Keypirinha vs Launchy
Keypirinha
keypirinha.comLaunchy
launchy.netSide by side
| Figure | Keypirinha | Launchy |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Spec score · Start Menu Customization Software | 7.8 (#13) | 8.8 (#1) |
| Spec score · App Launcher Software | 7.7 (#18) | 8.6 (#6) |
| Spec score · App launchers | 7.7 (#19) | 9.0 (#3) |
| Spec score · App Launchers | 7.6 (#21) | 9.1 (#3) |
| Integrations | Official examples include Apps, TaskSwitcher, Winamp, ControlPanel, PuTTY, Calc, GoogleTranslate and URL packages. | The official plugin list includes PuTTY sessions, Todoist, Windows Live Messenger, system power controls and task switching. |
| Plugin API | An embedded Python 3 interpreter and exposed keypirinha, keypirinha_util and keypirinha_net modules extend the application. | Plugins can add indexed objects, claim input with regular expressions or take control after a user presses Tab. |
| Support | The project provides a support chat room, issue reporting guidance and direct contact through the @polyvertex account. | The help page directs users to the distributed Readme.pdf and Launchy forums for support. |
Plans
In their own words
Keypirinha
Keypirinha is a free keyboard-oriented launcher for Windows. It can find and open applications, files, bookmarks, URLs, registry keys, and sessions for PuTTY, WinSCP, and FileZilla; it can also search configured websites and online dictionaries. Built-in utilities handle translation, mathematical evaluation, base conversion, environment-variable lookup, URL processing, hashing, and generation of UUIDs, passwords, or bytes. Its plugin design combines a C++ core with Python 3 plugins, and an embedded interpreter with exposed modules allows extensions. Users can adjust colors, fonts, visible interface elements, and their positions. Configuration is managed in readable files, with separate machine-specific and user-specific settings. Keypirinha is distributed as an archive rather than an installer, with full, 64-bit-only, and 32-bit-only packages. Portable Mode keeps required files in one folder for moving the application on a USB device. The project describes it as a niche option for advanced users, noting that its minimal interface and learning curve can be demanding.
Launchy
Launchy is a free utility for opening programs, files, folders, and websites with a few keystrokes. It indexes start-menu programs and can search directories and file types that users add. It stays in the background until the hotkey is pressed: Alt+Space by default, or Control+Space on Linux. Users can customize its appearance with skins and extend it through plugins for web searches, calculations, custom commands, and bookmark access. Other listed plugin examples include PuTTY sessions, task switching, and system power controls; these are made by other developers, and Launchy does not guarantee their functionality or behavior. Portable mode stores configuration files in the directory where Launchy runs, so it can be used from a USB stick. The bundled Calcy calculator supports addition, division, subtraction, multiplication, and parentheses. The listed platforms are Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows. Launchy is free to download with no fixed price; the listed recommended value is $10 USD, and the plan notes suggest considering a $3 contribution.