The Listary Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Listary in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Listary
The Insider’s Guide
File search and app launcher for Windows with Quick Switch
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among desktop utilities, read from Listary’s own pages.
Made by Little Carved · checked Oct 6, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Listary’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Listary’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 6, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.6
GPA, above 36 of the 94 other desktop utilities we grade
Listary is a file search tool and app launcher for Windows from Little Carved. It finds files and folders by name as you type, ranks results by your habits, and launches apps from the same search bar. Its Quick Switch feature jumps Open and Save dialogs to the folder you search for. The app is free for personal use, and a one-time Pro purchase adds a commercial license and more customization.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Listary, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It searches names and paths, not what's inside files, and it's Windows only.
- 1
Best for file search and quick folder jumps on Windows
Listary is a file search and app launcher for Windows, and its Quick Switch jumps a Save or Open dialog to the folder you search for.
- 2
What it costs
Paid plans start at $19.95 one-time payment (Listary Pro).
- 3
There is a free plan
Free forever for personal use: basic file search, app launching, filters, commands and the basic UI theme. Commercial use is not allowed on the free plan.
- 4
It runs on Windows
Windows.
- 5
File search
Finds files and folders by name as you type, with fuzzy matching and results ordered by your habits. Filters narrow by file type or date, and Alt+P previews a file.
- 6
Launcher
A minimal launcher searches apps and files together with no setup. Double-tapping Ctrl switches to the larger File Search Window and keeps your query.
- 7
Quick Switch in file dialogs
When saving or opening a file, click a suggested recent folder or search for one to jump the dialog there. It works with the standard Windows file dialog and some adapted apps.
- 8
A 2.6 GPA, above 36 of 94
That is against the other desktop utilities we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Listary you would be making a launcher wired into the operating system. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Listary at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $19.95 one-time payment (Listary Pro)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Windows
- Made by
- Little Carved
- Category
- Desktop Utilities
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
The report card
Best for file search and quick folder jumps on Windows
Listary is a file search and app launcher for Windows, and its Quick Switch jumps a Save or Open dialog to the folder you search for. Free is personal use only; any work use, the dark theme, custom actions and network drive indexing need Pro at $19.95 once. It searches names and paths, not what's inside files, and it's Windows only.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Pro is $19.95 once with lifetime updates, on up to 3 of your own computers. Utilities here sit at $2.99 a month in the middle, so that's about seven months of a subscription, paid once. It adds the commercial licence, dark theme, custom filters and actions and network drive indexing. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Free forever for personal use, with file search, the launcher, filters, commands and Quick Save & Open. The caps: no commercial use, no dark theme, no custom actions and no shared network drives. |
| Features | C | Names as you type with fuzzy matching, a launcher in the same bar, and Quick Switch to jump Open and Save dialogs where you want them. The gap is its own: it searches names, paths and formats, not what's inside your documents, which takes Gety, a separate app. |
| Ease of use | B | No store rating on record, but there's nothing to set up: the launcher searches apps and files as you type. Double-tap Ctrl and it switches to the larger File Search Window with your query still in it. |
| Platforms and integrations | D | Windows only. The current release supports Windows 10 and 11, and an older Listary 5 is kept for Windows 7 and XP. It indexes folders on OneDrive, Google Drive and Dropbox. No Mac or Linux. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Listary is for
- Fits if you want file search and an app launcher in one box on Windows
- Works for home use at no cost, with $19.95 once if work needs it too
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you're on a Mac or Linux, as it's Windows only (10 and 11, with an older Listary 5 for 7 and XP)
- Not for you if you need to search inside documents, which takes Gety, a separate app from the same team
- Tight if you're staying free at work, because any commercial use needs the $19.95 Pro license
- Watch out: dark theme, custom filters and actions, advanced search syntax and network drive indexing are Pro only
- Tight if you have more than 3 computers, the most one Pro license covers
Good to know
Good for
- Windows users who want file-name search and an app launcher in one tool
- People who save and open files across many folders all day
- Personal use at no cost, with a one-time license for work
Worth knowing
- Windows only; the current release supports Windows 10 and 11, and an older Listary 5 remains for Windows 7 and XP.
- The free plan is for personal use only. Any commercial use requires Listary Pro.
- It searches by name, path and format, not file contents. Full-text search needs Gety, a separate app from the same team.
- Dark theme, custom filters and actions, advanced search syntaxes and shared network drive indexing are Pro features.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$19.95 one-time
To start. There is a free plan too
Listary has a free plan. Paid plans start at $19.95 one-time payment (Listary Pro).
It adds the commercial licence, dark theme, custom filters and actions and network drive indexing.
Free
$0
Basic file search, app launch, filters and commands for personal use on your own PC. Quick Save & Open is included.
Pro
$19.95
one-time payment, lifetime free updates
Commercial use license, dark theme, custom filters and actions, advanced search syntaxes and shared network drive indexing, on up to 3 of your own computers.
