RA
Tool
Freemium
Beginner friendly
Easy
Raycast
A fast launcher for shortcuts, commands, and AI help.
Raycast is useful for people who want faster access to the work they do every day.
Quick take
Best for
Individuals
Check if this matches what you need right now.
Cost and setup
Easy · Freemium
Look at price and setup together.
Actions
Key details
Pricing
Freemium
Skill level
Non-technical
Setup
Easy
If you want to move quickly, this is a good first tool to try.
What it does
Best for Mac users who want quicker actions, search, and desktop automation.
Raycast helps you launch apps, run commands, and use shortcuts without leaving the keyboard. It works well for people who repeat the same desktop tasks every day and want them faster.
Who it is for
Individuals
Founders
Mac-based productivity workflows
- Quick actions
- App launching
- Personal automation
Feature highlights
- Fast command palette
- Useful for power users
- Good AI assistance layer
Pros
- Very fast
- Helpful AI shortcuts
- Excellent daily productivity tool
Considerations
- Best on macOS
- Not a backend or team system
Integrations and ecosystem
Slack
Notion
Google Workspace
GitHub
Onboarding steps
- 1Install the app
- 2Add your common commands
- 3Create a few workflows
- 4Use it daily for one week
Getting started
- Focus on high-frequency tasks
- Keep commands discoverable
- Add one extension at a time
Screenshots
FAQ
Is Raycast a full automation platform?
Not really. It is better for quick actions, shortcuts, and personal workflows.
Who gets the most value?
Power users who want faster access to common tasks and shortcuts.
Related tools
These usually show up in the same shortlist
Automation
Zapier
A simple way to build app-to-app workflows fast.
Best for: Beginner friendlySetup: Easy
Lead notificationsView tool
Automation
Gumloop
A beginner-friendly way to turn common business work into AI workflows.
Best for: Beginner friendlySetup: Easy
Lead workflowsView tool
Productivity
Linear
Use Linear when your team wants clearer planning and execution.
Best for: Beginner friendlySetup: Easy
Roadmap trackingView tool
Data Pipelines
Airtable
Airtable is a friendly way to organize structured data for ops and content work.
Best for: Beginner friendlySetup: Easy
Editorial planningView tool
Related guides
Guides that add context before you commit
Workflow
How to organize a solo founder stack
A practical way to keep a one-person operating system compact and manageable.
Read guide
Beginner
Which kind of AI automation tool should a beginner pick first
Choose by tool category, not by hype. The right first tool depends on whether you need one app shortcut, a visible multi-step flow, or smarter routing.
Read guide
Workflow
How to build your first AI tool stack without creating a mess
A good starter stack is small, easy to explain, and tied to a real weekly task instead of internet hype.
Read guide
Troubleshooting
The most common mistakes when people start using AI tools
Most problems come from rushing: too many tools, not enough review, and no clear rule for what AI should or should not do.
Read guide
Beginner
What an AI agent really is, and when it is actually worth using
A plain-language guide to telling an AI agent apart from a normal chatbot, and deciding whether you need one now or later.
Read guide
Comparison
Most beginners should not choose an API yet. Here is when it actually matters
If you are still learning what AI is useful for, stay with finished apps. API choice only becomes relevant once AI has to fit inside your own system or repeat at scale.
Read guide