Work · alternatives · 2026

24 alternatives to SpaceLauncher for Mac

Hold spacebar while pressing a key to launch/switch apps

Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes. Prices are shown for the 1 we have checked on their own sites, 1 of them free or with a free tier. SpaceLauncher for Mac launched in 2017; newer entries below may have overtaken it.

1. 1
   Launchy for macOS▲168

   App Launcher Switcher | Dock and CMD-Tab alternative

   2025 · apps.apple.com · its alternatives →

2. 2
   Apptivate▲126

   Launch Mac apps with custom keyboard shortcuts

   2016 · apptivateapp.com · its alternatives →

3. 3
   Menu Launcher▲84

   Launch any file, folder or app from your Mac menu bar

   2019 · onmyway133.com · its alternatives →

4. 4
   One Thing▲138

   Put a single task or goal in your Mac's menu bar

   2022 · apps.apple.com · its alternatives →

5. 5
   WorkspacePro▲314

   Launch a bunch of macOS apps just with 1 shortcut or click!

   2019 · workspaceproapp.com · its alternatives →

6. 6
   SpacebarXfree tier, from $3.59/mo▲125

   A keyboard-first outliner for notes, tasks and projects

   Aug 2026 · spacebarx.app · its alternatives →

7. 7
   boringBar – a taskbar-style dock replacement for macOS▲520

   Hi HN! I recently switched from a Fedora/GNOME laptop to a MacBook Air. My old setup served me well as a portable workstation, but I’ve started traveling more while working remotely and needed something with similar performance but better battery life. The main thing I missed was a simple taskbar that shows the windows in the current workspace instead of a Dock that mixes everything together. I built boringBar so I would not have to use the Dock. It shows only the windows in the current Space, lets you switch Spaces by scrolling on the bar, and adds a desktop switcher so you can jump…

   Apr 2026 · boringbar.app · its alternatives →

8. 8
   LaunchBar 6▲104

   Meet the future of productivity

   2014 · obdev.at · its alternatives →

9. 9
   LaunchDeck▲77

   Launch Mac apps & sites with a hotkey and custom modes

   2025 · apps.apple.com · its alternatives →

10. 10
    TouchSwitcher▲319

    Switch between apps with just the Touch Bar

    2016 · hazeover.com · its alternatives →

11. 11
    One Switch▲218

    All your mac toggles in one place

    2019 · fireball.studio · its alternatives →

12. 12
    Waiting List▲131

    Create (and view) countdown timers in your Mac Menu Bar

    2017 · waitinglist.site · its alternatives →

13. 13
    Space Drop▲87

    A better drag & drop for Mac

    2017 · apps.apple.com · its alternatives →

14. 14
    MinuteBar▲128

    The minimal timer for productivity and screen sharing

    2018 · apps.apple.com · its alternatives →

15. 15
    Moves for macOS▲180

    Position macOS windows like a goddamn wizard ✨

    2020 · github.com · its alternatives →

16. 16
    Focused Task▲121

    Open source mac menubar app that helps you do deep work

    2020 · github.com · its alternatives →

17. 17
    SpacePigeon▲93

    I switch between a few different “modes” on my Mac every day (work, coding, meetings, personal stuff). Each time I’d end up reopening the same apps and dragging all the windows back into the right Spaces. Super repetitive and honestly kind of annoying. So over the past few weeks I hacked together a small open-source tool called SpacePigeon that basically remembers your whole workspace and puts everything back where it was. Things it can do: Save your current layout (apps + windows + Spaces) Restore it with one click or a hotkey Keep separate presets (like “Work”, “Coding”, “Meetings” etc.)…

    Nov 2025 · github.com · its alternatives →

18. 18
    Surfdeck▲125

    Your tabs, within reach.

    Aug 2026 · surfdeck.app · its alternatives →

19. 19
    ExtraBar▲152

    Hey Hacker News The ones that know me here know that I am a productivity geek. After DockFlow to manage my Dock and ExtraDock, which gives me more space to manage my apps and files, I decided to tackle the macOS big boss: the menu bar. I spend ~40% of my day context-switching between apps — Zoom meetings, Slack channels, Code projects, and Figma designs. My macOS menu bar has too many useless icons I almost never use. So I thought to myself, how can I use this area to improve my workflows? Most solutions (Bartender, Ice) require screen recording permissions, and did not really solve my…

    Dec 2025 · extrabar.app · its alternatives →

20. 20
    Stretch It▲120

    A minimalist gesture timer from your Mac menu bar

    2024 · apps.apple.com · its alternatives →

21. 21
    Astronaut▲105

    Launch webapps from your dock, in a click.

    2015 · its alternatives →

22. 22
    Command-Tab Plus▲248

    Keyboard-centric application switcher for your Mac ⌘

    2016 · commandtab.noteifyapp.com · its alternatives →

23. 23
    Now.app▲143

    Deploy to the cloud from your menubar

    2016 · vercel.com · its alternatives →

24. 24
    Hyperfocused▲148

    Deep work menubar app for macOS

    2023 · hyperfocused.app · its alternatives →

Ranked by how close each launch is in meaning, then by votes. Prices were read from each product’s own site when checked and can change. Refine with your own description →