Raycast
Keyboard-first Mac launcher with built-in AI, extensions, and clipboard tools — free core, Windows beta, and an iOS companion app
Raycast is a keyboard-driven launcher for macOS (plus a Windows beta and an iOS app) with an unusually generous free tier — app launching, thousands of extensions, snippets, and window management cost nothing. Pro is $8/month billed annually ($10 monthly) and adds Raycast AI with 500 monthly credits, cloud sync, and unlimited notes and clipboard history; Plus ($16/month annual) and Max ($40/month annual) add top-tier models and more credits. Best for Mac users who want one keyboard interface for apps, files, and AI.
What is Raycast?
Raycast is a keyboard-driven launcher that started as a faster Spotlight replacement for macOS and has grown into a productivity layer with AI built in. One shortcut opens a command bar that launches apps, searches files, manages windows, expands snippets, recalls clipboard history, and runs any of the thousands of community extensions in its Store — GitHub, Jira, Linear, Spotify, and more. The core launcher is free forever with no trial clock: the free plan includes 3 months of clipboard history and 5 notes, though no AI.
Raycast AI is where the subscription comes in. Quick AI answers questions inline from the launcher bar, a full chat interface handles longer sessions, and custom AI Commands automate repetitive text work. Pro ($8/month billed annually, $10 monthly) includes 500 AI credits a month on fast models, plus cloud sync and unlimited notes and clipboard history; Plus ($16/month annual, 3,000 credits) and Max ($40/month annual, 7,500 credits) add top-tier models. The platform story is expanding: a Windows beta (v0.67, Windows 10+) covers the core launcher features, and an iOS app (iOS 18+) brings AI chat, notes, and Whisper voice dictation in 50+ languages to the phone.
Who is it for?
Raycast makes the most sense for people who live on the keyboard and would rather have one command bar than five single-purpose utilities. The free tier alone replaces a launcher, clipboard manager, snippet expander, and window manager; the paid tiers matter once AI chat becomes part of the daily workflow. Compared with running a separate chat app like /tools/chatgpt or /tools/claude, Raycast puts the same class of models one keystroke away inside every other app.
- Mac power users who want app launching, file search, clipboard history, and window management under a single shortcut without paying anything.
- Developers who use Store extensions to file issues, review PRs, and control dev tools without leaving the keyboard — the same audience that pairs it with an AI terminal like /tools/warp.
- AI-first workers who ask dozens of questions a day and want Quick AI inline instead of tabbing to a browser; Plus comes to $16/month on annual billing for top-tier-model access.
- Small teams on Teams Pro ($12/user/month annual) that share snippets, quicklinks, and custom commands so the whole group runs the same shortcuts.
- Windows users are the exception for now — the beta covers the core launcher but Cloud Sync and Teams support have not shipped yet, so cross-device workflows remain Mac-and-iOS-first.
How much does Raycast cost?
Starting price: $8/mo · Free tier: yes · Model: freemium
Price history tracked from June 2026
| Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Raycast AI not included (eligible new accounts can start a free Pro trial) · 3 months of clipboard history · 5 Raycast Notes · Quicklinks, calculator, snippets, window management · Access to thousands of Store extensions |
| Pro | $8/mo | $10/month when billed monthly (annual saves 20%) · Raycast AI with 500 AI credits per month and fast, powerful models · Unlimited clipboard history and Raycast Notes · Cloud sync, dictation, and bring-your-own-key AI · Custom themes, translator, custom window management |
| Plus | $16/mo | $192/year, or $20/month when billed monthly · Everything in Pro · 3,000 AI credits per month · Top-tier AI models included |
| Max | $40/mo | $480/year, or $50/month when billed monthly · Everything in Pro · 7,500 AI credits per month · Top-tier AI models included |
| Teams Free | $0/user/mo | Up to 30 shared snippets · Up to 30 shared quicklinks · Up to 5 shared commands · Raycast AI not included |
| Teams Pro | $12/user/mo | $15/user/month when billed monthly · Unlimited shared snippets, quicklinks, and commands · 500 AI credits per user per month · Teams Plus $20/user/mo ($25 monthly, 3,000 credits) and Teams Max $52/user/mo ($65 monthly, 7,500 credits) add top-tier models |
| Enterprise | Custom | SAML SSO and SCIM provisioning · 2FA enforcement and IP allow-list · Custom AI provider support · Organization admin controls |
What are Raycast's key features?
