The Ulauncher Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Ulauncher 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.
Ulauncher
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source application launcher for Linux with extensions
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among window managers and launchers, read from Ulauncher’s own pages.
Made by Ulauncher · checked Nov 12, 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 Ulauncher’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Ulauncher’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.6
GPA, above 14 of the 28 other window managers and launchers we grade
Ulauncher is an application launcher for Linux with fuzzy search that remembers earlier picks. It adds custom shortcuts, community extensions, a file browser mode and color themes. The source is on GitHub under the GNU GPL v3.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Ulauncher, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It launches and searches but doesn't manage windows, and it's Linux only.
- 1
Best for a fast app launcher for Linux
Ulauncher is a free app launcher for Linux with fuzzy search, extensions and color themes.
- 2
It is free
Ulauncher has no paid plan at all. The whole app is free; the site asks for optional donations through Patreon.
- 3
It runs on Linux
Linux.
- 4
Fuzzy search
Finds an application despite misspelling and remembers earlier picks to rank the best result first.
- 5
Shortcuts and extensions
Custom shortcuts and community-built extensions give quick access to scripts and web searches.
- 6
File browser
Type ~ or / to browse directories, with Alt+Enter for further options.
- 7
A 2.6 GPA, above 14 of 28
That is against the other window managers and launchers we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Ulauncher is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Ulauncher at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Linux
- Made by
- Ulauncher
- Category
- Window Managers & Launchers
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
The report card
Best for a fast app launcher for Linux
Ulauncher is a free app launcher for Linux with fuzzy search, extensions and color themes. It launches and searches but doesn't manage windows, and it's Linux only. Look elsewhere if you use another system.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free, with optional donations through Patreon. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The whole app is free to use, with no tiers. |
| Features | C | Fuzzy 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 | C | No store rating on record. You install it with your package manager and add extensions to get further. |
| Platforms and integrations | D | Linux only, with Ubuntu, Debian, Arch, Fedora, openSUSE and CentOS 7 listed. |
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 Ulauncher is for
- Fits if you run Linux and want to start apps by typing
- Works for people who like adding extensions to a launcher
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- Linux desktop users who want a lightweight launcher
- People who like adding small extensions
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Ulauncher is free to use.
Free, with optional donations through Patreon.
Free
$0
Open-source application, with optional donations.
The free plan
The whole app is free; the site asks for optional donations through Patreon.
Read from ulauncher.io on Nov 12, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Linux
Open-source application launcher for Linux with extensions. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, keyboard-first, launcher.
Fuzzy search, shortcuts, extensions, a file browser and themes.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Linux
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Ulauncher is made by Ulauncher.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
14/28
Other window managers and launchers it is graded above
Ulauncher'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 platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
Ulauncher 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. Ulauncher’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 10 of 28
- AFree plan and trialAbove 16 of 28
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 28
- CEase of useAbove 3 of 28
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 28
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 15 window managers and launchers. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Ulauncher is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
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
Ulauncher 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 Linux. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. Ulauncher’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
Albert, Ueli, Flow Launcher and Raycast
The 4 tools Ulauncher is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Albert
Free
Plugin-based keyboard launcher for Linux and macOS.
- Only Albert lists a macOS app.
- Ulauncher is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.8GPA
Ueli
Free
Cross-platform keystroke launcher for Windows, macOS and Linux.
- Only Ueli lists Windows and macOS apps.
- Ueli also covers calculator.
- 3.0GPA
Flow Launcher
Free
Free, open-source app launcher and file search for Windows.
- Only Ulauncher lists a Linux app.
- Only Flow Launcher lists a Windows app.
- Flow Launcher also covers file management and calculator.
- 2.8GPA
Raycast
Free plan · from $96/yr
Keyboard launcher with extensions, clipboard history and AI.
- Only Ulauncher lists a Linux app.
- Only Raycast lists macOS, Windows and iOS apps.
- Only Raycast lists a browser extension.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
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 Ulauncher free?
Yes. Ulauncher is free to use.
How much does Ulauncher cost?
Ulauncher lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does Ulauncher work on?
Ulauncher is available on Linux.
Does Ulauncher have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Ulauncher is listed for Linux.
Does Ulauncher have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Ulauncher is listed for Linux.
Is Ulauncher open source?
Yes. Ulauncher is open source, according to its own site.
Who makes Ulauncher?
Ulauncher is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Ulauncher?
The closest alternatives to Ulauncher in our directory are Albert, Ueli, Flow Launcher and Raycast.
How does Ulauncher compare with other window managers and launchers?
Ulauncher's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 14 of the 28 other window managers and launchers we grade, and level with 6.
Is Ulauncher good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Ulauncher A for value for money. Ulauncher has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Ulauncher?
Ulauncher is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Ulauncher’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Ulauncher's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
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 Ulauncher. Prices change, so check ulauncher.io before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 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.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Ulauncher, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/ulauncher
- 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, "Ulauncher: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/ulauncher
Know someone choosing between window managers and launchers?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/ulauncher/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded window managers and launchers after Ulauncher, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Window Managers & Launchers Insider's GuideEvery one of the 29 window managers and launchers we grade, compared
- Flow Launcher Insider's GuideFree, open-source app launcher and file search for Windows3.0 GPA
- DockDoor Insider's GuideFree Dock window previews and Alt-Tab switcher for macOS2.8 GPA
- Loop Insider's GuideFree, open-source macOS window manager with a radial menu2.8 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 Ulauncher’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. Ulauncher is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Ulauncher. Prices and plans change: check ulauncher.io before you buy.