Albert vs Executor (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Albert and Executor share a 2.6 GPA, both are free, so the choice depends on whether you care more about platforms, where Albert grades higher, or ease of use, where Executor does.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Which one is for you
Pick Albert if
- Fits if you live on the keyboard and run a Mac or Linux
- Works for people happy to install from a Homebrew tap
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you need Windows, which is not supported yet
- Skip it if you want window snapping, as it doesn't resize or tile windows
- Watch out: the Mac app is unsigned and installing it disables Gatekeeper for it
- Watch out: its own license allows personal use and bars redistributing modified versions, so it's not open source
Pick Executor if
- Fits if you want a light Windows launcher with no account
- Works for people who want one command to run several actions
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want plugins, as there is no plugin or extension system
- Watch out: it is written and maintained by one person
- Not for you if you use macOS or Linux, since it is Windows only
- Tight if you want a quick start, because the maker says there is a learning curve
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAAlbertGood | 2.6GPAExecutorGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree, with optional donations. Nothing in the listing costs money. | AFree under an MIT license, including for commercial use. The site has a donate link. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe whole app is free to use, with no tiers. | AThe whole program is free, with no paid plan. |
| Features | CA plugin system with bundled plugins and extension APIs. It launches and searches, and doesn't arrange windows, which is what this category is for. | CKeyword launching, multi actions, indexing, clipboard handling and quick calculations. It deliberately has no plugin or extension system. |
| Ease of use | DOn a Mac you install it through a Homebrew tap, and the cask turns off Gatekeeper for the unsigned app. That's a command line job. | CNo store rating on record. Keywords and indexing need setting up, and the maker mentions a learning curve. |
| Platforms and integrations | CMac and Linux only. No Windows version, as the install page says. | DWindows only, by the maker's own design, and it needs Windows 7 or later. |
| Best for | a keyboard launcher for Mac and Linux | keyword commands on Windows |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Albert and Executor. How we grade
Price against what you get
Albert has no paid plan and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Executor has no paid plan and scores 1.7.
On this chart the two sit in the same place: the same score for the same starting price. Of the other window managers and launchers on the chart, none scores higher than Albert for less, and none scores higher than Executor for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Executor is open source, according to its own site.
- Executor also covers clipboard manager and calculator.
At a glance
| Albert | Executor | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Free; the site accepts optional donations. | Free under an MIT license, including for commercial use, per the vendor. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Manuel Schneider | Martin Bresson |
| Price read from | albertlauncher.github.io | executor.dk |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Albert
- No Windows version; the install page says Windows is not supported yet.
- The macOS app is unsigned, installed through a Homebrew tap, and the cask disables Gatekeeper for it.
- Under Albert's own license, not an open-source one: it permits personal use and bars redistributing modified versions, and forbids binaries targeting Microsoft or Apple platforms.
Executor
- Windows only, by the maker's own design; it requires Windows 7 or later.
- Deliberately opens other apps and sites rather than integrating with them, so there are no plugin or extension systems.
- The maker says there is a learning curve, and the project is authored and maintained by one person.
- The internal browser is resource-heavy like any browser, though optional.
Key features
Albert
- Plugin system
- Functionality comes from plugins, so it can act as an app launcher or a system command palette.
- Bundled plugins
- Ships with a set of maintained plugins out of the box.
- Extension APIs
- Write extensions in C++ or Python.
- Fast keyboard use
- Speed is a stated design goal.
Executor
- Fast actions
- Opens applications, files, folders, websites, web services with parameters and prompts, with options such as reassigning the Win key to Executor.
- Multi actions
- Triggers several actions from one command or hotkey, and keeps multi-line queries with spell check in its history.
- Indexing
- Scans applications, control panel items and custom locations, with paths and frequency set in the settings.
- Daily tools
- Clipboard handling, system commands, quick calculations and a manager for running applications.
- Internal browser
- An optional browser that can interact with Executor, for opening an AI service or small sites; it is not loaded by default.
- Skins and settings
- Keywords, appearance, hotkeys and indexing are customizable, with skins and an online skin editor.
Plans
Albert
Free$0
Free to use; donations are optional.
Executor
Free$0
The whole program; the site also has a donate link.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Albert or Executor?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Albert and Executor are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Albert or Executor?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Albert and Executor have a free plan.
Which platforms do Albert and Executor run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Albert lists macOS and Linux apps and only Executor lists a Windows app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.