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Alfred

by Running with Crayons Ltd · Application · also known as Alfred Powerpack

macOS launcher and productivity app whose paid Powerpack adds workflows, clipboard history, snippets and custom searches

ProprietaryFreemiumPaidLocal
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Link verified Nov 2, 2026

Overview

Alfred is a macOS launcher developed since 2010 by Running with Crayons Ltd. The free application searches and opens apps, files, bookmarks and web searches, performs calculations and system commands, and can be driven entirely from the keyboard. The paid Powerpack, sold as a one-time single license or a Mega Supporter license with lifetime upgrades, unlocks workflows, clipboard history, snippet expansion, file actions, a Music mini player, Terminal integration, themes and settings sync.

Workflows are Alfred's automation layer: visual graphs that connect triggers (keywords, hotkeys, Remote buttons) to actions and scripts in AppleScript, shell, Python or other languages. A large community has published workflows for years through the Alfred Gallery and forum, giving the app a long tail of integrations.

Alfred is proprietary and macOS-only. Compared with Raycast it has no built-in AI assistant or official extension API in TypeScript, and its workflow format is specific to Alfred.

Capabilities

  • Keyboard launcher for apps, files and web searches
  • Workflows connecting triggers to scripts and actions (Powerpack)
  • Clipboard history and snippet expansion (Powerpack)
  • Custom file filters and web searches
  • Settings sync via a cloud folder

Typical workflows

  1. Launch apps and search files without the mouse
  2. Build a workflow that queries an internal tool from a keyword
  3. Expand snippets across applications

Strengths

  • Lightweight, fast and long-established
  • One-time Powerpack license
  • Large community library of workflows

Limitations

  • Proprietary and macOS only
  • Automation features require the paid Powerpack
  • No official cross-platform or AI features

Prerequisites

  • macOS

Who it is for

  • Mac power users
  • People who prefer a one-time purchase over subscriptions

Alternatives & comparison

  • Hammerspoon

    Open-source macOS automation app that exposes system APIs to a Lua configuration file for hotkeys, window management and event-driven scripts

    Open sourceOpen source
  • Keyboard Maestro

    Commercial macOS macro application that runs sequences of actions from hotkeys, typed strings, application, time, device and system triggers

    ProprietaryPaid
  • Raycast

    Extensible launcher for macOS (with Windows and iOS versions) combining app search, clipboard history, snippets, window management and a store of community extensions

    MixedFreemium
Compare Alfred with its alternatives →

Sources & verification

Primary sources consulted for this record. Claims are tied to the fields each source supports; the automated link checker re-verifies every URL on a schedule.

Confidence
High
Reviewed
Nov 1, 2026
Links
Verified · Nov 2, 2026

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