Compare · updated July 2026
Orbital vs Orbit Launcher
Similar name, same ring-at-the-cursor instinct, different ambitions. Orbit Launcher is a free, polished radial launcher for apps; Orbital is a paid radial command surface that adds open windows, clipboard history, workspaces, and system actions — and opens on a mouse button, not just a hotkey.
Pick Orbit Launcher if
- You want a free, good-looking radial app launcher
- Launching up to 24 pinned apps is the whole job
- You're happy triggering with a keyboard hotkey
Pick Orbital if
- You want the dial on a middle click, in the hand that's already on the mouse
- You need windows, clipboard, workspaces, and actions — not only app launching
- You still run an Intel Mac (Orbit Launcher is Apple silicon only)
Side by side
| Orbital | Orbit Launcher | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | €9.99 one-time · 2 Macs | Free |
| Free trial | 7 days, every feature, no card | — (free) |
| Trigger | Middle click (default) or ⌥ Space | Keyboard hotkey (customizable modifiers) |
| Opens at the cursor | Yes — radial dial at the cursor | Yes — ring at the cursor |
| Middle-click support | Yes — default, any mouse | No mouse-button trigger documented |
| Scope | Apps · Windows · Clipboard · Workspaces · Actions | App launching (pinned + recents, up to 24 apps) |
| Platform | macOS 15+ (Apple silicon & Intel) | macOS 14+, Apple silicon only |
Orbit Launcher details from orbitlauncher.app and public listings, last checked July 2026. Spotted something outdated? Tell us and we'll fix it.
Where Orbit Launcher shines
Orbit Launcher is free, native, signed and notarized, ships six themes, and its hover-to-aim, type-to-filter ring is genuinely pleasant. If a radial app launcher is all you need, it's an easy recommendation.
Where Orbital differs
Orbital's dial is a place your whole desk lives: pinned apps next to every open window, clipboard history that's encrypted on-device, workspaces that restore a window layout in one gesture, and system actions like Dark Mode or Lock Screen. And it's mouse-first — middle click opens it without your hand leaving the mouse.
Common questions
- Are Orbit Launcher and Orbital the same app?
- No — they're unrelated. Orbit Launcher (orbitlauncher.app, by Vigod Labs) is a free radial app launcher. Orbital (orbital.theappstudio.net) is a paid radial launcher whose dial also covers open windows, clipboard history, workspaces, and system actions.
- Does Orbit Launcher work with a middle click?
- Its documentation describes keyboard hotkey triggers only. Orbital opens on middle click by default, with ⌥ Space as the keyboard alternative.
- Does Orbit Launcher run on Intel Macs?
- No — Orbit Launcher requires Apple silicon. Orbital supports both Apple silicon and Intel on macOS 15 or later.
Try the middle-click dial.
Every feature free for 7 days — no card, no account.
Download Orbital 0.2.6