Flow Launcher

A free, open-source app launcher and file search tool for Windows with a community plugin store.

Verified facts: 5 of 5
Alternatives ranked: 5
Approved reviews: 0
Visits sent from here: 0

About Flow Launcher

Flow Launcher is a Windows launcher in the spirit of Alfred: press a hotkey (Alt+Space by default), type, and open apps, files, bookmarks, Windows settings or web searches. File search can use either the Everything search engine or Windows Search, so results across large drives come back quickly. It also runs shell and PowerShell commands, handles system commands like restart and sleep, and has a built-in calculator. A plugin store adds community plugins for things like Spotify control, Steam games, Obsidian notes and GitHub notifications, and plugins can be written in C#, F#, Python, JavaScript or TypeScript. Themes and a theme builder let you change the look. It is free, open source under the MIT licence, needs no account, and installs via installer, portable zip, WinGet, Scoop or Chocolatey. It only runs on Windows 10 and later. Being community-run, plugin quality varies and it lacks the built-in clipboard and snippet tools of some commercial launchers.

Best for: Windows users who want an Alfred-style launcher that is free and extensible.

What works

Free and open source with no account
Fast file search through Everything or Windows Search
Plugin store with plugins in several languages
Portable and package-manager installs

Why people leave

Windows only
Plugin quality varies
No built-in clipboard history or snippets

Top Flow Launcher alternatives

See all 5

1
Microsoft PowerToys
Microsoft's free bundle includes the Command Palette launcher plus window zones and key remapping.
66.5
2
Wox
Open-source launcher that also runs on macOS and Linux.
62.6
3
Listary
Lighter launcher centred on instant file search and file dialog switching.
59.6
4
Raycast
Polished launcher with built-in clipboard history and snippets, now on Windows.
57.2
5
Albert
Open-source keyboard launcher with plugins for Linux and macOS, for Flow Launcher users moving off Windows.
55.3

Why people left Flow Launcher

In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.

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Flow Launcher: common questions

Is Flow Launcher free?

Yes. Flow Launcher is free, open-source software.

Is Flow Launcher open source?

Yes. The source code is on GitHub at Flow-Launcher/Flow.Launcher.

What platforms does Flow Launcher run on?

Flow Launcher is available for Windows.

What are the best alternatives to Flow Launcher?

The highest-ranked Flow Launcher alternatives right now are Microsoft PowerToys, Wox and Listary. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 5 Flow Launcher alternatives

Flow Launcher facts

5 of 5 verified

License: MIT; Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab); “License: MIT (MIT License).”
Price: Free and open source; Checked Oct 25, 2026flowlauncher.com(opens source in a new tab); “Flow Launcher is a free and open-source software Support this project.”
Platforms: Windows 10 and later; Checked Oct 25, 2026flowlauncher.com(opens source in a new tab); “Supports Windows 10+”
Plugin languages: C#, F#, Python, JavaScript, TypeScript; Checked Oct 25, 2026flowlauncher.com(opens source in a new tab); “Write your own plugins in C#, F#, Python, JavaScript, or TypeScript.”
File search: Everything or Windows Search; Checked Oct 25, 2026flowlauncher.com(opens source in a new tab); “Search Files Use Everything or Windows Search to find files”