LaunchieMac Launcher Comparison
Launchie vs AppGrid
Two ways to get a visual app launcher back on the Mac. AppGrid rebuilds Launchpad's pages and reaches back to older macOS versions. Launchie scrolls one grid, adds Spaces and a quick access row, and needs macOS 26.
Pick AppGrid if
- your Mac runs something older than macOS 26
- you want your old Launchpad layout imported
- you want pages to flip through rather than a scrolling grid
- you are tidying a huge library and want multi-select and bulk sorting
Pick Launchie if
- you want separate workspaces through Spaces
- you want recent, frequent and new apps in a row above the grid
- you want the same features on the App Store and the direct build
- you want a launcher that suits how macOS 26 already looks
Side by side
| Launchie | AppGrid | |
|---|---|---|
| Mac App Store | Yes, plus a direct download and a Homebrew cask | Yes, though the App Store version leaves out features that macOS sandboxing blocks; the direct version has all of them |
| Price | Free, with an optional Pro upgrade | Free core features; Pro is $25 once, covering five Macs |
| Layout | One vertically scrolling grid, or a list view | Pages you flip through, like the old Launchpad |
| Import your old Launchpad layout | No | Yes, in the free version |
| Folders | Yes, as many as you like, in the free version | Yes |
| Separate workspaces | Yes, Spaces | No |
| Quick access to recent, frequent and new apps | Yes, a row above the grid you can switch or hide | No |
| Sorting | Manual, alphabetical, newest, oldest or most used | Manual and alphabetical, with bulk sorting and an AI rearrange in Pro |
| Hot corner | Yes, in Pro | Yes, in Pro, in the direct version |
| Trackpad gesture | Yes, in Pro, in the direct version | Yes, in Pro, in the direct version |
| Back up and restore your layout | Yes, in Pro | Yes, in Pro |
| Requires | macOS 26 Tahoe | macOS 14.6 or newer |
| Public rating | 4.6 out of 5 from 141 Mac App Store ratings | 3.8 out of 5 from 55 Mac App Store ratings |
Both apps keep some features for their paid tier; check each pricing page for the current split. AppGrid details come from their website and Mac App Store listing, checked September 2026. Prices and features change - check theirs before you buy.
Pages, or one grid you scroll
AppGrid puts your apps on pages, the way Launchpad did. If your hands remember that the third page held your design tools, that muscle memory still works.
Launchie scrolls one grid, or shows a list, and sorts by name, age or how often you open something. Instead of pages it gives you Spaces: separate sections, each with its own subset of apps and folders, so work and everything else do not share a wall of icons.
Which Macs each one runs on
AppGrid supports macOS 14.6 and newer. Launchie requires macOS 26 Tahoe. If you are staying on an older release, that decides it for you, and AppGrid is the honest answer.
The same app, wherever you get it
AppGrid's App Store build leaves out what Apple's sandbox blocks, and its site points buyers to the direct version for everything. Launchie's App Store and direct builds carry the same features; only the separate helper for the trackpad gesture is limited to the direct build. Nothing else is held back to push you towards one route.
What people rate them
On the US Mac App Store, Launchie sits at 4.6 out of 5 from 141 ratings; AppGrid at 3.8 from 55. Ratings are not a verdict on features, but they are the largest sample either app has.
Where AppGrid is stronger
- It runs on macOS 14.6 and newer, so it works on Macs that never got Tahoe. Launchie needs macOS 26.
- It imports your old Launchpad layout, including in the free version.
- Mac & i measured it as the fastest of the seven launchers it tested, even with very large app collections.
- Pro is one $25 payment for five Macs, with multi-select and bulk sorting for tidying a big library quickly.
Questions people ask
Which one works on older macOS versions?
AppGrid does. It supports macOS 14.6 and newer, so it runs on Macs that never moved to Tahoe. Launchie requires macOS 26, because it is built on what that release introduced.
Can I import my old Launchpad layout?
AppGrid can import it, even in its free version. Launchie cannot, so you arrange apps once - in folders or Spaces - and Launchie keeps that layout and can back it up and restore it.
Is the Mac App Store version of AppGrid the full app?
No. AppGrid says its App Store build leaves out features that macOS sandboxing blocks, such as uninstalling apps, and points buyers to its direct version for the complete set. Launchie ships the same features on the App Store and through its direct download; only the trackpad gesture helper is exclusive to the direct build.
Which is faster with a very large app library?
Mac & i measured AppGrid as the fastest of the seven launchers in its December 2025 test. That test used Launchie 1.2.6; several releases of performance work have shipped since. If you have many hundreds of apps, try both - the free versions are enough to tell.
Try Launchie for free
Both apps are free to try with no time limit, so install them and see which one you keep.