Software Alternatives & Startups

LaunchBar VS rcmd

Compare LaunchBar VS rcmd and see what are their differences

LaunchBar logo LaunchBar

Start with a single keyboard shortcut to access and control every aspect of your digital life. Use LaunchBar and improve your workflow now.

rcmd logo rcmd

rcmd makes app switching instantaneous!When you have a lot of apps open, finding and switching to them might feel too slow using Command-Tab or the Dock.Hold down the right side |⌘ command| and press the first letter of the app name to focus it.
  • LaunchBar Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-03
  • rcmd Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-11-22

Put that right Command key to good use

Hold down ⌘ command and press the first letter of the app name to focus apps instantly.

When pressing the key while the app is already focused, you can choose to hide the app or cycle to the next app with the same first letter.

Assign custom keys for your favorite apps

Hold down ⌘ command + ⌥ option and press any letter to assign that letter to the currently focused app.

When an app is in the static list:

  • the assigned key can launch the app when it isn't running
  • the Hide/Cycle setting can be adjusted on a per-app basis.

LaunchBar

Website
obdev.at
$ Details
-
Platforms
-
Release Date
-

rcmd

$ Details
paid $12.99 / One-off
Platforms
Mac OSX
Release Date
2021 November

LaunchBar features and specs

  • Efficiency
    LaunchBar allows fast access to applications, documents, bookmarks, and more, significantly increasing productivity and reducing the time you spend searching for files.
  • Integration
    The tool integrates well with numerous macOS applications and services, providing a unified interface for various tasks.
  • Customizability
    Users can customize keyboard shortcuts and create their own scripts and workflows, tailoring the tool to their specific needs.
  • Feature-rich
    LaunchBar includes numerous features such as clipboard history, quick calculations, and contact search, offering comprehensive functionality beyond simple app launching.
  • User-friendly Interface
    Provides a clean and intuitive interface that reduces the learning curve for new users while maintaining efficiency for experienced users.

Possible disadvantages of LaunchBar

  • Learning Curve
    While it offers many features, new users might find the initial setup and understanding of all its functionalities somewhat complex.
  • Cost
    LaunchBar is a paid application, which might be a deterrent for users seeking free alternatives for application launching and management.
  • Overwhelming for Basic Users
    Users looking for a simple application launcher might find its broad set of features excessive and overwhelming.
  • Resource Usage
    Running in the background, it might use more system resources compared to a standard application launcher, which could be a concern for those with older hardware.

rcmd features and specs

  • Instant app switching
  • Dynamic hotkeys based on app usage
  • Launch apps when not running

Analysis of rcmd

Overall verdict

  • Overall, RCMD is positively reviewed by users who appreciate its simplicity and functionality. It is especially favored by those who work in environments where command line operations are common, and who seek to enhance their workflow.

Why this product is good

  • RCMD, provided by Lowtechguys.com, is generally considered good for users looking for a simple and efficient command line tool for reducing repetitive tasks and improving productivity. It offers a streamlined interface and valuable features for those who frequently manage multiple commands and scripts.

Recommended for

    RCMD is recommended for developers, system administrators, and tech enthusiasts who rely on command line tools and need an effective way to run and manage multiple commands efficiently.

LaunchBar videos

Launchbar - My #1 Time Saver

More videos:

  • Review - Mac Productivity: Launchbar 6 vs. Alfred 2
  • Review - Be More Productive with LaunchBar, Part 1

rcmd videos

rcmd App Demo

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to LaunchBar and rcmd)
Productivity
40 40%
60% 60
Mac
27 27%
73% 73
App Launcher
100 100%
0% 0
Window Manager
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using LaunchBar and rcmd. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare LaunchBar and rcmd

LaunchBar Reviews

4 Best Spotlight Alternatives to Increase Your Mac’s Functionality
LaunchBar lets you look up documents, apps, and bookmarks using short abbreviations, albeit it isn’t as fast at returning results as the other two app launchers. In addition, it has a powerful file manager, which lets you query file metadata and perform operations like copying, moving, and renaming files and folders easily.
Source: techpp.com

rcmd Reviews

  1. Easier and faster to navigate through apps

    Since I managed to get used with this app I can't imagine a day of work without it. Incredible powerful and easy to use / configure.

    Pros:    Increases your productivity
    Cons:    You need a little time to get used with it
  2. Stan
    · Founder at SaaSHub ·
    A useful productivity tool

    rcmd is something that could potentially turbocharge your productivity. However! you will need to get used to using it.

