What is Raycast?
Raycast replaces Spotlight on the Mac and has become the command centre for many users: it opens apps, manages windows, stores your clipboard, runs text snippets and, with its AI layer, lets you query models like GPT or Claude from anywhere with a keyboard shortcut. Its free tier is genuinely complete and it has more than 1,500 extensions.
Pros
- The free tier is a complete tool, not a demo
- AI one keyboard shortcut away from any application
- More than 1,500 community extensions
- Replaces several separate productivity apps
Cons
- Built for Mac: the Windows version is still in beta
- Advanced AI adds another $8/month on top of Pro
- Getting the most out of it requires setting up shortcuts and extensions
Frequently asked questions
Is Raycast free?
Yes, and its free plan is complete: launcher, clipboard history, window management and all extensions, with some AI messages included. Pro costs $8/user/month billed annually.
Does it work on Windows?
There is a Windows version, but it is still in beta. The full experience is on Mac, its original platform.
Which AI models does it include?
The Pro plan gives access to advanced models such as GPT and Claude with unlimited requests, callable from any app with a shortcut.