Wox alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Wox: v2 rewrite is young and still maturing, and smaller plugin library than Raycast or Alfred. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Wox, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Flow Launcher currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#	App	Pricing	Open source	Platforms	Verified facts	Score
1	Albert	Free	No	Linux, macOS	4 of 4	59.6
2	Ulauncher	Open source	Yes	Linux	5 of 5	57.2

1. AlbertTop pick
Best for: Linux users who want a very fast launcher with a curated plugin set
FreeLinux, macOS
59.6
score / 100
Why switch from Wox
Fast plugin-based launcher for Linux and macOS.
Pros
Very fast native C++ app
Curated, maintained plugins included
Extensions in C++ or Python
Cons
Custom source-available licence, not a standard open-source one
No Windows version
macOS build is unsigned and installed via Homebrew
Visit Albert Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.377
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.1585
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Albert a good Wox alternative?
Verified facts
4 of 4 verified
License
Albert license v1.1 (source-available)
Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
Platforms
Linux and macOS
Checked Oct 25, 2026albertlauncher.github.io(opens source in a new tab)
macOS install
Homebrew tap
Checked Oct 25, 2026albertlauncher.github.io(opens source in a new tab)
Linux packages
Arch, Debian, Fedora, openSUSE, Ubuntu
Checked Oct 25, 2026albertlauncher.github.io(opens source in a new tab)
2. Ulauncher
Best for: Linux desktop users who want a simple, good-looking launcher with extensions
Open sourceLinux
57.2
score / 100
Why switch from Wox
Simple, themeable launcher focused on Linux desktops.
Pros
Fuzzy search that learns your choices
Python extensions and custom color themes
Packages for most major distributions
Cons
Linux only
Stable v5 gets no new features while v6 is rewritten
Some extensions are unmaintained
Visit Ulauncher Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.369
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.1585
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Ulauncher a good Wox alternative?
Verified facts
5 of 5 verified
License
GPL-3.0
Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
Platforms
Linux
Checked Oct 25, 2026ulauncher.io(opens source in a new tab)
Fuzzy search
Yes
Checked Oct 25, 2026ulauncher.io(opens source in a new tab)
Themes
Four built-in, plus custom
Checked Oct 25, 2026ulauncher.io(opens source in a new tab)
Development status
v5 maintenance only, v6 in progress
Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Wox alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Best Wox alternative for most people

Flow Launcher

A more established Windows launcher with a large plugin store.

Best Wox alternative for a free option

Albert

Fast plugin-based launcher for Linux and macOS.

Best Wox alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Raycast

More polished with a bigger extension store, on macOS and Windows.

Best Wox alternative for open source

Ulauncher

Simple, themeable launcher focused on Linux desktops.

Best Wox alternative for Mac

Alfred

Mature Mac launcher with clipboard history and Workflows, for Wox users who mostly work on macOS.

Best Wox alternative for Windows

Microsoft PowerToys

Microsoft's free toolkit includes a plugin-based Windows launcher plus many other utilities in one install.

Best Wox alternative for Linux

Albert

Fast plugin-based launcher for Linux and macOS.

Wox alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Wox?

Flow Launcher ranks first right now. A more established Windows launcher with a large plugin store. Raycast and Albert follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Wox?

Yes. Flow Launcher (open source), Raycast (free plan + paid), Albert (free) and Ulauncher (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Wox?

Yes: Flow Launcher, Ulauncher and Microsoft PowerToys.

Which Wox alternatives work on Linux?

Albert and Ulauncher run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Wox?

The complaints we hear most: v2 rewrite is young and still maturing; smaller plugin library than Raycast or Alfred; fewer ready-made integrations with popular work apps.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Wox, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.