Flow Launcher vs Ueli
We give Flow Launcher a 3.2 GPA and Ueli a 3.6, out of 4.0. Ueli grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Flow Launcher
Free, open-source app launcher and file search for Windows
Free
How we grade them
| 3.2GPAFlow LauncherVery good | 3.6GPAUeliExcellent | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree and open source under the MIT licence, and so are the plugins. The project asks for sponsors, and that part is up to you. | AFree and open source under the MIT license, with no paid tier at all. The website has a Sponsor link if you want to support it, and that part is up to you. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe whole launcher is free, as an installer, a portable ZIP or through winget, Scoop or Chocolatey. Nothing is kept back for a paid version. | AThe whole launcher is free, built-in extensions included, and its Microsoft Store listing is priced at 0. Nothing is kept back for a paid version. |
| Features | ALaunches apps, finds files and file contents through Everything or Windows Search, runs web searches, system commands and PowerShell, and does sums. Dialog Jump points an Open or Save As box at the folder you searched for. A Plugin Store adds the rest. | AIt launches apps, searches files, does sums and conversions like 2 inch to cm, converts currencies, searches the web and your browser bookmarks, and runs commands like lock and sleep. That's the whole job of a launcher. One snag: file search on Windows needs Everything installed and running. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. Press Alt+Space and type. One bump at the start: the README says Windows may raise a security warning on first install because the code isn't signed. | BNo store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. Press Alt+Space, type, hit Enter. On Windows it installs from the Microsoft Store. Mac users get it from GitHub, where the build is unsigned and not notarized, so macOS blocks it until you allow it by hand. |
| Platforms and integrations | DWindows only, version 10 and later. It ties into Everything and Windows Search, and community plugins add the likes of Spotify, Steam and Obsidian. No Mac or Linux. | BWindows, macOS and Linux, so three unrelated systems, and it hooks into Everything, DeepL, Visual Studio Code and JetBrains Toolbox. No phone apps. On Linux the hotkey may not work under Wayland. |
| Best for | a free keyboard launcher on Windows | one free launcher across Windows, Mac and Linux |
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: Flow Launcher and Ueli. How we grade
Where they differ
- Flow Launcher is free. Ueli is free.
- Only Ueli lists macOS and Linux apps.
- Flow Launcher also covers file management.
In commonFree planWindowsOpen sourceKeyboard-firstLauncherCalculator
At a glance
| Flow Launcher | Ueli | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | The whole app and its plugins are free and open source under the MIT license. The project asks for support through sponsorship. | The whole app is free and open source under the MIT license, and its Microsoft Store listing is priced at 0. The website has a Sponsor link for supporting development. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Flow Launcher Team | Oliver Schwendener |
| Price read from | flowlauncher.com | apps.microsoft.com |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Flow Launcher
- Windows users who want a keyboard launcher at no cost
- People who already use Everything or Windows Search and want it in a launcher
- Tinkerers who install or write their own plugins
Ueli
- People who want the same launcher on Windows, macOS and Linux
- Windows users who want a free keyboard launcher from the Microsoft Store
- Users who prefer open-source software with no paid tier
Worth knowing
Flow Launcher
- Windows only; the download section says it supports Windows 10 and later.
- On first install, Windows may raise a security warning because the code is not signed, according to the README.
- Integrations such as Spotify, Steam and Obsidian come from community-made plugins and not from the core app.
- Help comes through GitHub, Discord and Reddit, and the project is funded by sponsors.
Ueli
- The GitHub builds are unsigned, and not notarized on macOS, so Windows and macOS block them until the user allows the app manually.
- File search on Windows depends on Everything and its command-line interface being installed and running.
- Global hotkeys may not work under Wayland sessions on Linux; the README suggests binding a system shortcut to the ueli command.
- The DeepL Translator extension needs the user's own DeepL API key, which a free developer account provides.
Key features
Flow Launcher
- App and file search
- Search for and launch apps, and find files or file contents using Everything or the Windows index, from a window opened with a customizable hotkey.
- Web searches and bookmarks
- Run a web search with your chosen search engine, open URLs and find bookmarks from different browsers.
- System and shell commands
- Shut down, restart, sleep or lock the PC, search Windows and Control Panel settings, and run batch or PowerShell commands as Administrator or another user.
- Plugin Store
- Install community plugins from the Plugin Store in Settings or by typing pm install. Plugins can be written in C#, F#, Python, JavaScript or TypeScript.
- Dialog Jump
- Search for a file or folder and jump an Open or Save As dialog to its path. Alt+G points the dialog at the folder open in the active file manager.
- Preview panel and themes
- F1 toggles a preview panel that can show media files as large images. Themes, window size, animation and sound can be changed, or you can build your own theme.
Ueli
- Application search
- Alt+Space shows or hides the search window. Type to filter, move through results with the arrow keys and press Enter to launch the selected item.
- Built-in extensions
- Extensions are switched on or off in the settings and include Browser Bookmarks, Web Search, Custom Web Search, DeepL Translator, Visual Studio Code, JetBrains Toolbox and System Settings.
- File search
- Searches files and folders using mdfind on macOS and Everything on Windows, where Everything and its command-line interface must be installed and running.
- Calculator and conversions
- Calculations and unit conversions such as 2 inch to cm run in the search field, and a currency extension converts amounts at current exchange rates. Enter copies the result.
- Favorites and additional actions
- Cmd+K on macOS or Ctrl+K on Windows and Linux opens further actions for a result, including Add to Favorites, which keeps that item first in the results.
- System commands
- Operating system commands such as shutdown, restart, sign out, lock and sleep can be searched for and run with Enter on Windows and macOS.
Plans
Flow Launcher
Flow Launcher$0
The complete launcher as an installer or portable ZIP, or through winget, Scoop or Chocolatey. Sponsorship is optional.
Ueli
Ueli$0
The complete launcher with all built-in extensions, from the Microsoft Store or winget on Windows and from the GitHub releases page for macOS and Linux.