The free plan
Free forever for personal use: basic file search, app launching, filters, commands and the basic UI theme. Commercial use is not allowed on the free plan.
Read from listary.com on Oct 6, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Lifetime license
One-time payment with lifetime free updates
Listary Pro is a one-time $19.95 payment. Pro users get lifetime free updates, and existing licenses apply to the latest version.
Stated on listary.comEducation
Educational discount for students and teachers
Students and teachers are eligible for an educational discount on Listary Pro by emailing the vendor with proof of their status.
Stated on listary.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Windows
File search and app launcher for Windows with Quick Switch. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, launcher, file management.
Names as you type with fuzzy matching, a launcher in the same bar, and Quick Switch to jump Open and Save dialogs where you want them.
- File search
- Finds files and folders by name as you type, with fuzzy matching and results ordered by your habits. Filters narrow by file type or date, and Alt+P previews a file.
- Launcher
- A minimal launcher searches apps and files together with no setup. Double-tapping Ctrl switches to the larger File Search Window and keeps your query.
- Quick Switch in file dialogs
- When saving or opening a file, click a suggested recent folder or search for one to jump the dialog there. It works with the standard Windows file dialog and some adapted apps.
- File Explorer type-to-search
- Typing in File Explorer locates files and folders in the current folder, and custom commands can be run from there.
- Cloud, network and external drives
- Indexes chosen folders on OneDrive, Google Drive and Dropbox, file servers, NAS and external drives with real-time updates. Indexing shared network drives needs Pro.
- Commands, actions and web search
- Run system commands, launch apps and search the web from the search bar, and act on results with actions such as copy or copy path. Custom actions need Pro.
Where it runs
- Windows
What it works with
- OneDrive
- Google Drive
- Dropbox
- Gety
Listary is made by Little Carved.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
36/94
Other desktop utilities it is graded above
Listary's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 36 of the 94 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 20.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 24 of 94) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 95 desktop utilities we grade, cut by the letter each got. Listary’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 24 of 94
- BFree plan and trialAbove 37 of 94
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 94
- BEase of useAbove 33 of 94
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 94
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Listary you would be making a launcher wired into the operating system. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $19.95, paid once.
What you could not
- A launcher wired into the operating system.
- A file manager working directly on your disk.
- A real app for Windows. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. Listary’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.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Everything, Flow Launcher, Microsoft PowerToys and Ueli
The 4 tools Listary is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
Everything
Free
Instant file and folder name search for Windows.
- Listary can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Listary also covers launcher.
- 3.0GPA
Flow Launcher
Free
Free, open-source app launcher and file search for Windows.
- Listary can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Flow Launcher is open source, according to its own site.
- Flow Launcher also covers calculator.
- 2.8GPA
Microsoft PowerToys
Free
Free Microsoft utilities for customizing Windows 10 and 11.
- Listary can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Microsoft PowerToys is open source, according to its own site.
- Microsoft PowerToys also covers window management and keyboard and mouse remapping.
- 2.8GPA
Ueli
Free
Cross-platform keystroke launcher for Windows, macOS and Linux.
- Only Ueli lists macOS and Linux apps.
- Listary can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Ueli is open source, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Listary free?
Listary has a free plan. Free forever for personal use: basic file search, app launching, filters, commands and the basic UI theme.
How much does Listary cost?
Listary lists 2 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Listary work on?
Listary is available on Windows.
Does Listary offer any discounts?
Listary publicly lists the following: One-time payment with lifetime free updates; Educational discount for students and teachers.
Does Listary have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Listary is listed for Windows.
Does Listary have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Listary is listed for Windows.
Is Listary open source?
Listary is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 6, 2026.
What does Listary integrate with?
Listary's listing names OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox and Gety. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does Listary have a student discount?
Educational discount for students and teachers. Students and teachers are eligible for an educational discount on Listary Pro by emailing the vendor with proof of their status.
Who makes Listary?
Listary is made by Little Carved.
What are the alternatives to Listary?
The closest alternatives to Listary in our directory are Everything, Flow Launcher, Microsoft PowerToys and Ueli.
How does Listary compare with other desktop utilities?
Listary's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 36 of the 94 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 20.
Could I make my own version of Listary?
To replace Listary you would be making a launcher wired into the operating system.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Listary’s own pages on Oct 6, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Listary's own pages on 6 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-07-10.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Little Carved. Prices change, so check listary.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Listary, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/listary
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Listary: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/listary
Know someone choosing between desktop utilities?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/listary/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded desktop utilities after Listary, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Desktop Utilities Insider's GuideEvery one of the 95 desktop utilities we grade, compared
- LocalSend Insider's GuideOpen-source file sharing between nearby devices, no cloud3.2 GPA
- Ninite Insider's GuideInstalls and updates many Windows apps at once3.2 GPA
- 7-Zip Insider's GuideFree, open-source file archiver with the 7z format3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Listary’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Listary is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Little Carved. Prices and plans change: check listary.com before you buy.