Keypirinha vs Ulauncher (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Ulauncher grades higher than Keypirinha: 2.6 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Ulauncher grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Which one is for you
Pick Keypirinha if
- Fits if you are on Windows and happy to edit config files
- Works for people who want to carry a launcher on a portable folder
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to click through a setup screen, because settings are in files and the vendor calls the curve steep
- Watch out: the latest release is 2.26 from November 2020, and the install page lists Windows only up to 10
- Not for you if you want open source, as the license permits redistributing unmodified binaries only
- Skip it if you use macOS or Linux
Pick Ulauncher if
- Fits if you run Linux and want to start apps by typing
- Works for people who like adding extensions to a launcher
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you're on a Mac or Windows, as it's Linux only
- Skip it if you want windows tiled or resized, because it doesn't do that
- Watch out: the download page lists CentOS 7, so some of its support may be dated
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAKeypirinhaFair | 2.6GPAUlauncherGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFreeware with no nag screen, time limit or ads, per the vendor. | AFree, with optional donations through Patreon. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe whole program is free, with no paid tier. | AThe whole app is free to use, with no tiers. |
| Features | CLaunches apps, files, bookmarks and sessions, runs searches, translates, calculates and hashes strings. It is a launcher, and that is the job it does. | CFuzzy search, shortcuts, extensions, a file browser and themes. It launches things, and doesn't arrange windows, which is what this category is for. |
| Ease of use | DNo store rating. Configuration lives in files, there is no installer, and the vendor says the learning curve is steep. | CNo store rating on record. You install it with your package manager and add extensions to get further. |
| Platforms and integrations | DWindows only, and the install page lists Windows 7 through 10. | DLinux only, with Ubuntu, Debian, Arch, Fedora, openSUSE and CentOS 7 listed. |
| Best for | a keyboard-only launcher on Windows | a fast app launcher for 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: Keypirinha and Ulauncher. How we grade
Price against what you get
Keypirinha has no paid plan and scores 1.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Ulauncher has no paid plan and scores 1.7.
Ulauncher scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other window managers and launchers on the chart, none scores higher than Keypirinha for less, and none scores higher than Ulauncher 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
- Ulauncher is open source, according to its own site.
At a glance
| Keypirinha | Ulauncher | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Freeware with no nag screen, no time limit and no ads, per the vendor. | The whole app is free; the site asks for optional donations through Patreon. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Jean-Charles Lefebvre | Ulauncher |
| Price read from | keypirinha.com | ulauncher.io |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Keypirinha
- Windows only; the install page lists Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and 10.
- The latest release is 2.26 from November 2020.
- The vendor itself calls the learning curve steep, and there is no installer, only an archive.
- Its license allows redistribution of unmodified binaries only; the program is not described as open source.
Ulauncher
- Linux only; the download page lists Ubuntu and Debian, Arch, Fedora, openSUSE and CentOS 7.
- It launches and searches; it does not manage window layouts.
Key features
Keypirinha
- Item launcher
- Finds applications, files, bookmarks, URLs, sessions (PuTTY, WinSCP, FileZilla) and registry keys, and switches to a running application by name.
- Web and dictionary search
- Launches a search on any configured website or online dictionary and offers on-the-fly language translation.
- Calculation and conversion
- Evaluates math expressions and converts numbers between bases.
- Developer helpers
- Hashes strings, generates random UUIDs and passwords, and splits a URL's arguments into JSON.
- Packages
- A C++ core with Python 3 plugins, with shipped and third-party packages.
- File-driven configuration
- Settings live in files, with separate machine-specific and user-specific configuration, and the GUI's colors and fonts can be changed.
Ulauncher
- Fuzzy search
- Finds an application despite misspelling and remembers earlier picks to rank the best result first.
- Shortcuts and extensions
- Custom shortcuts and community-built extensions give quick access to scripts and web searches.
- File browser
- Type ~ or / to browse directories, with Alt+Enter for further options.
- Color themes
- Four built-in themes and support for custom ones.
Plans
Keypirinha
Free$0
The whole program, in a portable archive with no installer.
Ulauncher
Free$0
Open-source application, with optional donations.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Keypirinha or Ulauncher?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Keypirinha and Ulauncher are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Keypirinha or Ulauncher?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Keypirinha and Ulauncher have a free plan.
Which platforms do Keypirinha and Ulauncher run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Keypirinha lists a Windows app and only Ulauncher lists a Linux 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.