Raycast
Relay.app
| Feature | Raycast | Relay.app |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $8/mo | Free / from $16/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.8 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Best For | mac-developers, power-users, productivity-enthusiasts, keyboard-driven-workflows | operations-teams, agencies, small-businesses, compliance-teams |
| Founded | 2020 | 2021 |
| Launcher | ✓ | ✗ |
| Extensions | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ai Chat | ✓ | ✗ |
| Window Management | ✓ | ✗ |
| Clipboard History | ✓ | ✗ |
| Snippets | ✓ | ✗ |
| Quicklinks | ✓ | ✗ |
| Workflow Builder | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ai Steps | ✗ | ✓ |
| Human Approvals | ✗ | ✓ |
| Multiplayer Editing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Integrations | ✗ | ✓ |
| Conditional Logic | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Raycast Pros
- Incredibly fast keyboard-driven launcher
- Rich extension store with 1000+ community extensions
- Built-in AI chat with multiple models (GPT-4, Claude)
- Window management and clipboard history included
✗ Raycast Cons
- macOS only (no Windows or Linux support)
- AI features require Pro subscription
- Some extensions less polished than native apps
✓ Relay.app Pros
- Human-in-the-loop approvals
- AI steps built in
- Collaborative workflows
- Clean modern interface
✗ Relay.app Cons
- Fewer integrations than Zapier
- Newer platform
- Limited advanced logic
The Verdict
Raycast is built for mac developers and power users, with a focus on launcher and extensions. Relay.app targets operations teams and agencies and leads with workflow-builder and ai-steps.
On pricing, Raycast is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $8/mo compared to $16/mo for Relay.app. That $8/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Raycast edges out on user ratings (4.8 vs 4.3). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Feature-wise, Raycast offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Relay.app takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Bottom line: Raycast has a slight overall edge — but if human-in-the-loop approvals matters most to you, Relay.app may still be the right call.