LaunchieMac Launcher Comparison
Launchie vs LaunchOS
Both bring back a visual app launcher after macOS 26 Tahoe removed Launchpad. LaunchOS rebuilds the old Launchpad as closely as it can. Launchie keeps what people actually missed and reworks the rest for how macOS looks today.
Pick LaunchOS if
- you want the old Launchpad back as literally as possible, pages and all
- you have a carefully curated Launchpad layout to import
- you want the F4 key to open it
- buying outside the App Store does not bother you
Pick Launchie if
- you want to buy through the Mac App Store, with Apple handling payment and refunds
- you want separate workspaces for work and everything else
- you want recent, frequent and new apps a row above the grid
- you would rather scroll one grid than flip through pages
Side by side
| Launchie | LaunchOS | |
|---|---|---|
| Mac App Store | Yes, plus a direct download and a Homebrew cask | No. Direct download only, sold through Paddle |
| Price | Free, with an optional Pro upgrade | Free Basic plan; Pro is a lifetime licence at $11.99 for one Mac, $18.99 for two, $35.99 for five |
| Try before you buy | Free tier, no time limit | Free tier plus a 7-day Pro trial |
| Layout | One vertically scrolling grid, or a list view | Pages you flip through, like the old Launchpad, with vertical scrolling as an option |
| Import your old Launchpad layout | No | Yes |
| 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 |
| Hot corner | Yes, in Pro | Yes, in Pro, plus the F4 key |
| Trackpad gesture | Yes, in Pro, in the direct version | Yes |
| Hide apps | Yes, in Pro | Yes, in Pro |
| Back up and restore your layout | Yes, in Pro | Yes |
| Requires | macOS 26 Tahoe | macOS 26 Tahoe |
| App languages | Multilingual, including German | Multilingual, including German |
| Public rating | 4.6 out of 5 from 141 Mac App Store ratings | No public store rating, because the app is not on the App Store |
Both apps keep some features for their paid tier; check each pricing page for the current split. LaunchOS details come from their website and Mac App Store listing, checked September 2026. Prices and features change - check theirs before you buy.
A replica, or a launcher built for macOS 26
LaunchOS sells fidelity: its own pitch is "Bring Back the Launchpad You Know", and it earns that. Pages, folders and the flipping motion are where it puts its effort.
Launchie starts from a different question: which parts of Launchpad did people actually miss? Folders, browsing by eye, and opening an app without typing its name. Around those, it uses the vertical scrolling that macOS 26 itself moved to, and adds a Quick Access row for recent, frequent and new apps.
Spaces: the part Launchpad never had
Launchie's Spaces are separate sections, each holding its own subset of apps and folders - work in one, personal in another - so a large app library stops being one long wall of icons. LaunchOS has no equivalent. If you only ever want your old grid back, that will not matter to you. If your Mac does two different jobs, it is the difference.
Where you buy it
LaunchOS is a direct download only, paid through Paddle. That is a perfectly normal way to sell Mac software, and it lets an app do things Apple's sandbox forbids.
Launchie is on the Mac App Store, so Apple reviews each update, payment and refunds run through your Apple Account, and the app is on every Mac you sign in to. There is also a direct download and a Homebrew cask if you prefer those. It is the same app either way - the choice of route is yours, not ours.
Where LaunchOS is stronger
- It recreates the old Launchpad more literally. If you want the same pages and the same flipping motion, that is what LaunchOS is built for.
- It imports your old Launchpad layout, so a curated arrangement survives the move. Launchie cannot do that yet.
- It can open on the F4 key, the way Launchpad did.
- Lifetime licences for two or five Macs, if you want to pay once for the whole household.
Questions people ask
Is LaunchOS on the Mac App Store?
No. LaunchOS is sold as a direct download through Paddle, and its FAQ explains that App Store rules are the reason. Launchie is on the Mac App Store, and also available as a direct download and a Homebrew cask, so you can pick the route you trust.
Can I import my old Launchpad layout?
LaunchOS can import it. Launchie cannot, so you arrange your apps once, in folders or Spaces, and Launchie remembers that arrangement and can back it up.
Which one is cheaper?
Both have a free version with no time limit. LaunchOS sells Pro as a lifetime licence priced per number of Macs, from $11.99 for one. Launchie Pro is an optional upgrade with a one-time and a subscription option. For a single Mac the two land close together, so pick on how the app works rather than on price.
Does either one page through apps like the old Launchpad?
LaunchOS does, and that is its main selling point. Launchie scrolls vertically instead, the way the Apps view in macOS 26 does, and adds folders and Spaces on top of it.
Try Launchie for free
The free version has no time limit, so you can decide with your own apps in front of you, then upgrade to Pro if you want the extras.