Raycast for Windows, and the alternatives
Yes, Raycast runs on Windows now. It supports Windows 10 (21H2 and later) and Windows 11, it is free to download, and Raycast says it is still bringing its Mac features across. If you want AI, clipboard history, snippets and window management in one app, try Raycast first. If you want a launcher with no AI, no account and no subscription, Nudge is $4.99 once, or $2.99 during early access.
The other well known options on Windows are PowerToys Run and Command Palette from Microsoft, and Flow Launcher. All three are free. I compare Nudge with them on their own pages.
Raycast on Windows vs Nudge
Where Raycast is the better pick, the table says so.
Who should pick which
Pick Raycast if
- You also use a Mac and want the same launcher on both.
- You want AI in your launcher.
- You want clipboard history, snippets and window management today.
- You want a large extension store.
Pick Nudge if
- You want no AI, no account and no subscription.
- You want nothing you type to leave your PC.
- You want a launcher made only for Windows, with Everything file search built in.
- You want to pay once and be done.
Questions people ask before they switch.
Is Raycast available for Windows?
Yes. Raycast offers a Windows download for Windows 10 (21H2 and later) and Windows 11, free to use, with paid plans for AI and sync. Raycast says it is still bringing features from its Mac app across.
Does Nudge have AI?
No, and it will not. Nudge answers from your own PC: apps, files, math, conversions, system commands. There is no chat box and nothing you type is sent to a model.
Why is it paid?
So someone looks after it. The one-time price pays for fixes, every v1 update and a support email that gets answered. There is no subscription. Later there will be one optional add-on, Nudge+, sold on its own; the launcher never needs it.
What data leaves my PC?
Nothing you type. There is no account and no tracking. Nudge only goes online to activate your licence and check it once a week, to look for updates, to list plugins, and to get the day's exchange rates when you convert currency. The rate request is the same for every user and carries nothing about you, and Settings → Privacy → Network features turns it off. The privacy policy lists each one.
Press Alt+Space. Type. Get the answer.
$2.99 during early access, then $4.99. Paid once, plus tax where it applies. No account, no subscription, and a refund within 14 days if it is not for you.