smolcast
Open source
Best for built-in clipboard, emoji and snippets
smolcast vs Flow Launcher
Flow Launcher grows with plugins and searches inside files through Everything. smolcast has no plugins and builds clipboard history, emoji and snippets in.
Updated Checked against its README and releases (v2.1.4). Sources
Flow Launcher
Open-source community
Best for plugins and deep file search
Feature by feature
Bold marks where smolcast comes out ahead, and only where the other side publishes the fact.
| smolcast | Flow Launcher | |
|---|---|---|
| The basics | ||
| Price | Free | Free |
| Source | Open source (MIT) | Open source (MIT) |
| Runs on | Windows 11 | Windows 10 and 11 |
| Account | None | None |
| Default hotkey | CtrlAltSpace | AltSpace |
| Features | ||
| Clipboard history | Built inText and images. Encrypted on disk (the better pick) | Plugin |
| Snippets | Built inFind by name or keyword. No auto-expand (the better pick) | No |
| Emoji picker | Built inEvery emoji, in color (the better pick) | No |
| File search | Built inThrough Windows Search | Built inNames and contents, via Everything |
| Calculator | Built inUnits too. Enter pastes | Built inCopies the result |
| Quicklinks | Built inKeywords with {query} | Web searches |
| Extensions | NoScripts and quicklinks instead | Plugin storeC#, Python, JS and more |
| AI | No | No |
| Window management | No | No |
| Under the hood | ||
| Download | 7 MB, one .exeNo installer (the better pick) | 97 MB installer |
| Idle | 0% CPU while hidden | Not published |
| Privacy | No telemetryOne daily update check, can be turned off | See the project |
Pick the one that fits
Go with smolcast if
- You want clipboard, emoji and snippets out of the box
- You want unit conversions that paste on Enter
- You want one small .exe and nothing else
- You’d rather not manage plugins
Go with Flow Launcher if
- You want plugins, or to write your own
- You use Everything and search inside files
- You want themes and browser bookmarks
- You’re on Windows 10
Coming from Flow Launcher
-
Web searchesQuicklinks with a
{query}URL, and every search ends with your engine - Shell commandsTracked script files, each with an optional hotkey
- HotkeyCtrlAltSpace by default, so it won’t fight Flow’s AltSpace
Try smolcast
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