- Extendable launcher with thousands of community-built extensions in the Raycast Store
- Raycast AI: Quick AI answers, full AI chat, and custom AI Commands with per-task model switching
- AI usage metered in monthly credits (500 on Pro, 3,000 on Plus, 7,500 on Max); top-tier models need Plus or Max
- Clipboard history, snippets, quicklinks, calculator, emoji search, and window management built in
- Raycast Notes for quick capture and Raycast Focus for distraction blocking
- Windows beta (v0.67, Windows 10+) with app launcher, file search, clipboard history, and a game launcher for Steam and Epic
- iOS app (iOS 18+) with AI chat, notes, custom keyboard, and Whisper voice dictation in 50+ languages
- Cloud sync of AI chats, notes, snippets, and quicklinks across devices on Pro
What people use Raycast for
- 01 Launching apps, finding files, and running scripts from one keyboard shortcut instead of Spotlight or the Dock
- 02 Asking Quick AI questions inline from the launcher bar without opening a browser or separate chat app
- 03 Reusing clipboard history and text snippets for repetitive typing — canned replies, code blocks, email templates
- 04 Connecting daily tools like GitHub, Jira, Linear, and Spotify through Store extensions to act on them without switching windows
- 05 Continuing AI chats and notes on the go with the iOS app, synced with the Mac on Pro
- 06 Blocking distracting apps and sites during work sessions with Raycast Focus
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Free tier is genuinely usable long-term: launcher, extensions, snippets, window management, and 3 months of clipboard history at no cost | Windows version is still beta (v0.67) with Cloud Sync and Teams support explicitly listed as coming soon |
| Pro at $8/month on annual billing bundles AI chat with a full launcher toolkit — cheaper than most standalone AI chat subscriptions | The Free plan has no Raycast AI at all and caps notes at 5 — AI needs Pro, and top-tier models need Plus ($16/month on annual billing) or Max |
| One app replaces several single-purpose utilities: launcher, clipboard manager, snippet expander, window manager, and notes | macOS remains the first-class platform; AI Extensions do not work on iOS yet, and some Mac features have no Windows equivalent |
| Extension platform is open — anyone can build and publish TypeScript/React extensions to the Store for free | Custom AI provider support is Enterprise-only — individual plans cannot point Raycast AI at their own model endpoint |
What are the best Raycast alternatives?
Microsoft Copilot is the closest Raycast alternative in our directory: it covers the same category (AI Productivity), starts at $0, has a free tier.
Ranked by category overlap with Raycast, then free-tier availability, then lowest verified starting price — computed from our verified data, never from sponsorships.
| Alternative | What it is | Starting price | Free tier | Price verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Copilot | Microsoft's GPT-5-powered AI assistant for chat, search, and AI inside Word, Excel, and Teams | $0 | yes | Jun 22, 2026 |
| Warp | AI-powered terminal and agentic development environment with autocomplete and cloud agents | $0 | yes | Oct 13, 2026 |
| Notion | AI workspace combining docs, databases, projects, and autonomous agents in one platform | $10/member/mo | yes | Aug 27, 2026 |
| ChatGPT | Conversational AI assistant by OpenAI with multimodal reasoning, voice, and agent capabilities | $8/mo | yes | Jun 11, 2026 |
| Claude | Anthropic's AI assistant built for long-context analysis, coding, and safe reasoning | $20/mo | yes | Jul 3, 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Raycast free?
Yes. The core launcher is free forever, including thousands of Store extensions, snippets, quicklinks, calculator, and window management. The free plan includes 3 months of clipboard history and 5 Raycast Notes, but no Raycast AI.
How much does Raycast Pro cost?
Raycast Pro costs $8/month billed annually or $10/month billed monthly. It adds Raycast AI with 500 AI credits a month, unlimited clipboard history and notes, cloud sync, custom themes, and a translator.
What do Raycast Plus and Max add?
Plus costs $16/month billed annually ($20 monthly) and Max $40/month billed annually ($50 monthly). Both add top-tier AI models that Pro lacks, with 3,000 and 7,500 AI credits a month against Pro's 500. Unused monthly credits roll over for one extra billing cycle.
Does Raycast work on Windows?
Yes, in beta. Raycast for Windows (v0.67, Windows 10+) installs via the Microsoft Store or WinGet and covers the app launcher, file search, clipboard history, snippets, quicklinks, calculator, cross-platform extensions, and Raycast AI. Cloud Sync and Teams are listed as coming soon.
Is there a Raycast iPhone app?
Yes. Raycast for iOS (requires iOS 18) includes AI chat, notes, snippets, quicklinks, widgets, a custom keyboard, and Whisper voice dictation in over 50 languages. Syncing content with your Mac requires Raycast Pro, and AI Extensions are not yet supported on iOS.
Which AI models does Raycast include?
Pro includes what Raycast calls fast and powerful AI models, and Plus and Max add its top-tier models. Each model spends AI credits at its own rate, so cheaper models go further on a plan's monthly credit allowance. Paid plans can also bring their own API key.
Does Raycast replace Spotlight?
For most users, yes. It handles app launching and file search like Spotlight, then adds what Spotlight lacks: clipboard history, snippets, window management, thousands of extensions, and inline AI answers, all from the same keyboard shortcut.