6 Best Launchpad Alternatives for macOS 27/26: Tested & Compared

If you upgraded to macOS Tahoe, you may have noticed Launchpad is gone. Apple replaced the full-screen app grid with a Spotlight-based Apps view in macOS 26, and macOS 27 Golden Gate keeps it that way: Launchpad is not coming back.

This guide compares the 6 best Launchpad alternatives, starting with BuhoLaunchpad, so you can pick the right one for how you launch and organize apps.

Why People Still Look for Launchpad Alternatives

The short answer: Apple's replacement solves a different problem than the one Launchpad solved. The new Spotlight Apps view is search-first: it works well when you know an app's name, but it takes away the visual habits long-time Mac users built up over more than a decade.

The main pain points that keep driving people to Launchpad alternatives:

• Muscle memory. Gestures like the four-finger pinch, hot corners, and page swipes were part of the daily workflow. The new view doesn't reproduce them.
• Visual and spatial memory. Many people recognize app icons and colors faster than they can type a name, and they remember where an app lives in the grid. An alphabetical list removes that.
• No real organization. In the new Apps view, you can't manually arrange icons, create your own folders, hide apps you never use, or control the category filters. The layout is fixed.
• Browsing is awkward. Users have reported that the horizontal category list is hard to scroll without a trackpad and that the view can feel cluttered with recommendations.
• Customization expectations. Once Launchpad was gone, users wanted more than the original: custom grid sizes, backgrounds, hidden apps, and layout backup. These are features built-in Launchpad never had.

That's why the tools below exist and why "Launchpad alternative" remains one of the most searched Mac topics heading into macOS 27 Golden Gate.

How I Chose These Launchpad Alternatives

I evaluated these tools in August 2026 on my M2 MacBook Pro using the same criteria. Facts, pricing, and compatibility information were verified at the time of writing. Product details may change, so please check the official product pages for the latest information.

• How closely they recreate the native Launchpad grid, gestures, and folder experience.
• Compatibility with macOS 26 Tahoe and macOS 27 Golden Gate, including beta builds.
• Maintenance record: how often the developer ships updates and responds to issues.
• Honest pricing: free, trial, subscription, or one-time purchase clearly separated.
• Safe distribution: official websites, Mac App Store, or Apple-notarized builds.

At a Glance: 6 Launchpad Alternatives Compared

The 6 Best Launchpad Alternatives for macOS 26/27

1. BuhoLaunchpad: Best Overall Launchpad Replacement

BuhoLaunchpad is the Launchpad replacement developed by Dr. Buho, designed to address the missing Launchpad in macOS Tahoe. It already works with macOS 27 Golden Gate, and it recreates the native experience with pixel-perfect animations, fluid page swipes, and the familiar four- or five-finger pinch gesture, so your muscle memory carries right over.

What stands out

• Launch with trackpad pinch gestures, hot corners, or a global keyboard shortcut, just like the original Launchpad.
• Customize rows, columns, icon size, and backgrounds with adjustable blur, plus adaptive text color.
• Hide apps you never use and switch between multiple saved layouts for work, gaming, or personal use.
• Back up, restore, and migrate your old Launchpad layout, including external drive and Homebrew apps.
• Built-in app search by name or initials, keyboard navigation, and support for macOS 26 theme colors and native icon styles.

What could be better

It is a paid tool with a 7-day free trial, so you can't keep using it without buying after the trial.

Price

One-time purchase of $7.99, with a 7-day trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee. No subscription.

Verdict: Choose BuhoLaunchpad if you want the most native-feeling grid back and prefer a one-time purchase. It's also the safest pick for macOS 27 Golden Gate because the developer is actively adapting it to the new system (v1.10.1, August 2026).

2. LaunchNext: Best Free Open-Source Option

LaunchNext is a free, open-source Launchpad replacement that became one of the most-starred projects of its kind on GitHub after Launchpad was removed in macOS Tahoe. It focuses on bringing back the classic grid with deep customization and one-click import from your old system's Launchpad.

What stands out

• One-click import of your original Launchpad layout, including folders and app positions.
• Highly customizable grid, pages, and app organization.
• Free and open source, with a community continuing to add macOS 26 and macOS 27 Golden Gate support.

What could be better

As an open-source project, it offers no paid customer support, and polish can lag behind that of commercial tools depending on contributor activity.

Price

Free and open source.

Verdict: Choose LaunchNext if you want a capable grid without spending anything and are comfortable with community-supported software.

3. LaunchOS: Best Visual Fidelity with Liquid Glass

LaunchOS is one of the most visually faithful Launchpad recreations available, blending the classic grid with macOS 26's Liquid Glass design language. It was rebuilt from the ground up in 2026, developed in the open on Reddit, and supports both macOS Tahoe and macOS 27 Golden Gate.

What stands out

• Full-screen grid with folders, drag sorting, and layout import, plus F4 key, hot corners, and trackpad gesture launching.
• Vertical scroll view, mini window mode, custom app names and sources, and hiding unwanted apps.
• Native performance with 120Hz refresh rate support and Liquid Glass visuals.

What could be better

The free Basic tier covers the core grid, but the signature gestures, hot corners, F4, and several advanced features are part of the paid Pro upgrade. It also requires macOS 26 or later, so it won't help on older systems.

Price

Free Basic version; Pro is a one-time purchase of $7.26 per device with a 7-day free trial.

Verdict: Choose LaunchOS if visual polish matters most and you're on macOS 26 or macOS 27 Golden Gate; just budget for Pro if you rely on gestures and hot corners.

