Launchy vs Wox (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Wox: it is third in our ranking of window managers and launchers, though Launchy grades higher (3.0 against 2.8) on ease of use.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
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 Launchy if
- Fits if you want a small launcher that works the same on Windows, Mac and Linux
- Works for people who want to pay what they feel it is worth
Look elsewhere if
- Watch out: the site doesn't date the stable 2.5 or the 2.6 beta, so it is hard to tell if it is kept up
- Skip it if you want plugins off Windows, as the plugins page is Windows only
- Not for you if you worry about safety of add-ons, since plugins and skins are not vetted by the maker and are used at your own risk
- Pricey if you feel the ask, because the page keeps asking for at least $3
Pick Wox if
- Fits if you use more than one desktop operating system and want the same launcher on each
- Works for people who want to write their own plugins in Node.js or Python
Look elsewhere if
- Watch out: AI chat and AI commands need a model, and the pages don't say if one is included or needs your own key
- Skip it if you want paid support, because it is a community project with none stated
- Tight if you use Linux, as the install routes are mainly package managers
- Not for you if you remember the old wox.one site, which is no longer the project's home
How we grade them
| 3.0GPALaunchyVery good | 2.8GPAWoxGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | APay what you want: a free download, with $10 suggested and a request for at least $3. | AThe whole program is free under the GPL-3.0 license, including the plugin and theme stores. |
| Free plan and trial | ADownloading is free with nothing locked, though the vendor asks you to consider paying at least $3. | ANo paid plan and no caps on the listing. |
| Features | CStart menu indexing, plugins and skins. The plugins are Windows only and come from other developers, so the core job is covered but unevenly across systems. | CApp and file launching, clipboard history, a converter, notes, window layouts, plugins and AI chat. The AI side is vague about what it needs to run. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, but you install it and type; nothing needs setting up first. | CNo store rating on record. Plugins and themes come from stores, and Linux installs are mainly through package managers such as AUR. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWindows, macOS and Linux builds, computers only, with no phone or web version. | CWindows, macOS and Linux, but computers only, with no phone or web version. |
| Best for | a small launcher on Windows, Mac and Linux | a free launcher on 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: Launchy and Wox. How we grade
Price against what you get
Launchy has no paid plan and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Wox has no paid plan and scores 2.0.
Launchy scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other window managers and launchers on the chart, none scores higher than Launchy for less, and none scores higher than Wox 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
- Wox also covers clipboard manager and window management.
In commonFree planWindowsmacOSLinuxOpen sourceKeyboard-firstLauncher
At a glance
| Launchy | Wox | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Pay what you want: it can be downloaded for free, with a suggested payment of $10 and a request to consider at least $3. | The whole program is free and open source under the GPL-3.0 license. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Josh Karlin | Wox Launcher |
| Price read from | launchy.net | woxlauncher.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Launchy
- The latest stable version is 2.5, and the newest beta listed is 2.6 Beta 2; the site does not date either.
- The plugins page is Windows only, and its author says third-party plugins are used at your own risk.
- Plugins and skins come from other developers, with no vetting by the maker.
- The Android app mentioned on the site is a separate product.
Wox
- Linux support is listed, but the install options are mainly package managers such as AUR.
- AI chat and AI commands need access to a model; the pages read do not say whether that is included or needs your own key.
- The domain wox.one is no longer the project's site; the project now lives at woxlauncher.com.
- It is a community project with no paid support option stated.
Key features
Launchy
- Start menu indexing
- Indexes the programs in the start menu and launches documents, project files, folders and bookmarks from a few keystrokes.
- Plugins
- Windows-only plugins from other developers cover tasks such as killing processes, a calculator and PuTTY sessions.
- Plugin development
- Plugins can be written in C++, or with add-ons in .NET or Python.
- Skins
- The look of the launcher can be changed with skins found in the Launchy forums.
- Several operating systems
- The download page lists builds for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux, with a source tarball.
Wox
- App and file launching
- Opens applications, switches windows and searches local files and folders from the launcher.
- Built-in utilities
- Clipboard history, a calculator, a converter for units, currencies, dates and time zones, floating notes and screen-area capture.
- Window layouts
- Arranges windows and restores saved layouts.
- Plugins and themes
- Extends the launcher with Node.js, Python or script plugins from a plugin store, and offers community themes.
- AI chat and commands
- Includes AI chat, reusable AI commands, and AI-assisted plugin and theme creation.
- Cloud sync and backup
- Syncs settings across devices and backs them up and restores them.
Plans
Launchy
Pay what you want$0
Free download; the vendor suggests $10 and asks for at least $3, with options from $3 to $100.
Wox
Free$0
All built-in features and the plugin and theme stores.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Launchy or Wox?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Launchy and Wox are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Launchy or Wox?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Launchy and Wox have a free plan.
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.