Launchy vs Starling
Launchy
launchy.netStarling
starling.buildSide by side
| Figure | Launchy | Starling |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Spec score · Start Menu Customization Software | 8.8 (#1) | 8.4 (#5) |
| Integrations | The official plugin list includes PuTTY sessions, Todoist, Windows Live Messenger, system power controls and task switching. | The Linux desktop launches applications installed on the machine; its App Store can install more applications. |
| License | SourceForge identifies the project as GNU General Public License version 2.0. | Starling says its software is open source under Apache 2.0 and invites people to read the code and build on it. |
| Support | The help page directs users to the distributed Readme.pdf and Launchy forums for support. | The user guide directs users to GitHub Issues for problems and questions. |
Plans
In their own words
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.
Starling
Starling is a desktop environment with a 2D workspace and an optional 3D city workspace. Its Linux desktop combines a Wayland compositor, window manager, dock, spaces, and nine first-party apps in a session alongside the existing desktop. It runs native Wayland clients and X11 apps, can launch applications installed on the machine, and includes an App Store for installing more. The supported Linux package target is Ubuntu 26.04 LTS on amd64; the desktop can also run through Ubuntu 26.04 on WSL2. Starling’s Windows shell supports Windows 10 and 11 on x64, and its page says Store apps keep working. The shell, apps, build tools, documentation, and host code are open source under Apache 2.0, and the product is free. The Linux session runs without elevated privileges. Starling labels the desktop an early preview and says users should expect rough edges, missing pieces, and bugs. Its Windows preview installer installs per user without administrator privileges, but is unsigned and prompts SmartScreen on first run.