Productivity Tools

7 Best App Launchers for Mac in 2023 (Free & Paid)

By Alex • Updated July 8, 2023

Best for: Overall | Windows | Mac

Managing multiple applications and files on your Mac can be overwhelming. App launchers simplify access and management while offering advanced features to enhance your Mac experience.

In this guide we review 7 of the top app launchers for Mac in 2023, including free and paid options, with a focus on their features and usability.

Best App Launchers for Mac

1. Raycast
2. Alfred
3. Apple Spotlight
4. Curiosity
5. LaunchBar
6. Quicksilver
7. FastFolderFinder

What Makes a Great App Launcher

Before we deep dive into this list, it's important to understand what makes an app launcher great:

• Ease of Use: The launcher should be user-friendly and intuitive, making the process of launching and managing apps simple and efficient.
• Feature-Rich: The tool should offer a broad range of features, including customizable hotkeys, clipboard history, quick search, and more.
• Fast and Responsive: The launcher should be fast in terms of search and execution of commands. It should not lag or slow down your system.
• Customizability: A good app launcher should allow customization. This includes changing themes, setting up unique shortcuts, and personalizing how the launcher operates.
• Consistent Updates: The developer should regularly update the launcher to ensure compatibility with the latest macOS versions and to incorporate new features or improvements.

Now that we know what to look for, let's explore our top picks for the best app launchers for Mac in 2023.

1. Raycast

Raycast is a free application launcher that takes your Mac experience to the next level. It's lightweight and snappy, making it perfect for those who value speed and efficiency.

Key Features:

• Clipboard History: Raycast records everything you copy to your clipboard, allowing you to easily access previous entries.
• Window Organization: You can efficiently manage your windows right from the launcher.
• Extended Search: Raycast allows you to perform advanced searches, making it easier to find what you're looking for.

Our Take: Raycast is a fantastic alternative to Spotlight and Alfred. Its lightweight nature and extensive features make it an excellent choice for any Mac user. The extended search and clipboard history features, in particular, are very useful.

2. Alfred

Alfred is a popular Mac application launcher known for its versatility and robustness. It is designed to boost your efficiency with hotkeys, keywords, text expansion, and more.

Key Features:

• Hotkeys: Alfred allows you to set up custom hotkeys for quick access to your apps and files.
• Powerful Workflows: Alfred offers powerful workflows that allow you to automate complex tasks and processes.
• Clipboard History: Like Raycast, Alfred also provides access to your clipboard history.

Our Take: Alfred is an excellent app launcher, offering a rich set of features that can significantly enhance your productivity. It is particularly useful if you perform repetitive tasks, as its powerful workflows can automate these for you.

3. Apple Spotlight

Spotlight is Apple's built-in search system that allows you to quickly find apps, documents, and other files on your Mac.

Key Features:

• System-wide Search: Spotlight can search your entire system quickly and efficiently.
• Preview Option: You can preview documents and files right within Spotlight.
• Conversion and Calculation: Spotlight can perform quick calculations and conversions.

Our Take: Spotlight is a reliable and efficient app launcher that is built into every Mac. It's great for basic tasks, but if you need more advanced features, you might need to opt for another launcher.

4. Curiosity

Curiosity is a powerful and user-friendly app launcher that offers a plethora of features designed to streamline your Mac experience.

Key Features:

• Customizable Themes: Curiosity allows you to customize its appearance with a variety of themes.
• Quick Search: You can quickly search and launch your applications and files using Curiosity.
• Hotkeys: Curiosity allows you to set up custom hotkeys for quick access to your apps and files.

Our Take: Curiosity combines power with simplicity, making it a great app launcher for both beginners and advanced users. The ability to customize themes is a unique feature that enhances the user experience.

5. LaunchBar

LaunchBar – Meet the future of productivity

LaunchBar is a smart and powerful productivity utility that provides lightning fast access to applications, documents, contacts and bookmarks, to your iTunes Library, to search engines and more, just by entering short abbreviations of the searched item’s name. LaunchBar streamlines the way you access apps, open files, browse your file system, use the Web, copy and paste, insert text, access data from certain applications, run calculations, control iTunes, handle file management, control your Mac, and more.

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LaunchBar is a versatile and intuitive app launcher that offers a wide array of features to enhance your productivity.

Key Features:

• Abbyy Search: LaunchBar has a unique search feature that lets you find files and applications using abbreviations.
• File Manager: LaunchBar offers a powerful file manager for easy file manipulation.
• Reminders and Events: LaunchBar allows you to manage your daily schedule right from the launcher.

Our Take: LaunchBar is an impressive app launcher with a unique abbreviation search feature that makes finding files and apps a breeze. Its powerful file manager and scheduling features add to its appeal.

6. Quicksilver

Quicksilver is an established app launcher that is now open-source. It offers a unique interaction model and a supportive community.

Key Features:

• Extended Search: Quicksilver, like Raycast, allows you to perform advanced searches.
• Action Recommendations: Quicksilver recommends actions based on your search queries.
• Triggers: Quicksilver allows you to set up triggers for frequently used commands.

Our Take: Quicksilver is a robust and customizable app launcher. Its open-source nature and supportive community make it a great option for those who want to customize their launcher extensively.

7. FastFolderFinder

FastFolderFinder is a lightning-fast launcher that prioritizes simplicity and speed. It is designed to quickly open folders and apps.

Key Features:

• Fast Fuzzy Search: FastFolderFinder offers a quick fuzzy search feature that helps you find everything on your Mac.
• Custom Scripts: FastFolderFinder allows you to trigger custom scripts.
• UI Customization: You can customize the UI to blend perfectly into the native macOS UI.

Our Take: FastFolderFinder is a simple and efficient app launcher that is ideal for those who prioritize speed and simplicity. It's great for quickly opening folders and apps.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an app launcher?

An app launcher is a software application that helps you open, find, and organize files and apps on your computer. It boosts your productivity by allowing you to perform tasks quickly using your keyboard.

Why would I need an app launcher?

An app launcher can enhance your productivity by allowing you to perform tasks more quickly and efficiently. It can help you find files, launch apps, access clipboard history, automate tasks, and much more.

Which app launcher is the best?

The best app launcher depends on your specific needs. Alfred is a popular choice due to its versatility and powerful workflows. However, Raycast is an excellent alternative. Other options like LaunchBar, Quicksilver, and FastFolderFinder also offer unique features that might suit your needs better.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while the built-in Spotlight search on Mac is decent for basic tasks, using a dedicated app launcher can greatly enhance your productivity.

Whether it's Alfred with its powerful workflows, Raycast with its snappy performance, or any of the other launchers listed above, these tools can make your Mac experience a lot more efficient and enjoyable.

Choose the one that best fits your needs, and you'll wonder how you ever lived without it.

All App Launchers for Mac