    My only issue is that I forget about it ¯_(ツ)_/¯

    Pros:    Improves your productivity
    Cons:    It's super easy to forget that it exists

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, rcmd should be more popular than LaunchBar. It has been mentiond 49 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

LaunchBar mentions (9)

  • macOS Tips and Tricks
    Launchbar[0] is also still around - not actively developed, but actively maintained. Happy user since 10 years already, even though I own a lifetime Alfred license. [0]: https://obdev.at/products/launchbar/index.html. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • You're using function keys wrong
    I've been doing this for >10 years with https://manytricks.com/butler/. Works great! You can also bind snippets of text, scripts, etc. I can't overstate how important it is to have a keyboard that groups function keys into "islands" of (generally) 4 so you can touch-type them. An ergonomics consultant once observed that the source of my neck pain was that I looked at the keyboard while typing. As a touch-typist, I... - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago
  • Maccy is an open source lightweight and searchable clipboard manager for macOS
    LaunchBar[0], which predates Alfred but is similar in function, also has a fantastic searchable clipboard manager. LaunchBar's manager includes a feature that I've not been able to find in any other clipboard manager: a push/pop stack. With this feature you can, for example, copy a bunch of different items from a web page on to the stack, then paste them sequentially in a web form and pop them from the stack so... - Source: Hacker News / about 4 years ago
  • What apps do you install on your MacBook Pro to improve performance and usability?
    LaunchBar is something I personally find a more useful and better considered tool than Alfred, though they're aimed at doing the same thing. It also comes with a great clipboard persister and manager. Every time you start doing things in LaunchBar, you can type a couple of letters to filter the list of candidates down, which means juggling a 100 item clipboard history becomes very easy to manage. Source: about 5 years ago
  • Clipboard app for regularly used text
    I use the one integrated into Launchbar. Source: about 5 years ago
View more

rcmd mentions (49)

  • What's new in Claude Fable 5.1
    It took every string including the ones I already rewrote by hand, and proposed even more weird LLM speak. Like for _Left Command conflict detected_ it proposed _This keyboard can't tell left from right_. It's a very capable coding agent, but I can't understand how it can be so bad at writing. Where are all these verbal tics coming from and why is it so hard to get rid of them? [0] https://lowtechguys.com/rcmd. - Source: Hacker News / 8 days ago
  • Show HN: I built a grouped app switcher for macOS
    I downloaded. This looks like an interesting alternative to rcmd (https://lowtechguys.com/rcmd/). Will future updates cost? - Source: Hacker News / 12 months ago
  • Show HN: I built a tool to solve window management once and for all
    Funny, this sounds like a good idea, but I'm quite happy with the exact opposite: I use rcmd[1]. I hold down the right command key and press the first letter of the window name to switch to it. I can override this dynamic mapping by pressing right command + option + , so I have an IM client on I, for example. It means I never have to remember/guess how command+tab works (although I had fewer issues with... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Mac browser Arc being discontinued in favor of new Dia app
    Might not meet your needs but I had similar issues and found an app called rcmd, it lets me easily bind keybinds to my commonly used apps, and you can also easily toggle between multiple windows of the same app via the keyboard https://lowtechguys.com/rcmd/ - no affiliation, and probably other similar options are available. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • The Future Is Niri
    [rcmd - Switch apps instantly using the ⌘ Right Command key](https://lowtechguys.com/rcmd/). - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing LaunchBar and rcmd, you can also consider the following products

Raycast - Fastest way to control Jira, GitHub and other web apps

Contexts - Switch between application windows effortlessly — with Fast Search, a better Command-Tab, a Sidebar or even a quick gesture. Free trial available.

Alfred - Alfred is an award-winning app for macOS which boosts your efficiency with hotkeys, keywords, text expansion and more. Search your Mac and the web, and be more productive with custom actions to control your Mac.

Lunar.fyi - Control monitor brightness, adapt using the ambient light sensor, adjust volume, switch inputs and turn off displays without fiddling with clunky buttons.

Quicksilver - Quicksilver is a fast and free Mac OS X productivity application that gives you the power to control your Mac quickly and elegantly. Quicksilver learns your habits, making your everyday chores simple and efficient.

yabai - A tiling window manager for macOS based on binary space partitioning