Albert review (2026): is it any good?
Plugin-based keyboard launcher for Linux and macOS
Albert report card
Good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 12, 2026
Best for a keyboard launcher for Mac and Linux
Albert is a keyboard launcher with plugins for Mac and Linux, and it's free. It is not a window manager, there's no Windows version, and the Mac app is unsigned and installed through a Homebrew tap. Look elsewhere if you want an installer you can double-click.
Who Albert is for
- Fits if you live on the keyboard and run a Mac or Linux
- Works for people happy to install from a Homebrew tap
Who Albert is not for
- Not for you if you need Windows, which is not supported yet
- Skip it if you want window snapping, as it doesn't resize or tile windows
- Watch out: the Mac app is unsigned and installing it disables Gatekeeper for it
- Watch out: its own license allows personal use and bars redistributing modified versions, so it's not open source
Why Albert gets a 2.6
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFree, with optional donations. Nothing in the listing costs money.
- AFree plan and trialThe whole app is free to use, with no tiers.
- CFeaturesA plugin system with bundled plugins and extension APIs. It launches and searches, and doesn't arrange windows, which is what this category is for.
- DEase of useOn a Mac you install it through a Homebrew tap, and the cask turns off Gatekeeper for the unsigned app. That's a command line job.
- CPlatforms and integrationsMac and Linux only. No Windows version, as the install page says.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Manuel Schneider's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
Make Albert? Put this grade on your site
Paste this where you want the badge. It links here and follows the grade if it changes. About badges
<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/albert#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/albert.svg" alt="Albert: 2.6 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Albert stands among window managers and launchers
Albert's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 14 of the 28 other window managers and launchers we grade, and level with 6.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 16 of 28) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Albert has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 29 window managers and launchers we grade, cut by the letter each got. Albert’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 10 of 28, level with 18
- AFree plan and trialAbove 16 of 28, level with 12
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 28, level with 18
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 28, level with 2
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 23 of 28, level with 4
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 15 window managers and launchers. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
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
Keep Albert, or make your own?
Keep it
Albert is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
What you could not
- A launcher wired into the operating system.
- A real app for macOS and Linux. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. Albert’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is Albert?
Albert is a keyboard launcher built on C++ and Qt, with a plugin system for extra functions. It ships with maintained plugins and can be extended in C++ or Python. Prebuilt packages exist for Linux and macOS; Windows is not supported.
Worth knowing
- No Windows version; the install page says Windows is not supported yet.
- The macOS app is unsigned, installed through a Homebrew tap, and the cask disables Gatekeeper for it.
- Under Albert's own license, not an open-source one: it permits personal use and bars redistributing modified versions, and forbids binaries targeting Microsoft or Apple platforms.
Key features
- Plugin system
- Functionality comes from plugins, so it can act as an app launcher or a system command palette.
- Bundled plugins
- Ships with a set of maintained plugins out of the box.
- Extension APIs
- Write extensions in C++ or Python.
- Fast keyboard use
- Speed is a stated design goal.
Albert pricing
As of Nov 12, 2026, Albert is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- Free; the site accepts optional donations.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Free to use; donations are optional. |
Read from albertlauncher.github.io on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Albert before you buy.
Albert alternatives
- Albert vs Ueli
Free
- Albert vs Alfred
Free plan · from £34 one-time
- Albert vs Raycast
Free plan · from $96/yr
Common questions
Does Albert have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Albert is listed for macOS and Linux.
Does Albert have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Albert is listed for macOS and Linux.
Is Albert open source?
Albert is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 12, 2026.