4. AppGrid: Best for Bulk App Organization

AppGrid is a grid-based Launchpad alternative built specifically for macOS Tahoe and later. It restores classic pages and folders, then adds bulk organization tools Apple never offered.

What stands out

• Classic grid layout with pages, folders, and drag-and-drop organization.
• Bulk organization, sorting, and import of your existing Launchpad layout.
• Free core version with a Pro upgrade for advanced features.

What could be better

Apple blocked App Store updates for AppGrid in March 2026 because the app resembled the removed Launchpad, so the developer now distributes the latest version directly from the official website. The App Store version can fall behind.

Price

Free core features; paid Pro upgrade for advanced tools.

Verdict: Choose AppGrid if your main pain point is managing a large app collection and you want sorting and bulk tools on top of the classic grid.

5. Launchie: Best Free App Store Option

Launchie is a free, modern Launchpad alternative distributed through the Mac App Store, and one of the few replacements recommended by ZDNet in a hands-on macOS Tahoe test published in October 2025. It uses a clean vertical layout instead of horizontal pages, which many users find faster to scan.

What stands out

• Fast vertical app browser with folders and drag-and-drop organization.
• Pairs well with hot-corner utilities to restore the old Launchpad summoning habit.
• Free and available directly from the Mac App Store.
• Actively updated for macOS Tahoe and macOS 27 Golden Gate compatibility.

What could be better

It doesn't replicate the classic grid exactly. The vertical list layout is a deliberate design choice, and some advanced customization requires the paid Pro tier.

Price

Free with an optional Pro upgrade; distributed through the Mac App Store.

Verdict: Choose Launchie if you want a free, App Store-reviewed launcher and prefer a modern list over the old grid.

6. Raycast: Best Keyboard-First Alternative

Raycast is one of the most widely recommended Mac launchers in communities. It's keyboard-first rather than grid-based, but it fully replaces the "find and open an app" job Launchpad used to do. It then goes further with scripts, clipboard history, window management, and an extension store.

What stands out

• Launch apps and files instantly with a customizable global shortcut.
• Extend everything with community extensions, scripts, and AI features.
• Clipboard history, window management, and system controls in one command palette.

What could be better

There is no visual grid or icon browsing, so it won't help if you rely on spatial memory and recognizing app icons.

Price

Free for personal use; paid Pro plan for teams and advanced features.

Verdict: Choose Raycast if you're ready to trade the visual grid for speed and automation, and you want the tool most power users actually switch to after Launchpad disappears.

Other Launchpad Alternatives Worth Considering

These tools didn't make the top six but are still worth knowing, especially if your needs are simpler or you're still on an older macOS.

Spotlight Search

On macOS Tahoe and macOS 27 Golden Gate, Spotlight Search integrates all search features. With it, you can quickly access applications, files, folders, messages, and system settings. It's the built-in, zero-cost option: fast when you know the app's name, but it doesn't give you a customizable grid.

BuhoCleaner

BuhoCleaner is Dr.Buho's Mac cleaning tool. It isn't a launcher, but it complements BuhoLaunchpad by freeing storage space, removing junk files, and uninstalling applications completely while you reorganize your apps.

LaunchPadder

LaunchPadder is a free program for users on older macOS versions that still have Launchpad. It adds sorting rules such as alphabetical, by app bundle, by icon color, and more, so your grid stays organized automatically.

Folder Peek

Folder Peek puts any of your Mac folders in the menu bar, giving you one-click access to frequently used files and folders without opening Finder. It's more of a menu-bar organizer than a full Launchpad replacement.

Bevy

Bevy is a customizable launcher that lets you categorize apps into folders, hide unnecessary icons, and summon the interface with hotkeys, hot corners, or a status menu icon. It's a solid choice if you want a lightweight, older alternative.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Will macOS 27 Golden Gate bring Launchpad back?

   No. Apple announced macOS 27 Golden Gate at WWDC 2026 with the Spotlight-based Apps view carried over from macOS Tahoe, and there is no sign the classic full-screen Launchpad will return. A third-party Launchpad alternative remains the practical fix.

2. Launchpad disappeared on my Mac. How do I get it back?

   If you're on macOS Sequoia or an earlier version, Launchpad may have been accidentally deleted, moved to the Trash, or disabled. Check the Trash, restore it via Terminal, or reinstall it from the Mac App Store. On macOS Tahoe and macOS 27 Golden Gate, Launchpad is gone for good, so a third-party alternative is the way to go.

3. Is there a free Launchpad alternative for macOS Tahoe and Golden Gate?

   Yes. LaunchNext is free and open source, Launchie has a free tier on the Mac App Store, AppGrid's core version is free, and LaunchOS has a free Basic plan. The trade-offs are fewer advanced features and, in some cases, no direct customer support.

4. Are these Launchpad alternatives safe to install?

   When downloaded from official websites or the Mac App Store, yes. BuhoLaunchpad and LaunchOS are Apple-notarized, and Launchie and AppGrid's App Store version go through Apple review. Grant permissions like Accessibility or Full Disk Access only when a feature actually requires them.

5. Do I still need a Launchpad alternative if I use Spotlight?

   Only if you miss the visual grid. Spotlight is fast for launching apps by name, but it can't give you the customizable, icon-based layout, folders, and spatial memory that Launchpad provided.

Conclusion

You don't have to decide blind. Every option on this page can be tried free or with a money-back guarantee, and the official pages list the exact requirements. Start with the tool that matches your habit, not the one with the longest feature list. If you want the closest thing to the original, BuhoLaunchpad is ready for macOS 27 Golden Gate today.