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Free alternatives to Alfred

Top pick: Raycast. Switching saves about $45 USD one-time.

Alfred, Alfred Powerpack, Single License

$44.92 USDone-time

≈$64.04 CAD (converted from USD)

Every pick below has a free version.

Runs on
  • macOS
Key file formats
Not listed

Filter alternatives

2 alternatives

Top pick

1 tool

The editor’s first choice for most people switching.

  1. Rank 1: Raycast

    Best for a free launcher with extensions on a Mac

    License: Free tier
    • Windows
    • macOS
    • iOS
    Status: Verified

    The free plan has no AI. Pro costs US$8 a month billed yearly. Raycast 2.0 needs macOS Tahoe and Apple silicon, and a V1 download covers older Macs. Also runs on Windows and iOS. Free version: Free covers the launcher, quicklinks, snippets, clipboard history and window management. Pro (US$8 a month billed yearly) adds AI and sync.

Situational

1 tool

Right for specific needs, or not yet mature enough to recommend widely.

  1. Rank 2: Microsoft PowerToys

    Best for a launcher and window layouts on Windows

    License: Open source
    • Windows
    Status: Active

    Windows only, so it is not a replacement for Mac users. Spotlight, built into macOS, is the other built-in option on a Mac. MIT licensed and free.

Sponsor this page: $149 for 30 days. Sponsors appear above the ranking, labeled; the ranking itself is not for sale.

Feature parity

How each alternative covers what people use Alfred for. Numbers link to editor notes.

Feature parity with Alfred
FeatureRaycastMicrosoft PowerToys
Launcher
Launch apps and find filesYesYes
Custom web searchesYesNote 1PartialNote 2
Productivity
Clipboard historyPartialNote 3YesNote 4
Text snippets and expansionYesNo
Automation
Workflows and automationPartialNote 5PartialNote 6
Parity score80%60%
  1. Raycast, Custom web searches: Quicklinks open searches and URLs by keyword
  2. Microsoft PowerToys, Custom web searches: Has a web search command; Alfred-style custom keywords were not checked
  3. Raycast, Clipboard history: The free plan limits history length; unlimited history needs Pro
  4. Microsoft PowerToys, Clipboard history: Command Palette lists recent clipboard entries
  5. Raycast, Workflows and automation: Automation uses extensions and script commands rather than a visual workflow builder
  6. Microsoft PowerToys, Workflows and automation: Command Palette extensions add commands; there is no visual workflow builder

Not covered by any free alternative yet: Workflows and automation. See all feature gaps

What switching saves

Switching saves about $45 USD / ≈$64 CAD (estimated from the USD price) one-time. Prices checked ; ≈ means converted from USD.

Based on Alfred Powerpack, Single License. Price source. USD to CAD at 1.4257 as of Oct 7, 2026.

About this page

Last verified . Ranking: tier first, then the published score.

Something wrong or out of date? Report outdated info.

Alfred is a product of Running with Crayons, named here for comparison only. Platforms listed for Alfred: macOS.