AppsUpdated Oct 31, 20262 reviewed

The best launchers & writing apps

Small tools that shave seconds off things you do hundreds of times a day — launching, searching, pasting — or that strip everything away so you can write.

Quick answer: the best is Raycast (8.2/10, best launcher); iA Writer (8.1/10, best for focused writing).

Attribute	Raycast	iA Writer
Score	8.2	8.1
From	Free · Pro $10/mo	$29.99–$49.99 once
Best for	Keyboard-driven Mac (and now Windows) power users who want one launcher for apps, files, clipboard, snippets and AI.	Writers who want a distraction-free Markdown editor they pay for once, on Mac, Windows or iPad/iPhone.
Capability	8.9	7.4
Ease of use	8.1	9.3
Value	8.9	8.0
Compatibility	7.2	6.6
Openness	7.0	9.5

Underlined values win their row.

№009AppLaunchers & writing apps

Best launcher

Raycast

Raycast replaces Spotlight with something far more useful — clipboard history, snippets, window management and thousands of extensions — and the core is free. It now runs on Windows and iOS too. AI is where it charges, and the top tiers get expensive quickly.

Fast, keyboard-first command palette that lets you act on results (rename, move, open)
Built-in clipboard history plus snippets, window management and automations

The Windows version had rough edges, and its extension ecosystem was still growing
No AI on the Free plan; AI use is capped by monthly credits (500 on Pro)

Free · Pro $10/moFull review

№010AppLaunchers & writing apps

Best for focused writing

iA Writer

iA Writer is a writing app that removes nearly everything: no toolbars, no popups, just your text and a Focus Mode that dims all but the current sentence. Its Authorship feature, which separates what you typed from what you pasted or generated, feels newly relevant. You pay once per platform, and Android is gone.

Clean writing environment that gets out of the way; used by several Zapier staff for notes and long articles
Stripped-down, very fast, with superb export options and no built-in generative AI

Each platform is a separate purchase, and major updates may cost extra
Fewer features by design; not a full word processor

$29.99–$49.99 onceFull review

Compare them in detail

Launchers & writing apps: questions

What is the best launchers & writing app in 2026?

Raycast scores highest in our ranking at 8.2/10. Raycast replaces Spotlight with something far more useful — clipboard history, snippets, window management and thousands of extensions — and the core is free. It now runs on Windows and iOS too. AI is where it charges, and the top tiers get expensive quickly.

What’s the cheapest option?

Raycast: Free · Pro $10/mo.

Raycast or iA Writer?

Raycast (8.2) — get it if you live on the keyboard and want one launcher for apps, files, clipboard, snippets and quick AI. iA Writer (8.1) — get it if you write long-form and want a calm, fast Markdown editor with no subscription.

How did you rank these?

Platform support and pricing were checked on official pages; we flagged changes such as Raycast’s move to Windows and iOS, and iA Writer dropping Android.

Read the methodology