Raycast

About

Raycast replaces Spotlight with a keyboard-driven command bar that does far more than launch apps. It manages windows, expands snippets, keeps a searchable clipboard history, runs calculations and conversions inline, and searches files across the Mac. A store of thousands of community extensions connects it to tools such as GitHub, Linear, Notion and Spotify, so whole workflows run without touching the mouse.

The core app is free, with Pro at $8 per month billed annually adding unlimited AI messages, unlimited Raycast Notes and unlimited clipboard history. Raycast AI puts chat and quick commands behind the same hotkey, and Raycast Focus blocks distractions during deep work. The company opened a public Windows beta in November 2025, a mark of how far a Mac launcher has travelled, but macOS remains its home. Raycast 2.0, a ground-up rebuild tuned for macOS Tahoe and Windows with a refreshed interface, a Rust-based file indexer for near-instant search and built-in AI dictation, left beta in August 2026.

Alternatives

• Alfred

  Pick Alfred if you would rather pay once: it is free, with the Powerpack at £34 for a single licence, and it still runs on macOS 10.14 and Intel Macs.

• LaunchBar

  Pick LaunchBar if your Mac is not on Tahoe yet: it runs on Monterey through Tahoe, and after a 30-day trial you can keep using it for free with occasional reminders.

• Spotlight

  Stay with Spotlight if you only need search, actions and clipboard history: since macOS Tahoe it handles all three, built in and free.

At a Glance

Requires

macOS 26 Tahoe or later

Price

Free; Pro from $8 a month billed yearly, with a free trial

Also On

Windows and iPhone

Get It From

raycast.com