Contexts 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 2.0.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Contexts grades higher on value for money. Raycast grades higher on the free plan, features and platforms. They get the same grade on ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Contexts
Mac window switcher with search, a sidebar and a better Command-Tab
Raycast
Keyboard launcher with extensions, clipboard history and AI
Which one is for you
Pick Contexts if
- Fits if you keep many windows open and want to jump by typing
- Works for Mac users with several displays and Spaces
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want windows snapped to halves or tiles, because it doesn't resize
- Skip it if you're not on a Mac, as no other system is listed
- Watch out: the page doesn't say whether major versions are paid upgrades
- Watch out: only macOS Ventura, Sonoma and Sequoia are named
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
| 2.0GPAContextsFair | 2.8GPARaycastGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B$9.99 per license, below the $16 middle of one-time prices in this category. The page doesn't say whether major versions cost extra. | 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 | CA free trial download, and the license agreement allows 21 days. No free plan. | 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 | CSearch switching, a Command-Tab replacement, a sidebar and a trackpad gesture across displays and Spaces. It switches windows but doesn't arrange them. | 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 | CNo store rating on record. It's a Mac install, with a shortcut to set and a learning curve for the search. | 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 | DMac only, on macOS Ventura, Sonoma and Sequoia. | 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 | switching windows by typing | 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: Contexts and Raycast. How we grade
Where they differ
- Raycast also covers launcher, clipboard manager and text expansion.
At a glance
| Contexts | Raycast | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $9.99 per license | $96 / year, billed annually |
| Free plan | None | 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 | Free trial download; the license agreement allows a 21-day evaluation period. | Free Pro trial for eligible new accounts; trial AI credits expire after 7 days |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Contexts | Raycast Technologies Ltd. |
| Price read from | contexts.co | raycast.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Contexts
- Mac only, and the page lists macOS Ventura, Sonoma and Sequoia.
- Switches between windows; it does not resize or tile them.
- The page names a license price but does not say whether major versions are paid upgrades.
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
Contexts
- Search switching
- Open a search window with a shortcut, type scattered characters from an app name or window title, and press Return to switch.
- Fast Search
- Hold a modifier key such as Fn, type one or two characters and release to bring the selected window forward.
- Command-Tab replacement
- Lists windows separately rather than apps, with Command-Backquote for the windows of the frontmost app.
- Sidebar
- An auto-hiding list of windows grouped by Space, with Dock-style count badges.
- Trackpad gesture
- Scroll down with two fingers from the top edge of the trackpad to pick a window, then lift to switch.
- Multiple displays and Spaces
- The search window can appear on every display at once, and lists can be filtered by Space.
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
Contexts
License$9.99
per license
One license for Contexts 3 on macOS Ventura, Sonoma and Sequoia.
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
Contexts
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, Contexts or Raycast?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Contexts starts at $9.99 per license, and Raycast starts at $96 / year, billed annually.
Which has a free plan, Contexts or Raycast?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Raycast has a free plan. Contexts does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Contexts and Raycast run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, 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.