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Review basis

Research-based review: the AppDuo Editorial Team compiled it from official pages, documentation, app stores, press and user feedback, without hands-on testing. Every claim links to a source with the date it was checked.

14 reference sources

Information updated Nov 10, 2026

How we review
Raycast logo

Raycast Review

Keyboard-first launcher for macOS and Windows with AI and an extension store

Editorial Team7.8/10Write the first review

By Official AppDuo editorial team · Updated

  • macOS
  • Windows
  • iOS
Freemium · $10.00/mo
Visit Raycast
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Decide at a glance

Our verdict

Raycast suits keyboard-driven Mac users who want a Spotlight replacement with extensions, snippets and AI. The trade-offs are credit-based AI pricing that climbs quickly above the Free plan, and a Windows version that only arrived as a public beta on 20 November 2025 and still lacks Cloud Sync.

Best for: Developers and power users on macOS who want search, clipboard, snippets and window management in one tool

Skip it if: Android or Linux users, since Raycast is available only on macOS, Windows and iOS

Pros

  • The Free plan already covers clipboard, snippets, quicklinks, window management and thousands of extensions
  • An extension store connects Linear, Slack, Notion, 1Password, Spotify and more; extensions without native code work on both Mac and Windows
  • AI supports models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, xAI and others, with bring-your-own-key on Pro

Cons

  • AI starts with the $10/month Pro plan and higher tiers cost $20 and $50 a month; the pricing page offers no cheaper Pro without AI
  • The Windows version only arrived as a public beta on 20 November 2025, and the official page still lists Cloud Sync as upcoming
All pros and cons · Who is it for?

Pros

  • Very active releases: versions 2.6 to 2.11 shipped between 5 October and 4 November 2026
  • Cloud Sync is encrypted on device, in transit and on the server, per the official manual

Cons

  • The Mac app requires macOS Tahoe and Apple Silicon per the homepage; the interface is English only
  • The Terms state payments are non-refundable, apart from a 14-day cancellation right for UK and EU consumers

Best for

  • Teams that want shared Commands, Quicklinks and Snippets and a private extension store

Skip it if

  • People who only need basic search and do not want a monthly AI subscription

Problems it solves

Experience & key features

What Raycast is

Raycast is a keyboard-driven launcher whose homepage tagline is "Your shortcut to everything." Wikipedia lists a 2020 release. According to TechCrunch (30 November 2021), it was founded by Thomas Paul Mann and Petr Nikolaev, both former Facebook engineers, and had just raised a $15 million Series A led by Accel and Coatue. On 25 September 2024 Raycast announced a $30 million Series B to bring the product to new platforms. The developer is Raycast Technologies Ltd, registered in England and Wales.

Key features

Beyond launching apps and files, Raycast offers Clipboard History, Snippets, Quicklinks, a calculator, window management, Raycast Notes, unit conversion, screenshot text search and a Focus mode for blocking distractions. The extension store lists thousands of extensions, and developers can build their own with a typed API. The AI layer includes Quick AI, AI Chat and AI Extensions; the Pro page lists models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, xAI, Mistral and others. The iOS app adds a custom keyboard, widgets and voice dictation, with cross-device sync requiring Pro.

Pricing and value

According to the official pricing page, Free costs nothing. Pro is $10/month or $96/year with 500 AI credits per month, Plus is $20/month (3,000 credits) and Max is $50/month (7,500 credits). Team plans are per user: Teams Pro $15, Plus $25 and Max $65 per user per month. Unused credits roll over for one extra cycle. On 10 September 2026 Raycast published a post explaining its shift to credit-based AI pricing. Verified students get 50% off Pro through a form. The Terms state payments are non-refundable.

More analysis

Platforms and comparison

Mac remains the main platform, and the homepage says the Mac app requires macOS Tahoe and Apple Silicon. The Windows app runs on Windows 10 21H2+ and Windows 11 via the Microsoft Store or WinGet; it launched as a public beta on 20 November 2025, and the official page still lists Cloud Sync as upcoming. The iOS app launched on 30 April 2025 and needs iOS 18; there is no Android version. On Windows, if a free launcher is all you need, Command Palette in Microsoft PowerToys may be enough. Raycast's edge is its extension store and AI, and the AI costs extra.

Screenshots

Promotional image from the Raycast homepage
Promotional image from the Raycast homepage
Raycast home screen on iPhone, from the official iOS page
Raycast home screen on iPhone, from the official iOS page
Raycast Notes on iOS, from the official iOS page
Raycast Notes on iOS, from the official iOS page

Plans & pricing

Prices last verified Nov 10, 2026

Free

Personal

Free

Clipboard history is kept for 3 months. No Raycast AI, Cloud Sync, Dictation, Translator or Custom Themes.

Pro

Personal

$10/mo/user

$8/mo billed yearly

500 AI credits per month, unlimited clipboard history, Cloud Sync, Dictation, Translator, Custom Themes and Bring Your Own Key.

