Raycast

Raycast

The extendable launcher that replaced Spotlight — commands, snippets, windows, and AI in one keystroke.

Developer Toolsfreemium
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What is Raycast?
Raycast is the productivity launcher that became standard issue on developer Macs (with Windows now in beta and an iOS companion). One hotkey opens a command bar that launches apps, manages windows, expands snippets, runs clipboard history, does calculations and conversions, and executes thousands of community extensions — Jira, GitHub, Linear, Spotify, AWS, and most tools a developer touches daily. Extensions are written in React/TypeScript with a polished API, which is why its store grew faster than every rival launcher. Raycast AI (Pro) adds chat with frontier models, AI commands over selected text, and model switching from the same bar. The core app is free and exceptionally polished — animations, theming, and keyboard ergonomics that make Spotlight feel ancient. Pro at $8/month adds AI, cloud sync, custom themes, and unlimited clipboard history; most users run free forever and never look back.
Key Features

Instant launcher: apps, files, window management, calculator

Clipboard history, snippets, and quicklinks

Thousands of community extensions (GitHub, Jira, Linear...)

Extension API in React/TypeScript

Raycast AI: model chat and AI commands (Pro)

Use Cases
  • Replacing Spotlight/Alfred with one faster command bar
  • Driving GitHub, Jira, and Linear without leaving the keyboard
  • Text expansion and clipboard workflows
  • Quick AI queries without switching to a browser
How to Use Raycast
  1. 1Download Raycast and set the activation hotkey
  2. 2Learn core commands: search, calculator, clipboard, windows
  3. 3Install extensions for the tools you use
  4. 4Optionally upgrade to Pro for AI and sync
Best For
Developers living keyboard-first on macOSAnyone juggling many SaaS tools dailyTeams sharing snippets and quicklinks
FAQ

Is Raycast free?

The core launcher — extensions, clipboard history basics, snippets, window management — is free. Pro at $8/month adds Raycast AI, cloud sync, custom themes, and longer history.

Is Raycast available on Windows?

Yes, in beta. The mature experience remains macOS, with the Windows build catching up on extensions and features, plus an iOS companion app.

Raycast or Alfred?

Alfred remains scriptable and lightweight with a one-time license; Raycast offers a modern UI, a far larger extension store, team features, and built-in AI on subscription.

Tags
Task ManagementAI
Quick Info
CategoryDeveloper Tools
Pricingfreemium
Platformsmacos, windows, ios
Websiteraycast.com

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