PortableApps.com Platform vs Rofi
PortableApps.com Platform
portableapps.comRofi
davatorium.github.ioSide by side
| Figure | PortableApps.com Platform | Rofi |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Spec score · App Launchers | 8.8 (#5) | 7.8 (#16) |
| Spec score · App launchers | 8.9 (#5) | 7.8 (#17) |
| Spec score · App Launcher Software | 8.3 (#10) | 7.3 (#27) |
| Support | Support is available through online support pages, community forums, and live chat; the contact page says email and phone support are not offered for support issues. | The documentation links to a GitHub issue tracker and a GitHub discussions forum. |
Plans
PortableApps.com Platform
- PortableApps.com PlatformFree
- PortableApps.com Platform FreeFree
In their own words
PortableApps.com Platform
PortableApps.com Platform lets users assemble a portable software suite for a synced cloud folder, local computer, or USB drive. Its built-in app store provides browsing and installation without a download limit. A customizable menu organizes applications with folders, favorites, and search. The updater reports available updates and can install them without changing settings or saved files. Integrated backup and restore are listed, and installation works in synced folders such as Dropbox, Google Drive, and Box. Apps from the store are checked for malware and viruses and are not altered after checking, according to the support information. The platform is free and open source under GPL, with some MIT and CC components. The listed download is 7MB and installed size 19MB. Windows is listed directly; Linux, Unix, and BSD use Wine, while Mac OS X uses compatibility software. Support comes through online pages, forums, and live chat.
Rofi
Rofi is a free utility for Linux and macOS that combines window switching, application launching, SSH access, and menu workflows. It can move between open windows, start applications, or provide a dialog for connecting to a remote machine. Its modes include window, windowcd, run, drun, ssh, keys, script, and combi. Navigation supports keyboard and mouse input, filtering by typing, and tokenized search. A dedicated script mode can replace dmenu. Configuration can come from a system configuration file, a Rasi theme file, or command-line options. Rofi builds with X11 and Wayland backends when available, and either can be disabled. Installation guidance covers Debian or Ubuntu, Fedora, Arch Linux, Gentoo, openSUSE, and FreeBSD; macOS installation is through MacPorts. The downloads page lists release archives, with version 1.7.9 as its newest listed release. Development versions have no tarball release; the installation instructions explain how to obtain and compile one. Support links lead to GitHub issues and discussions.