Alfred vs dmenu
Alfred
alfredapp.comdmenu
tools.suckless.orgSide by side
| Figure | Alfred | dmenu |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 5 | 1 |
| Spec score · App Launcher Software | 9.2 (#1) | 8.7 (#5) |
| Spec score · App Launchers | 9.2 (#2) | 8.6 (#7) |
| Spec score · App launchers | 9.2 (#2) | 8.6 (#7) |
| Purpose | Alfred is a macOS productivity app for launching apps, searching files and the web, and controlling a Mac with hotkeys, keywords, and custom actions. | dmenu is a dynamic menu for X that manages large numbers of user-defined menu items efficiently. |
| Support | The maker offers help through preference help icons, in-app search, its forum, Twitter, and email for license-related or private questions. | The suckless community page identifies the dev mailing list as a place for dmenu users, development discussion, bug reports, and general discussion. |
| What it does | Alfred is a macOS productivity launcher using hotkeys, keywords and text expansion to search the Mac and web and run custom actions. | dmenu is a dynamic menu for X that efficiently handles large sets of user-defined items. |
Plans
Alfred
- Alfred coreFree
- Single License$34, paid once
- Single License£34, paid once
- Mega Supporter$59, paid once
- Mega Supporter£59, paid once
In their own words
Alfred
Alfred is a macOS productivity app for launching apps, finding files and web results, and controlling a Mac with hotkeys, keywords, and custom actions. Its search adapts to how someone uses the Mac and prioritizes results. The free core app covers app launching and file searching. Powerpack adds Clipboard History for copied text, images, and file paths, plus Snippets that expand short keywords into saved text. It also provides workflows for connecting objects and automating tasks, and file actions such as previewing, moving, copying, emailing, or revealing files in Finder. Workflows can connect to apps and services, including through APIs, and can be started by hotkey, keyword, or Alfred Remote button. Preferences can sync between Macs using Dropbox or a similar service. The maker says preferences, usage, and settings stay on the Mac, though workflows may contact servers or APIs. Alfred 5.8.1 is listed for macOS 10.14 or later on 64-bit Intel and Apple Silicon. The Single License costs £34 once for one user on two of their own Macs for the current version.
dmenu
dmenu is a free dynamic menu for X that handles large sets of user-defined menu items and can launch commands. It runs on Linux and was originally designed for the dwm window manager. Community scripts apply it to tasks such as browsing directories, managing clipboard contents, accessing passwords, and controlling music; contributed modifications are available in a patches collection. The project provides a browsable source repository and a Git clone command. Building requires Xlib header files, and the README describes building and installing with `make clean install`, with files placed in the `/usr/local` namespace by default. The listed release is dmenu 5.4, dated 2025-08-09. Its source uses the MIT/X Consortium License, which permits use, copying, modification, distribution, sublicensing, and sale of copies subject to its conditions, while disclaiming warranties. The suckless dev mailing list is identified as a venue for user questions, development discussion, bug reports, and general discussion.