Sol vs Vicinae (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Sol and Vicinae share a 2.8 GPA, both are free, so the choice depends on whether you care more about ease of use, where Sol grades higher, or platforms, where Vicinae does.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Which one is for you
Pick Sol if
- Fits if you want one free keyboard window for launching apps on a Mac
- Works for developers who like open source and extra commands
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you use Windows or Linux, as the site lists neither
- Too light for tiling and window snapping, where a dedicated manager does more
- Skip it if you want support, since the listing names no company behind it
- Watch out: the site gives few details on what each built-in tool does
Pick Vicinae if
- Fits if you run Linux and miss a Raycast-style launcher
- Works for people who want Raycast extensions without paying for Raycast
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you have an Intel Mac, because the macOS build is Apple Silicon only
- Not for you if you need every Raycast extension to work, as compatibility varies by extension
- Tight if you want a rated, polished installer, since no store rating is on record
- Watch out: custom extensions are written in React and TypeScript, so going beyond the built-ins takes some coding
How we grade them
| 2.8GPASolGood | 2.8GPAVicinaeGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AThe whole app is free and open source under the MIT license. | AFree to download and run, with no paid tier in the docs, against a category where the cheaper quarter of paid tools starts at $0.83 a month. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright, with no plan to buy and no cap. | ANothing is locked: the docs list no paid plan, so the whole launcher is free with no cap. |
| Features | CApp and file search, window resizing, clipboard, calculator, emoji, calendar and notes. It is a launcher first, so its window management is a smaller part than in a dedicated manager. | CApp launching, window switching, clipboard history and a calculator, but the docs say Raycast extensions run with varying results. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating is on record, but you install it and press a shortcut to start. | CNo store rating on record, and extensions, script commands and dmenu mode mean some setup before it fits your routine. |
| Platforms and integrations | DmacOS only. The site lists no Windows or Linux version. | CLinux, macOS and Windows, but computers only, with no phone or web side and Raycast extensions as the only integration listed. |
| Best for | a free keyboard launcher for Mac | a Raycast-style launcher on 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: Sol and Vicinae. How we grade
Price against what you get
Sol has no paid plan and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Vicinae has no paid plan and scores 2.0.
On this chart the two sit in the same place: the same score for the same starting price. Of the other window managers and launchers on the chart, none scores higher than Sol for less, and none scores higher than Vicinae 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
At a glance
| Sol | Vicinae | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | ospfranco | Vicinae |
| Price read from | sol.ospfranco.com | docs.vicinae.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Sol
- Runs on macOS only; the site lists no Windows or Linux version.
- Window management is one feature of a launcher, not a dedicated tiling tool.
Vicinae
- The macOS build is for Apple Silicon Macs only, per the install page.
- Compatibility with Raycast extensions varies by extension.
Key features
Sol
- App and file search
- Finds apps, files and folders from a single launcher window opened with a keyboard shortcut.
- Window manager
- Resizes and moves windows with keyboard shortcuts, such as the Control-Option-Return example shown on the site.
- Clipboard manager
- Keeps a history of copied items that can be searched and pasted back through a shortcut.
- Calculator and emoji picker
- Does quick math in the launcher and offers an emoji picker the site presents as an alternative to the system one.
- Calendar, bookmarks and notes
- Shows calendar events, searches browser bookmarks and takes quick notes from the same window.
- Developer commands
- Includes commands such as cleaning Xcode derived data and launching scripts.
Vicinae
- App launcher and window switcher
- Opens apps and switches between open windows from a keyboard-driven palette.
- Clipboard history
- Works as a clipboard manager alongside the launcher.
- Raycast extension support
- The docs say many Raycast extensions run, with varying results; simpler ones work well.
- Extensions and scripts
- Extend it with dmenu mode, script commands or React and TypeScript extensions, installable from within the app.
- Theming and window APIs
- Offers theming and window management APIs that the docs contrast with Raycast's paid tier.
Plans
Sol
Free$0
The whole app is free; the site calls it free and open source.
Vicinae
Free$0
The docs list no paid tier; the project describes itself as unlocking features Raycast charges for.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Sol or Vicinae?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Sol and Vicinae are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Sol or Vicinae?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Sol and Vicinae have a free plan.
Which platforms do Sol and Vicinae run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Vicinae lists Windows and Linux apps. Both list a macOS 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.