LaunchieMac Launcher Comparison
Launchie vs LaunchOS vs AppGrid
The three visual Launchpad replacements for macOS 26 Tahoe and macOS 27, side by side. Each is the right pick for someone - here is who.
Pick LaunchOS
for the old Launchpad, as literally as possible
- Pages you flip through, like the original
- Imports your old Launchpad layout
- Opens on the F4 key
- Direct download only, sold through Paddle
Pick AppGrid
for older Macs and very large app libraries
- Runs on macOS 14.6 and newer
- Imports your Launchpad layout, even for free
- Fastest in the Mac & i test
- The App Store version leaves out some features
Pick Launchie
for a launcher built for how macOS 26 and 27 work
- Spaces: separate app pages for work and everything else
- Quick Access row for recent, frequent and new apps
- Unlimited folders in the free version
- Mac App Store with Family Sharing, or a direct licence for five Macs
Side by side
| Launchie | LaunchOS | AppGrid | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mac App Store | Yes, plus a direct download and a Homebrew cask | No. Direct download only, sold through Paddle | 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: $14.99 once, or monthly or yearly on the Mac App Store | Free Basic plan; Pro is a lifetime licence at $11.99 for one Mac, $18.99 for two, $35.99 for five | Free core features; Pro is $25 once, covering five Macs |
| One Pro purchase covers | Direct download: up to five Macs per licence key. Mac App Store: every Mac on your Apple Account, and your family through Family Sharing | One, two or five Macs, depending on the licence you buy | Five Macs |
| Layout | One vertically scrolling grid, or a list view | Pages you flip through, like the old Launchpad, with vertical scrolling as an option | Pages you flip through, like the old Launchpad |
| Import your old Launchpad layout | No | Yes | Yes, in the free version |
| Folders | Yes, as many as you like, in the free version | Yes | Yes |
| Separate workspaces | Yes, Spaces | No | No |
| Quick access to recent, frequent and new apps | Yes, a row above the grid you can switch or hide | No | No |
| Hot corner | Yes, in Pro | Yes, in Pro, plus the F4 key | Yes, in Pro, in the direct version |
| Trackpad gesture | Yes, in Pro, in the direct version | Yes | Yes, in Pro, in the direct version |
| Back up and restore your layout | Yes, in Pro | Yes | Yes, in Pro |
| Requires | macOS 26 Tahoe | macOS 26 Tahoe | macOS 14.6 or newer |
| 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 | 3.8 out of 5 from 55 Mac App Store ratings |
LaunchOS and AppGrid details come from launchosapp.com, appgridmac.com and their Mac App Store listings, checked September 2026. Prices are in US dollars and change - check each site before you buy.
What one Pro purchase gets you
LaunchOS prices Pro by the number of Macs: $11.99 for one, $18.99 for two, $35.99 for five. AppGrid charges $25 once for five Macs.
Launchie Pro is $14.99 once. Bought as a direct download, one licence key unlocks up to five Macs. Bought on the Mac App Store, it follows your Apple Account to every Mac you sign in to, and Family Sharing extends it to up to five family members. If you would rather not pay upfront, the App Store also offers it monthly or yearly.
Pages or one grid
LaunchOS and AppGrid both bring back Launchpad's pages, and both can import the layout you had. If your old arrangement is precious and you want it exactly as it was, start with one of them.
Launchie scrolls one grid vertically, the way macOS 26 itself moved to, and adds Spaces - separate sections for work, personal or projects - plus a Quick Access row for recent, frequent and new apps. Neither of the others has an equivalent.
Where each one is stronger
LaunchOS
- 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.
- It can be bought per number of Macs, from one to five, so a single-Mac licence is a little cheaper than Launchie Pro.
AppGrid
- 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 adds multi-select and bulk sorting, handy for tidying a big library quickly.
Questions people ask
Which Launchpad replacement is the cheapest?
All three have a free version with no time limit. For Pro, LaunchOS starts at $11.99 for one Mac, AppGrid is $25 once for five Macs, and Launchie is $14.99 once (or monthly or yearly on the App Store). Launchie's direct licence covers five Macs, and its App Store purchase is shared with your family through Family Sharing, so for a household it is the cheapest of the three.
Which ones are on the Mac App Store?
Launchie and AppGrid. Launchie is the same app in every version, apart from trackpad gestures, which need the direct download. AppGrid's App Store version leaves out features that macOS sandboxing blocks. LaunchOS is a direct download only.
Which one can import my old Launchpad layout?
LaunchOS and AppGrid can. Launchie cannot, so you arrange your apps once in folders or Spaces, and Launchie remembers the layout.
Which one works on macOS 15 Sequoia or older?
AppGrid, which runs on macOS 14.6 and newer. Launchie and LaunchOS need macOS 26 Tahoe - on older macOS you still have the original Launchpad.
Do any of them page through apps like the old Launchpad?
LaunchOS and AppGrid both use pages. Launchie scrolls one grid vertically, like the Apps view in macOS 26, and adds Spaces for separating groups of apps.
Try Launchie for free
The free version has no time limit and unlimited folders, so you can decide with your own apps in front of you.