Raycast vs Ulauncher (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Raycast: it is first in our ranking of window managers and launchers, and it grades higher too, 2.8 against 2.6.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Raycast grades higher on features and platforms. Ulauncher grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Raycast
Keyboard launcher with extensions, clipboard history and AI
Which one is for you
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 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
| 2.8GPARaycastGood | 2.6GPAUlauncherGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CThe free app costs nothing, at work too. Pro is where the money is: $96 a year, or $10 a month, against the $2.99 a month utilities here charge in the middle. You can't buy sync without the AI, and the top models need the $20 tier. | AFree, with optional donations through Patreon. |
| Free plan and trial | BThe launcher, clipboard history, snippets, window management and the whole extension store are free, even commercially. The caps are real though: 3 months of clipboard history, 5 notes, no AI and no sync between devices. | AThe whole app is free to use, with no tiers. |
| Features | AA launcher, clipboard manager, text expander, calculator and window manager in one, and then thousands of extensions for Linear, Slack, Notion and Spotify, with an API for writing your own. No other launcher here brings a store and an extension API with it. | 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 | CNo rating on record we can lean on, and the setup is yours to do: hotkeys, aliases and extensions all get picked by you. Press a hotkey, type, hit Enter is a minute's work, but some users say version 2 arrived with bugs and heavier memory use. | CNo store rating on record. You install it with your package manager and add extensions to get further. |
| Platforms and integrations | BMac, Windows, iPhone and iPad, plus a browser extension and a real extension API. No Android or Linux, no web app, and Raycast says the Windows app doesn't have every Mac feature yet. | DLinux only, with Ubuntu, Debian, Arch, Fedora, openSUSE and CentOS 7 listed. |
| Best for | running your computer from the keyboard | 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: Raycast and Ulauncher. How we grade
Price against what you get
Raycast starts at $8 a month when paid by the year and scores 3.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Ulauncher has no paid plan and scores 1.7.
Raycast scores higher, and starts $8 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other window managers and launchers on the chart, none scores higher than Raycast 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.
- Raycast also covers clipboard manager, window management and text expansion.
At a glance
| Raycast | Ulauncher | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $96 / year, billed annually | Free |
| Free plan | Core features such as clipboard history (kept 3 months), snippets, quicklinks, calculator and window management, the extension store, and up to 5 Raycast Notes. AI is not included. | The whole app is free; the site asks for optional donations through Patreon. |
| Free trial | Free Pro trial for eligible new accounts; trial AI credits expire after 7 days | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Raycast Technologies Ltd. | Ulauncher |
| Price read from | raycast.com | ulauncher.io |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
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
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.
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
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.
Ulauncher
Free$0
Open-source application, with optional donations.
Ways to pay less
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.
Ulauncher
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Raycast or Ulauncher?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Ulauncher is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $8 a month when paid by the year for Raycast. Raycast starts at $96 / year, billed annually, and Ulauncher is free.
Which has a free plan, Raycast or Ulauncher?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Raycast and Ulauncher have a free plan.
Which platforms do Raycast and Ulauncher run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Raycast lists macOS, Windows and iOS apps and a browser extension 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.