Albert vs Raycast (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Raycast: it is first in our ranking of window managers and launchers, and it grades higher too, 2.8 against 2.6.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Albert grades higher on value for money and the free plan. Raycast grades higher on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Raycast
Keyboard launcher with extensions, clipboard history and AI
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 Raycast if
- Fits if you'd rather type two letters than hunt for an app with the mouse
- Works for people who paste the same things all day and want clipboard, snippets and windows in one free app
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you're on Linux or Android, because there's no Raycast for either, and no web app
- Pricey if AI is the main draw, since it needs Pro at $96 a year and the top models need the $20-a-month tier
- Tight if you want your setup synced between computers, as sync is Pro only and you can't buy it without the AI
- Not for you if you want a launcher on your phone, as the iPhone app is mostly AI and notes
- Watch out: the Windows app lacks some Mac features, and users say version 2 brought bugs and heavier memory use
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAAlbertGood | 2.8GPARaycastGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree, with optional donations. Nothing in the listing costs money. | CThe free app costs nothing, at work too. Pro is where the money is: $96 a year, or $10 a month, against the $2.99 a month utilities here charge in the middle. You can't buy sync without the AI, and the top models need the $20 tier. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe whole app is free to use, with no tiers. | BThe launcher, clipboard history, snippets, window management and the whole extension store are free, even commercially. The caps are real though: 3 months of clipboard history, 5 notes, no AI and no sync between devices. |
| 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. | AA launcher, clipboard manager, text expander, calculator and window manager in one, and then thousands of extensions for Linear, Slack, Notion and Spotify, with an API for writing your own. No other launcher here brings a store and an extension API with it. |
| 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 rating on record we can lean on, and the setup is yours to do: hotkeys, aliases and extensions all get picked by you. Press a hotkey, type, hit Enter is a minute's work, but some users say version 2 arrived with bugs and heavier memory use. |
| Platforms and integrations | CMac and Linux only. No Windows version, as the install page says. | BMac, Windows, iPhone and iPad, plus a browser extension and a real extension API. No Android or Linux, no web app, and Raycast says the Windows app doesn't have every Mac feature yet. |
| Best for | a keyboard launcher for Mac and Linux | running your computer from the keyboard |
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 Raycast. 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. Raycast starts at $8 a month when paid by the year and scores 3.0.
Raycast scores higher, and starts $8 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other window managers and launchers on the chart, none scores higher than Albert for less, and none scores higher than Raycast 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
- Raycast also covers clipboard manager, window management and text expansion.
At a glance
| Albert | Raycast | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $96 / year, billed annually |
| Free plan | Free; the site accepts optional donations. | Core features such as clipboard history (kept 3 months), snippets, quicklinks, calculator and window management, the extension store, and up to 5 Raycast Notes. AI is not included. |
| Free trial | None listed | Free Pro trial for eligible new accounts; trial AI credits expire after 7 days |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Manuel Schneider | Raycast Technologies Ltd. |
| Price read from | albertlauncher.github.io | raycast.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 9, 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.
Raycast
- AI is not part of the free plan; Raycast AI, cloud sync and unlimited notes need Pro.
- The free plan keeps 3 months of clipboard history and allows 5 Raycast Notes.
- Top-tier AI models need the Plus or Max tier, at $20 or $50 a month.
- The Windows app does not yet have every macOS feature; Raycast says it is still bringing them across.
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.
Raycast
- Launcher with hotkeys and aliases
- Open apps, search files and run commands from one keyboard-driven window, and assign hotkeys or aliases to the commands and apps you use most.
- Extension store
- Thousands of extensions for tools such as Linear, Slack, Notion and Spotify. The extension API lets anyone with web development skills build their own.
- Clipboard history, snippets, quicklinks
- Built-in utilities included in the free plan. Free keeps clipboard history for 3 months.
- Window management
- Window management commands are part of the free core features; creating custom window management commands needs Pro.
- Raycast AI
- Pro adds Quick AI and AI Chat on a monthly credit allowance. A browser extension for Safari, Chrome, Firefox and Chromium browsers passes the active tab to the AI.
- Notes and iOS companion app
- Raycast Notes captures quick thoughts: 5 notes on Free and unlimited on Pro. The iOS app carries AI, notes, snippets and quicklinks; syncing them across devices needs Pro.
Plans
Albert
Free$0
Free to use; donations are optional.
Raycast
Free$0
Core launcher features, thousands of extensions, custom extensions, 3 months of clipboard history and 5 Raycast Notes. No AI.
Pro$96
per year, or $10 / month billed monthly
Raycast AI with 500 credits a month, cloud sync, dictation, translator, custom themes, unlimited notes and custom window management commands.
Pro (Plus tier)$192
per year, or $20 / month billed monthly
Pro features with 3,000 AI credits a month and access to top-tier AI models.
Pro (Max tier)$480
per year, or $50 / month billed monthly
Pro features with 7,500 AI credits a month and access to top-tier AI models.
Teams Pro$144
per user / year, or $15 / user / month billed monthly
Pro for each member plus unlimited shared commands and a private store. Plus and Max tiers cost more; a free Teams plan caps sharing at 30 snippets and 30 quicklinks.
EnterpriseCustom
Teams Pro plus an AI Control Center and admin controls such as SAML/SCIM, domain capture, enforced 2FA and extension and IP allow-lists.
Ways to pay less
Albert
No public discounts listed.
Raycast
- Annual discount
Annual billing saves 20%
Pro is $96 a year against $10 a month, which is $120 over twelve months. Teams Pro is $144 per user a year against $15 per user a month. Both work out 20% cheaper.
- Education
50% off Pro for verified students
Raycast's pricing FAQ says verified students get a 50% discount on the Pro plan through an application form.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Albert or Raycast?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Albert is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $8 a month when paid by the year for Raycast. Albert is free, and Raycast starts at $96 / year, billed annually.
Which has a free plan, Albert or Raycast?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Albert and Raycast have a free plan.
Which platforms do Albert and Raycast run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Albert lists a Linux app and only Raycast lists Windows and iOS apps and a browser extension. Both list a macOS 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.