Raycast
A keyboard-first productivity launcher for Mac and Windows with extensions, built-in tools and AI.
What is Raycast?
Raycast is a productivity launcher that puts apps, tools and workflows behind a single keyboard shortcut. Beyond the launcher it bundles built-in tools such as clipboard history, snippets, quicklinks, window management, notes and a calculator, plus an extension store with thousands of community integrations. It also includes AI features for asking questions, chatting and automating repetitive tasks across multiple models, and offers team and enterprise plans for shared workflows.
Key Features
Launcher
A keyboard-first command bar to open apps, run actions and search across your system.
Extension store
Thousands of community extensions integrating tools such as Linear, Slack, Notion, 1Password, Spotify and Jira.
AI assistant
Quick AI, AI Chat and an automation assistant with access to models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Mistral and others.
Built-in tools
Clipboard history, snippets, quicklinks, window management, calculator, emoji picker and file search out of the box.
Raycast Notes
A built-in note-taking tool with cloud sync on paid plans.
Cloud sync and themes
Synchronise settings and workflows across machines and apply custom or community themes on Pro.
Teams and enterprise
Shared commands, quicklinks and snippets plus admin controls including SAML, SCIM and 2FA enforcement.
Pros & Cons
Advantages
- The free plan is generous and permanent, covering core tools like clipboard history, snippets and window management.
- A large extension store lets users connect many third-party tools without leaving the launcher.
- Native, keyboard-first design keeps actions fast and reduces reliance on the mouse.
- AI features support multiple model providers rather than locking users into one.
- Team and enterprise plans add shared workflows and admin controls such as SAML and SCIM.
Limitations
- The most useful productivity features such as unlimited clipboard history and notes are gated behind the paid Pro plan.
- Advanced AI models require an additional paid add-on on top of a Pro subscription.
- Historically Mac-first, so the Windows and iOS experiences are newer and may lag behind macOS.
- The breadth of extensions and AI options can mean a learning curve for new users.
Use Cases
Developers and engineers who want quick access to tools like Linear, Jira and GitHub from a single command bar.
Knowledge workers who rely on clipboard history, snippets and quicklinks to speed up repetitive typing.
People who want an AI assistant available system-wide for quick answers, writing help and automation.
Power users who manage windows, run scripts and search files entirely from the keyboard.
Teams that need shared commands, quicklinks and snippets standardised across an organisation.
Enterprises that require admin controls such as SAML, SCIM and 2FA enforcement for staff.