Which Mac launcher fits a keyboard-first workflow?
6 apps · 11 factors
Scored for the goal: A keyboard-first launcher for my Mac: fast app and file search, clipboard history and snippets, custom scripts and actions, and my data stays on my Mac.
Compare
One judgement per cell. Click a row to read every app’s answer; click a cell to open that answer’s sources.
100%fit |  100%fit |  96%fit |  100%2 unknown | 100%Local data unknown |  100%1 unknown | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Features | ||||||
| Local dataYes★ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| Keyboard operationYes★ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| Custom scriptsYes★ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| File search scope | Free — defaults to… | Searches files in configured… | Filename-abbreviation search uses LaunchBar’s… | Searches filenames and file… | Searches files and folders;… | Search configured Catalog locations,… |
| Launcher | ||||||
| App searchYes★ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Clipboard historyYes★ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| SnippetsYes★ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ |
| Adaptive rankingYes★ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Text expansionYes | ✓ | ✓ | No | – | – | – |
| Purchase | ||||||
| Current price | $96/yr +5 | £34 once +1 | $29 once +1 | $30 once +3 | Free | Free |
| Product | ||||||
| What it does | Keyboard-first launcher + productivity… | MacOS launcher + automation… | Keyboard-driven launcher + file/action… | MacOS productivity launcher | Open-source macOS launcher +… | Open-source macOS launcher +… |
Cost over time
Plays from month 1 to year 10 when you scroll here. Each bar is split by year; a one-time purchase stays one block.
Every subscription now costs more than LaunchBar, the cheapest one-time purchase.
Releases
Each dot is a release. The hatched bar runs from the last release to today; its color says whether that gap is normal for the app.
4 of 6 apps with a dated changelog are behind their usual pace. Furthest behind: Quicksilver, 195 days since its last release (usually ~1).