Alternatives to Wox
A fully native keyboard launcher for Windows, macOS and Linux, with GPU rendering and a plugin system, as an open Raycast alternative. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Wox
A fully native keyboard launcher for Windows, macOS and Linux, with GPU rendering and a plugin system, as an open Raycast alternative.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Wox.
Ueli
A keystroke launcher that works the same on Windows, macOS and Linux, which most launchers do not.
Ueli also runs on Windows, macOS and Linux and is MIT-licensed and actively developed, but it uses Electron and has fewer plugins.
Raycast
Fast macOS launcher replacing Spotlight with clipboard history and extensions.
Raycast is macOS only and freemium, with a larger extension ecosystem plus built-in clipboard history and window management, while advanced features need a paid plan.
Alfred
macOS productivity launcher with custom workflows, clipboard history, and snippets.
Alfred is macOS only and closed source, offering custom workflows, clipboard history and snippets, with those features requiring the paid Powerpack.
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 Windows only and MIT-licensed, using the Everything index for instant file search and offering a large community plugin store.
Cerebro
Launch applications and run searches from a keyboard-driven panel.
Cerebro is a free, MIT-licensed cross-platform launcher for Windows, macOS and Linux, with plugins that depend on third-party maintenance.
Albert
Extensible keyboard launcher for Linux and macOS inspired by Alfred.
Albert is a lightweight open-source C++/Qt launcher for Linux and macOS only, with no Windows support and manual plugin configuration.
Ulauncher
Fast, extensible application launcher built for Linux desktops.
Ulauncher is free and open source but Linux only, offering a large extension ecosystem and a fast keyboard-focused interface.
Keypirinha
A very fast keystroke launcher for Windows, entirely portable, with packages written in Python.
Keypirinha is a portable Windows-only launcher that is fast on old hardware, but it is closed source with no release since November 2020.
Also worth comparing
These listings name Wox as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.
Executor
A keyword-based launcher for Windows that opens programs, files, websites and web searches.
Wox is a free GPL-3.0 native launcher that also runs on macOS and Linux, with plugins in Node.js, Python or scripts.
Fluent Search
A Windows search launcher for files, apps, browser tabs, open windows and on-screen elements.
Wox is a free GPL-3.0 native launcher for Windows, macOS and Linux with a plugin store, but it does not search on-screen elements.
Gauntlet
An open-source, Raycast-inspired cross-platform application launcher with plugins written in React.
Wox is a GPL-3.0 native launcher for Windows, macOS and Linux with plugins in Node.js, Python or scripts rather than React.
Kupfer
A keyboard-driven, plugin-based launcher for Linux in the style of Quicksilver.
Wox is a free GPL-3.0 native launcher that also runs on Windows and macOS, with plugins in Node.js, Python or scripts.
LaunchBar
A keyboard-driven macOS launcher for apps, documents, contacts, reminders, files and web searches.
Wox is a free GPL-3.0 native launcher for Windows, macOS and Linux with a plugin store, though its plugin ecosystem is smaller.
Listary
Instant file search and app launching on Windows, with a search box that appears inside file dialogs as well as on its own.
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.
Monarch
A keyboard-driven macOS launcher with a calculator, clipboard history, system controls and bookmarks.
Wox is a GPL-3.0 native launcher for Windows, macOS and Linux with a plugin store, though its version 2 rewrite is young.
Onagre
A general-purpose application launcher for X11 and Wayland, built on pop-launcher and iced.
Wox is a GPL-3.0 native launcher that also runs on Windows and macOS, with plugins in Node.js, Python or scripts.
Quicksilver
An open-source macOS launcher that opens apps and files and acts on them from the keyboard.
Wox is free and open source under GPL-3.0, runs natively on Windows, macOS and Linux with plugins in Node.js or Python, though version 2 is young.
Sol
An open-source launcher and command palette for macOS, similar in approach to Raycast.
Wox is free and open source under GPL-3.0, runs natively on Windows, macOS and Linux with a plugin store, though its version 2 rewrite is young.
Vicinae
A native, extensible keyboard-driven launcher for Linux desktops, inspired by Raycast.
Wox is open source under GPL-3.0 and runs natively on Windows, macOS and Linux, with plugins in Node.js, Python or scripts, but its version 2 rewrite is young.
Walker
A customizable GTK4 application launcher for Linux that also runs commands and does calculations.
Wox is a GPL-3.0 native launcher for Windows, macOS and Linux with GPU rendering and a plugin store, though its version 2 rewrite is relatively young.
WinLaunch
An open-source Windows launcher that shows your apps in a full-screen grid like the macOS Launchpad.
Wox is a GPL-3.0 native keyboard launcher for Windows, macOS and Linux with a plugin store, rather than a visual grid.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
Kando
Circular pie menu that launches apps, runs scripts and fires keyboard shortcuts.
Script Kit
A cross-platform desktop app for writing and launching JavaScript and TypeScript scripts from a prompt.
