Listary vs MaxLauncher
Listary
listary.comMaxLauncher
maxlauncher.sourceforge.ioSide by side
| Figure | Listary | MaxLauncher |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Spec score · Start Menu Customization Software | 8.0 (#10) | 8.1 (#7) |
| Integrations | The maker lists OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, file servers, NAS, USB drives, and external hard drives as supported storage. | The product can launch programs, folders, or commands; the maker pages do not list third-party service integrations. |
| Purpose | Listary is a Windows file search tool and app launcher. | MaxLauncher is a tabbed launcher designed to reduce the time needed to find and run programs. |
| Support | The maker provides a Help Center, troubleshooting guidance, and a contact form or support email. | Support is offered through SourceForge bug reports, feature requests, support requests, and discussion forums. |
Plans
In their own words
Listary
Listary is a Windows file search tool and app launcher that brings files, folders, and apps into a single search workflow. It finds files by name, path, or format and ranks results based on usage habits; the maker says searches can return results in 0.01 seconds. The launcher supports fuzzy matching. Quick Save & Open lets users move to a target folder from Windows file dialogs when opening or saving files. It supports storage including OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, file servers, NAS, USB drives, and external hard drives. Standard Windows dialogs are supported, with adaptations for Bandizip, AutoCAD, WinRAR Extract Dialog, and WPS File Dialog, though some custom dialogs may not work. Listary works offline. Full-text search is mainly available through companion app Gety, with partial results integration in the V7 beta. The Free plan is for personal use; Pro costs 19.95 USD once and adds a commercial license and use on up to three computers owned by you. V6 supports 64-bit Windows 10 and 11, while V5 versions are listed for Windows 7 and XP.
MaxLauncher
MaxLauncher is a free, open-source tabbed launcher for Windows that opens programs, folders, or commands with two or three keystrokes. Each .mld data file can hold up to ten tabs, with 30 configurable buttons on each, for a maximum of 300 buttons. A favorites bar adds ten configurable buttons assigned to F1–F10. Separate XML-format text files can keep shortcut groups, such as work and home, apart. The launcher supports drag and drop, configurable activation hotkeys, custom themes, multi-launch, multiple instances, and basic multi-monitor use. Users can install it with an executable or choose a portable ZIP version, which the maker says can run from a USB stick or external hard drive. Portable settings can be made read-only to prevent changes to selected launcher data and cache files. The listed requirements are Windows Vista or newer, or Windows XP with Microsoft .NET 3.5 or higher; it runs on 32-bit and 64-bit versions. The downloads page lists version 1.31.0.0, dated October 29, 2021, as the latest release shown.