Everything vs HoudahSpot (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Everything if

• Fits if you know roughly what a file is called but not where you put it
• Works for drives holding hundreds of thousands of files, or millions

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you're on a Mac or Linux, as it only runs on Windows
• Not for you if you mostly search for words inside documents, because contents aren't indexed and that search is slow
• Tight if you pick the Lite build, which drops the servers and stops the command-line tool and SDK working
• Watch out: NTFS indexing needs the Everything service or admin rights, and FAT drives and network shares are added by hand

Pick HoudahSpot if

• Fits if Spotlight finds too much or too little for you
• Works for people who search across several folders with exact criteria

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want free search, as the trial slows you down and the licence is $39
• Watch out: it needs Spotlight indexing turned on
• Watch out: a licence covers one major version, and the upgrade from earlier ones costs $24 for a single user
• Not for you if you search Apple Mail on Sonoma or newer, since that search is gone

Everything

• Windows only; the FAQ lists Windows XP through Windows 11.
• It indexes file and folder names, not contents. Searching inside files is possible but slow.
• NTFS indexing needs the Everything service or administrator rights, and FAT volumes and network shares must be added as folder indexes by hand.
• The Lite build removes the HTTP and ETP/FTP servers and IPC, so the command-line tool and SDK do not work with it.

HoudahSpot

• Needs macOS 10.14 or newer with Spotlight indexing enabled; Apple Mail search is not available on macOS Sonoma or newer.
• A license covers one major version; the upgrade from earlier versions costs $24 single-user.
• A family license exists, but its price could not be read from the buy page.

Everything

Instant filename search

Starts by listing every file and folder on the PC and narrows the list as you type. Only names are indexed: about 250,000 files on a fresh Windows 11 install take about 5 seconds.

Real-time index updates

Results update as files change. NTFS indexes are kept current through the USN Journal, so changes made while Everything was closed are picked up when it restarts.

Search syntax

Supports boolean operators, wildcards, file-type and location filters and optional regular expressions. A content: function searches inside files, but contents are not indexed, so it is slow.

Low resource use

The vendor quotes about 35 MB of RAM and under 14 MB of disk space for roughly 250,000 files, and about 100 MB of RAM for 1,000,000 files.

HTTP and ETP/FTP servers

Search and open your files from a web browser on another computer, phone or tablet on the local network. Version 1.4 includes the servers; for version 1.5 they are separate plugins.

Command line and SDK

The ES command-line tool queries a running copy of Everything, and the SDK gives other programs a DLL and Lib interface to it over IPC.

HoudahSpot

Combined criteria

Start with a simple search and add boolean-combined criteria such as name, text, tags, dates and metadata.

Several folders

Search many folders at once while excluding others.

Columns

Add and sort by any of hundreds of available columns.

Preview

Preview files and text matches before opening them.

Spotlight-based

Works with Spotlight indexing, which must be enabled, and runs on Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.

Everything

• Everything$0

  Freeware in installer, portable ZIP and Lite builds, with 32-bit, 64-bit and ARM downloads. Donations are optional.

HoudahSpot

• Single-User License$39

  one-time, one named user, unlimited computers

  Valid for the current major version (HoudahSpot 6).

• Site LicenseCustom

  Volume pricing for five or more users; contact the vendor.

Everything

No public discounts listed.

HoudahSpot

• Education

  Student pricing on request

  Student pricing is available on request from a .edu or equivalent email address.