Plus

Personal

$20/mo/user

$16/mo billed yearly

3,000 AI credits per month plus top-tier AI models.

Max

Personal

$50/mo/user

$40/mo billed yearly

7,500 AI credits per month and everything in Plus.

Teams Pro

Business

$15/mo/user

$12/mo billed yearly

Per user: 500 AI credits each, unlimited shared Commands, Quicklinks and Snippets, plus a private store. Teams Plus is $25/user/month and Teams Max $65/user/month; Teams Free and Enterprise tiers also exist.

Free plan limits
The Free plan still includes Clipboard History (3 months), Quicklinks, Calculator, Snippets, Window Management, thousands of extensions and Raycast Notes.
Free trial
No free trial
Cancellation & refunds

The Terms of Service say payments are non-refundable with no credit for partially used periods, except that UK and EU consumers can cancel Pro within 14 days of starting. Eligible new accounts can try Pro; per the pricing page, trial credits expire after 7 days.

Privacy

The privacy policy (last updated 19 June 2026) describes a local-first design: much data stays on the device unless you use cloud features. Raycast uses personal data for analytics and product improvement, usually after aggregating it into statistics that do not identify you. For AI, prompts and files go to the model provider you select; the policy says Raycast does not keep inputs after outputs are generated, except for Cloud Sync and a few other cases, and where available providers are set not to train on data and to apply zero retention. AI Memory is on by default and stored encrypted on the device. According to the user manual, Cloud Sync encrypts data in the local database, in transit and on the server, and never syncs credentials. Raycast advises against entering sensitive data into AI features. The iOS App Store label lists usage and diagnostics data, neither linked to identity.

Official pricing page

Raycast alternatives

Microsoft PowerToys logo8.1/10

Microsoft PowerToys

Microsoft's free, open-source suite of 25+ Windows utilities

Open source

Frequently asked questions

Is Raycast free?

There is a Free plan with clipboard history (3 months), snippets, quicklinks, window management, Notes and thousands of extensions. AI, Cloud Sync and Dictation need Pro from $10/month.

Does Raycast run on Windows?

Yes. It runs on Windows 10 21H2+ and Windows 11. It launched as a public beta on 20 November 2025, and Cloud Sync is not yet available on Windows.

Is there an Android version?

No. The iOS page says Raycast is available on macOS, Windows, iOS and iPadOS, not Android.

Where does my AI data go?

Prompts and files go to the model provider you choose. The policy says Raycast does not retain inputs after generating outputs except for Cloud Sync and a few other cases, and advises against entering sensitive data.

Review evidence & sources14

Scores

Ease of use
8.0
Why this score

One hotkey opens everything with built-in commands and extensions; newcomers still need to learn hotkeys and extension concepts.

Features
9.0
Why this score

The widest scope among the launchers AppDuo covers: clipboard, snippets, window management, notes, translation, AI and an extension store. Held back because the Windows version is newer and still lacks Cloud Sync, and the Mac app requires macOS Tahoe and Apple Silicon.

Value for money
7.4
Why this score

The Free plan is generous but AI costs from $10/month up to $50/month for individuals, with credits consumed at model-specific rates. Students get 50% off Pro.

Performance
8.3
Why this score

The homepage cites a 99.8% crash-free rate, and the 2.8 changelog reports up to 6x faster file search and about 20% less startup memory. These are vendor figures with no independent benchmark.

Support
7.0
Why this score

A user manual, a detailed changelog and a Slack community; no live chat or phone support was found on the pages reviewed.

Privacy & security
7.3
Why this score

Local-first design, AI providers set to no training where available and encrypted Cloud Sync. Points deducted because AI data still leaves the device for third parties, AI Memory is on by default and usage analytics exist.

What users say

Sources

Specs & compatibility
Developer
Raycast Technologies
Headquarters
United Kingdom
Launched
2020
Category
Utilities

Capabilities

  • AI features
  • Integrations
  • Templates
  • Public API
  • Mobile app
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Works offline

Platforms

  • macOS
  • Windows
  • iOS

Interface languages

  • English

Integrations

  • Linear
  • Jira
  • Spotify
  • Slack
  • Notion
  • 1Password
  • Zoom
  • Obsidian
  • GitHub
  • Homebrew
  • WinGet

Support

  • Help center
  • Community forum
  • Email

Change history

  1. Feature.v2.11 added Dictate to AI and a menu bar command for tracking AI usage.
  2. Price.Published a post on changing Raycast AI pricing to plans with AI credits.
  3. Feature.Published "The New Raycast" and an accompanying technical deep dive.
Full change history (7)
  1. Feature.Raycast for Windows entered public beta.
  2. Feature.Launched Raycast for iOS.
  3. Company.Announced a $30 million Series B to bring Raycast to new platforms.
  4. Company.Raised a $15 million Series A led by Accel and Coatue, following a $2.7 million seed round in October 2020.
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