Raycast vs Sip (2026): which should you pick?

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

Pick Sip if

• Fits if you collect colors from screens into palettes on a Mac
• Works for designers who check contrast and copy values in the format an app needs

Look elsewhere if

• Not for you if you use Windows, as there is no version for it
• Skip it if you want updates forever: after the first year they cost 70% of the price
• Tight if you want a free tool, as only a 15-day trial exists
• Watch out: sync and sharing are listed as features but plan limits are not described

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.

Sip

• Runs on macOS only; there is no Windows version.
• The license includes one year of updates; after that, updates need a paid extension at 70% of the original price.
• Also available through Setapp.
• Sync and sharing between devices are listed as features, but the pages do not describe plan limits for them.

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.

Sip

Screen picker

Pick one or several colors from anywhere on screen with keyboard shortcuts and send them to other tools.

Palettes and sub-palettes

Organize colors with descriptions and nested palettes, and share them with a team.

Smart formats and profiles

Detects the frontmost app to choose a color format and applies the matching color profile.

Contrast checker

Flags low-contrast text and background pairs and can save corrected colors as a new palette.

Color vision simulation

Previews palettes as seen with protanopia, deuteranopia, tritanopia and achromatopsia.

Color dock

Keeps favorite colors on any screen edge.

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.

Sip

• Sip license$29.99

  per seat, includes 1 year of updates

  Keep using the version you downloaded after the year, or extend the license for 70% of the original price. 30-day money-back guarantee.

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.

Sip

• Education

  50% education discount

  Sip's pricing page offers 50% off to people in education; send proof of enrollment by email, and the page says review can take up to 2 business days.