaunch
An open-source Windows launcher that shows your apps in a full-screen grid like the macOS Launchpad.
Listary is a keyboard-first launcher and file search for Windows that is closed source, with some features in a paid Pro version.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
Kando
Circular pie menu that launches apps, runs scripts and fires keyboard shortcuts.
Nexus Dock
Launch applications and files from a customizable Windows desktop dock.
Script Kit
A cross-platform desktop app for writing and launching JavaScript and TypeScript scripts from a prompt.
