Command Palette is part of the PowerToys suite and I find it convenient to use on my Windows PC. The launcher is not inferior to other offerings like Flow, and because it integrates with PowerToys ToolsIt has become a much more sensible option for my workflow. The main feature of Command Palette is centralized file access and searching, along with benefits like running shell commands, integration with the native package manager, and a few more features.
I wasn’t a fan of Raycast because I don’t use macOS. But when Raycast for Windows arrived, it piqued my interest. I decided to give it a try and realized how different it was from the Command Palette, which made me reconsider my decision.
Raycast and Command Palette solve the same problem
But with different approaches
If you find that the Windows search and app launch experience is mediocre, launcher programs can help improve it. However, apps like Command Palette or Raycast encourage a keyboard-based workflow. Like the Start menu, these startup tools become the gateway to applications and files on your system. You can search for files in any of these tools, integrate them with much faster search apps like Everything, or launch apps without opening the related menu or folder.
But the similarities end here. Command Palette focuses on integrating well with Windows and adding basic startup functions. You can’t use Command Palette without PowerToys, as Microsoft does not ship a standalone copy of the tool. While PowerToys has an exceptional arsenal of tools, it can seem bloated if you just want to use the launcher.
Raycast doesn’t share this burden and instead focuses on being an all-in-one productivity tool. Most of its features attempt to automate repetitive tasks and seem more polished than the Command Palette. Features like clipboard history, snippets, and quick links are just a few examples of how Raycast tries to be unique.
A simple right click after a file search shows the difference between the two tools. Command Palette offers options to copy the path, preview the file with PowerToys Peek, view its properties, and open it in the console. If you do the same in Raycast, you’ll find options to rename the file, create a quick link (an easy alias to find it again), use AI actions, share it, duplicate it, or even delete it, just to name a few. The file search tool within Raycast shows your search history and even a side panel with a preview and other details of the file. It’s sort of a mini File Explorer experience inside a launcher tool, where you get a lot more options than the Command Palette.
Raycast features are well thought out
Quick links, snippets and more
Quick Links are a simple bookmark-style feature that you can save and reuse. For example, if you visit some websites daily and want to open them in Raycast When necessary, you can do it withQuick links. But the command palette doesn’t have bookmarks? Yes, it does, but it is a basic version compared to what Raycast offers. I can customize Quicklink, add a URL, icons, and even an alias to avoid typing the full URL. Command Palette does not support aliases, but allows you to assign an optional name that will appear in searches. Quick links support data placeholders and give you more power over a specific page on the website. If you want to search for something on YouTube, you can add a data placeholder after the URL while editing the quick link.
Clipboard history is already part of Windows with cross-device syncing support. But Raycast’s Clipboard track record is better. It can remember and store all clipboard items and even preserve formatting. If you copy a Docker compose content of the file, Raycast will keep it intact. If you try to do the same with Windows clipboard history, it will not preserve all item types in the original format.
I can also create fragments of these blocks of code, or any other string of text, and then create aliases for them. Like Quicklinks, I can assign a name, alias, and hotkey to the snippet. Raycast Run also supports the same level of customization and I can assign a simple alias like DNS for ipconfig /flushdns. Doing so reduces the need to type long commands and only requires a one-time configuration. Raycast can also display all control panel applets, environment variables, and PATHS that are not available in the command palette. I can only reuse commands I ran before and the command palette needs improvement in this area. There is also a Script Commands feature that can run, save, and manage the execution of scripts, just like Run.
AI integration, extensions and useful utilities
Beyond the basics
Raycast has a full set of AI-related features and you can use it to generate images, summarize open browser pages, create and use agents, and more. Currently, the Beta version allows free access to all AI features, which will then be available only to paid users. you can change between AI models like claudioGPT and Gemini, and use custom AI commands, assigning them hotkeys and aliasesalso. They are good to use and useful if you use AI a lot for your daily tasks. If you don’t want AI integration, you can turn it off with a single button.
Raycast also has a free note-taking tool that syncs with your account. It works like sticky notessearchable, but supports Markdown. It’s a free feature that you can use to copy useful items and revisit them later. The free version limits you to a maximum of five notes, but I like the idea. Command Palette falls behind in these two areas and has an evolving extension store that is no match for Raycast.
Raycast is a better launcher
It’s hard to ignore that Raycast has better launch features than Command Palette. PowerToys is a great tool for adding missing features to Windows, but it’s not wise to opt for the Command Palette as a launcher if you crave polished features. I have noticed the marked difference between the two tools, their presentation, and I can’t resist Raycast anymore. The Command Palette has time to mature and you might revisit it as you refine existing tools like search and clipboard history.
