Raycast

Raycast is a keyboard-first productivity launcher for macOS and Windows with built-in tools, AI features, and community extensions.

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Overview

Raycast is an extendable launcher for macOS and Windows that brings together productivity tools, shortcuts, and community extensions in one keyboard-first interface. It is designed to let people open apps, search, manage clipboard items, trigger workflows, and access information without leaving the launcher.

The product positions itself as a productivity layer for both individual and organizational use. The site highlights built-in features such as Clipboard History and Window Management, plus AI tools, snippets, quicklinks, and a store of thousands of extensions for additional workflows.

Core features

Built-in productivity tools

Raycast combines built-in tools such as Clipboard History, Calendar, Window Management, Quicklinks, Calculator, and Snippets in one launcher so common actions stay in a single command surface.

Extendable extension store

The Store and extension system lets users add thousands of community-built extensions, extending the launcher beyond the core feature set.

Local clipboard management

Clipboard History stores copied text, images, colors, and links locally, with encrypted storage and automatic ignoring of password-manager copies and transient data.

Keyboard-driven shortcuts

Quicklinks and Hotkeys let users launch apps, URLs, and workflows from aliases or keyboard shortcuts instead of navigating menus.

AI-assisted workflows

Raycast AI adds Quick AI, always-on chat, and AI Commands for asking questions, drafting content, or automating repetitive tasks from the desktop.

Developer extension platform

Developers can build extensions with React, TypeScript, and Node, then publish them to the Raycast Store.

Common use cases

Daily desktop navigation
Use Raycast to launch apps, search content, run commands, and jump between frequent actions from the keyboard instead of opening separate utilities.
Clipboard recall and reuse
Use Clipboard History to recover earlier copied items, pin entries you reuse often, and keep text, images, colors, and links organized locally on your Mac.
Workflow automation
Use Quicklinks, Hotkeys, Snippets, and AI Commands to automate repetitive tasks such as inserting templates, opening URLs, or triggering recurring workflows.
Extending team and personal workflows
Use the Store and extension framework to add tools for tasks like issue tracking, translation, browser control, note taking, and calendar-related work.
Shared organizational workflows
Use the team-oriented plans to share snippets, quicklinks, commands, and custom extensions across an organization.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Combines many everyday productivity tools in one launcher, including clipboard management, window management, snippets, and quicklinks.
Supports both personal and organizational use, including free access for teams in the free plan.
Stores clipboard data locally and encrypts it on the user’s hard drive.
Offers a large extension ecosystem and developer tooling for custom workflows.
Includes AI features for search, chat, and command automation.

Cons

Some AI capabilities are only available with the paid Pro plan, and the Advanced AI models are a separate add-on.
The free Team plan has limits on shared Snippets, Quicklinks, and Commands.
The source pages do not fully document every integration or workflow, so some use cases depend on browsing the Store or extensions individually.

FAQ

Does Raycast have a free team plan?

Raycast offers a free personal plan and also Team plans for organizational use. The pricing page says the free plan does not expire for teams, though team usage has limits on shared Snippets, Quicklinks, and Commands.

Can Raycast be used for organizational or corporate work?

Yes. Raycast says its Free and Team plans can be used in corporate environments, and you do not need to upgrade to a paid tier to use the free features for an organization.

Can I buy Raycast Pro without AI?

No. The pricing page says Pro plans include AI. You can turn AI off in Settings, but the Pro plan itself always includes it.

How do I start using a core feature like Clipboard History?

Raycast lets you install and use the Clipboard History extension, enable it from the Extensions panel, and optionally assign a hotkey or alias for faster access.

Does Raycast have a student discount?

Yes. Raycast offers a 50% discount on the Pro plan for verified students. The discount does not apply to the Advanced AI add-on.