What is Raycast used for?

Raycast is a keyboard-driven launcher for macOS and Windows that adds extensions, snippets and an AI assistant, aimed at people who want quick access to their everyday apps. It is a good fit for developers triaging issues without leaving the keyboard; replacing a basic operating system launcher; and controlling music, timers and calls from one prompt.

Yes. Raycast has a free plan, and paid plans start at $10 per seat per month. A free trial is also available.

Is Raycast open source?

No. Raycast is proprietary (closed-source) software. Open-source alternatives to Raycast include Flow Launcher, RustCast and PowerToys.

What are some alternatives to Raycast?

Raycast competes with Alfred and Keyboard Maestro. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source Raycast alternatives.

Raycast: features, pricing and alternatives

About Raycast

Raycast is a keyboard-first launcher for macOS and Windows that sits on top of the desktop and lets you reach apps, files and web services without touching the mouse. It is built for people who switch between many tools during the day and want a single entry point for searching, launching and acting on things.

Its extension store connects the launcher to everyday services such as Linear, Jira, Slack, Notion, Spotify, 1Password, Zoom and Google Translate, so you can create issues, check unread messages, control playback or fetch a credential straight from the prompt. Snippets, timers and a built-in AI assistant round out the core tool, and extensions are organized into areas like productivity, engineering, design and writing.

Raycast is proprietary software distributed as a desktop application, with an iOS companion and separate Pro, Teams and Enterprise offerings listed on its site. Extensions are the main way each person tailors it, which makes it most useful for developers, designers and knowledge workers who already live in a handful of connected SaaS tools.

Key features

Keyboard-first launcher for apps and files
Extension store for third-party services
Snippets for reusable text
Built-in AI assistant
Timers and Pomodoro controls in the menu bar
Issue search and creation for Linear and Jira
Password lookup through a 1Password extension

Good fit for

→Developers triaging issues without leaving the keyboard
→Replacing a basic operating system launcher
→Controlling music, timers and calls from one prompt

Tags: launcher; macos; windows; productivity; extensions; snippets; ai-assistant; keyboard-shortcuts

Raycast: questions and answers

What is Raycast used for?: Raycast is a keyboard-driven launcher for macOS and Windows that adds extensions, snippets and an AI assistant, aimed at people who want quick access to their everyday apps. It is a good fit for developers triaging issues without leaving the keyboard; replacing a basic operating system launcher; and controlling music, timers and calls from one prompt.
Is Raycast free?: Yes. Raycast has a free plan, and paid plans start at $10 per seat per month. A free trial is also available.
Is Raycast open source?: No. Raycast is proprietary (closed-source) software. Open-source alternatives to Raycast include Flow Launcher, RustCast and PowerToys.
What are some alternatives to Raycast?: Raycast competes with Alfred and Keyboard Maestro. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source Raycast alternatives.