Spotlight replacements for MacHead to head
Raycast vs Alfred
Raycast ranks #1 and Alfred ranks #2 in our guide to the best Spotlight replacements for Mac. Raycast is our pick for most people.
RaycastPick Raycast if you want 1 free search bar for apps, files, clipboard history and window snapping.Free to start#2 in the guide
AlfredPick Alfred if you prefer a one-time price and want to plug in workflows built by other Alfred users.Free to startWhat decides it
- On price: Raycast is free. Pro is $10 a month or $96 a year. Alfred is free. The Powerpack is £34 once, or £59 with lifetime upgrades.
- Both run on Mac. Only Raycast runs on iPhone and iPad.
Side by side
Prices are checked every day.
| At a glance | Raycast | Alfred |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free. Pro is $10 a month or $96 a year | Free. The Powerpack is £34 once, or £59 with lifetime upgrades |
| How you pay | Free, with paid upgrades | Free, with paid upgrades |
| 3 years of use | $288 Yearly plan | Depends on the plan |
| Free trial | Free to start | Free to start |
| Runs on | Mac, iPhone, iPad | Mac |
| Where to buy | Developer, App Store | Developer |
| Features | Free trial | None flagged |
| Last updated | 29 Oct 2026 | Not tracked |
Who should get which
Get Raycast if
You keep your hands on the keyboard and want 1 shortcut for apps, files, clipboard and windows.
Get Alfred if
You live on the keyboard and want apps, files, snippets and automations a few keystrokes away.
Skip Raycast if
You launch apps from the Dock and rarely press Command-Space, so Spotlight already covers you.
Skip Alfred if
You open a handful of apps a day, and Spotlight on Command-Space already does that free.
Our verdicts
Raycast
The free plan of Raycast already covers a launcher, 3 months of clipboard history, snippets, window snapping and thousands of extensions, while Alfred keeps clipboard history and snippets in its paid Powerpack. You press 1 shortcut and type to open apps, find files or run commands for web services you use. Pro at $10 a month adds Raycast AI and sync, and none of it helps until calling it up becomes a habit.
Alfred
Thousands of community-shared workflows plug into this Mac launcher once you buy the £34 Powerpack, which also adds clipboard history and text snippets and includes the free upgrade to Alfred 6. The free version already launches apps, finds files and runs web searches from 1 hotkey. Raycast covers similar ground for free with a newer look, but its extras sit behind a $10 monthly Pro plan, while Alfred's are a one-time purchase priced in pounds.
What each one helps you do
Raycast
- Open any app or file from the keyboard
- Find something you copied last week
- Snap windows into place without the mouse
- Type long replies from short keywords
Alfred
- Open any app or file by typing a few letters
- Paste something you copied an hour ago
- Expand short keywords into full replies
- Automate repetitive tasks with community workflows
Where to get them
Raycast
Free. Pro is $10 a month or $96 a year
Alfred
Free. The Powerpack is £34 once, or £59 with lifetime upgrades
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From the developerThe Powerpack is priced in British pounds onlyFree downloadGet it
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Neither one quite right?
The other picks in our guide to the best Spotlight replacements for Mac.
Read the full guideAll Raycast alternativesAll Alfred alternatives
More comparisons
Raycast vs rcmdPick it if you only need to switch between the same few apps fast, not search for files or commands.- Alfred vs rcmdPick it if you only need to switch between the same few apps fast, not search for files or commands.
Keyboard Maestro vs AlfredPick it if you want automations you start by typing a keyword, plus community workflows to borrow.