Sol review (2026): is it any good?
Open-source macOS launcher and command palette
Sol report card
Good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026
Best for a free keyboard launcher for Mac
Sol is a free, open-source Mac launcher that opens apps, searches files and bundles a clipboard history, a calculator and window resizing. Window management is one feature of a launcher, not a dedicated tiling tool, and it runs on Mac only.
Who Sol is for
- Fits if you want one free keyboard window for launching apps on a Mac
- Works for developers who like open source and extra commands
Who Sol is not for
- 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
Why Sol gets a 2.8
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyThe whole app is free and open source under the MIT license.
- AFree plan and trialFree outright, with no plan to buy and no cap.
- CFeaturesApp 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.
- BEase of useNo store rating is on record, but you install it and press a shortcut to start.
- DPlatforms and integrationsmacOS only. The site lists no Windows or Linux version.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from ospfranco's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
Make Sol? Put this grade on your site
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/sol#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/sol.svg" alt="Sol: 2.8 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Sol stands among window managers and launchers
Sol's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 35 of the 48 other window managers and launchers we grade, and level with 11.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 23 of 48) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
Sol has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 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 49 window managers and launchers we grade, cut by the letter each got. Sol’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 17 of 48, level with 31
- AFree plan and trialAbove 23 of 48, level with 25
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 48, level with 33
- BEase of useAbove 32 of 48, level with 16
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 48, level with 34
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 29 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 Sol, or make your own?
Keep it
Sol is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.8 is higher than 35 of the 48 other window managers and launchers we grade.
What you could make
- Calculator: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- A launcher wired into the operating system.
- Control over other apps' windows.
- A clipboard history running in the background of your computer.
- A real app for macOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. Sol’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 Sol?
Sol is a launcher for macOS that opens apps, searches files, and runs small utilities from one keyboard-driven window. Its source is published on GitHub under the MIT license. The project site lists window resizing, a clipboard history and a calculator among its built-in tools.
Worth knowing
- 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.
Key features
- 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.
Sol pricing
As of Nov 13, 2026, Sol is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- None
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | The whole app is free; the site calls it free and open source. |
Read from sol.ospfranco.com on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Sol before you buy.
Works with
- Spotify
- Xcode
Sol alternatives
- Sol vs Hyperkey
Free
- Sol vs Divvy
Free trial · from $13.99
- Sol vs SizeUp
Free trial · from $12.99
- Sol vs Contexts
Free trial · from $9.99
- Sol vs Mosaic
Free trial · from £14.99 one-time
Common questions
Does Sol have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Sol is listed for macOS.
Does Sol have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Sol is listed for macOS.
Is Sol open source?
Yes. Sol is open source, according to its own site.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026.