Launchy vs Ulauncher
Launchy
launchy.netUlauncher
ulauncher.ioSide by side
| Figure | Launchy | Ulauncher |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Spec score · App Launchers | 9.1 (#3) | 8.2 (#14) |
| Spec score · App launchers | 9.0 (#3) | 8.0 (#15) |
| Spec score · App Launcher Software | 8.6 (#6) | 7.7 (#20) |
| Calculator | Calcy performs arithmetic using only addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and parentheses. | The project README lists a calculator among Ulauncher's features. |
| Fuzzy search | Its search attempts to match program or file names despite differences in capitalization, punctuation and spelling. | It finds applications with fuzzy matching, remembers previous picks, and auto-selects the best option next time. |
| License | SourceForge identifies the project as GNU General Public License version 2.0. | The project README identifies the license as GNU GPL v3.0. |
| Purpose | Launchy is a free cross-platform utility for replacing the start menu, desktop icons and file manager. | Ulauncher describes itself as an application launcher for Linux. |
| Support | The help page directs users to the distributed Readme.pdf and Launchy forums for support. | The project README directs users with issues to its Troubleshooting discussion category, other discussions and issue tracker. |
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.