Compare · updated July 2026
Orbital vs Alfred
Alfred is the elder statesman of Mac launchers — fifteen years of keyboard-first speed, famous file search, and Powerpack workflows. Orbital plays a different instrument entirely: a radial dial on a middle click, built for the hand that's already on the mouse.
Pick Alfred if
- Keyboard-first launching with legendary file search
- You want visual no-code Workflows and snippet expansion
- One-time Powerpack pricing appeals (£34, or £59 with lifetime upgrades)
Pick Orbital if
- You reach for the mouse more than the keyboard
- You want windows, clipboard, and workspaces in one gesture at the cursor
- You want the full feature set for €9.99 without a second tier
Side by side
| Orbital | Alfred | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | €9.99 one-time · 2 Macs | Free core · Powerpack £34 (£59 lifetime upgrades) |
| Free trial | 7 days, every feature, no card | Free core — Powerpack is a purchase |
| Trigger | Middle click (default) or ⌥ Space | Keyboard hotkey (⌥ Space default) |
| Opens at the cursor | Yes — radial dial at the cursor | No — centered search bar |
| Middle-click support | Yes — default, any mouse | No |
| Scope | Apps · Windows · Clipboard · Workspaces · Actions | Launcher · Files · Clipboard* · Snippets · Workflows (*Powerpack) |
| Platform | macOS 15+ (Apple silicon & Intel) | macOS 10.14+ |
Alfred details from www.alfredapp.com and public listings, last checked July 2026. Spotted something outdated? Tell us and we'll fix it.
Where Alfred shines
Alfred is mature, fast, and private: file search that still beats newer rivals, clipboard history and snippets in the Powerpack, and a workflow system a whole community builds on. One-time pricing, no account, fifteen years of trust.
Where Orbital differs
Orbital swaps the search bar for a dial at your cursor. Middle click, flick to a window, a clipboard entry, a workspace, or an action — no typing, no keywords to remember. It's the launcher for sessions where your hand simply isn't on the keyboard.
Common questions
- Does Alfred have clipboard history for free?
- No — clipboard history is part of the paid Powerpack (£34 as of July 2026). Orbital includes encrypted clipboard history in its single €9.99 license.
- Is Alfred abandoned?
- No — Alfred still ships regular releases (v5.7.x in 2026). It remains the keyboard-first benchmark; Orbital differs by being mouse-first and radial rather than a competitor palette.
- Can Alfred open at the cursor?
- No — Alfred opens a centered bar with a keyboard hotkey. Orbital's dial opens at the cursor on a middle click or ⌥ Space.
Try the middle-click dial.
Every feature free for 7 days — no card, no account.
Download Orbital 0.2.6