Raycast AI alternative
A Raycast AI alternative that is at home on Windows
A Raycast AI alternative that runs on Windows and macOS: an AI launcher, Quick Actions on selected text, a typed trigger, voice typing and clipboard history. Free plan, bring your own key on Pro.
Raycast is a superb launcher, and its AI commands can act on selected text. It grew up on macOS; the Windows version is newer, and the AI features sit behind the Pro subscription.
KeyShift is built around the text first and the launcher second. It ships the same on Windows and macOS: a Launcher with AI chat and quick maths, Quick Actions on any selection, a typed trigger that needs no shortcut at all, voice typing, text from screen and clipboard history. The free plan includes all of it.
What Raycast AI is built around
- A launcher and extension ecosystem, with AI as a paid layer on top.
- macOS first; the Windows app is catching up.
- AI commands you configure inside Raycast's own interface.
What KeyShift does instead
- Quick Actions on any selection. Ctrl+Shift+A opens a list of actions on the text you selected, in any app, on either platform.
- The typed trigger. Type keyshift make this friendlier at the end of what you wrote and press space twice. No launcher, no shortcut.
- The Launcher (Ctrl+Shift+Space) for AI chat, quick maths and every tool in one search box.
- Voice typing, text from screen and clipboard history with AI actions, all included on Free.
- Your own key on Pro: OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, OpenRouter, or a local model through Ollama.
Raycast AI vs KeyShift at a glance
| Raycast AI | KeyShift | |
|---|---|---|
| Windows and macOS, same features | Mac first | Yes |
| AI on selected text | With Raycast Pro | Free plan |
| Typed trigger without a shortcut | No | Yes |
| Voice typing | With Pro | Free plan |
| Text from screen (OCR) | Partial | Yes |
| Clipboard history | Yes | Yes, with AI actions |
| Bring your own AI key or local model | Limited | Yes (Pro) |
| Launcher extensions ecosystem | Large | Focused on text |
Based on each product's public features. Other products change; if something here is out of date, write to support@keyshift.ai and we will fix it.
How KeyShift works, in any app
- Quick Actions: select text, press Ctrl+Shift+A (⌘⇧A on Mac), pick an action. The result replaces the selection.
- The typed trigger: write normally, add keyshift plus your instruction, press space twice. No selection, no shortcut.
- Voice (Ctrl+Shift+M), text from screen (Ctrl+Shift+O) and clipboard history (Ctrl+Shift+V) for the text you do not have yet.
- Undo any replacement with Ctrl+Shift+Z, up to 20 steps.
Windows 10 and later, macOS 11 and later, and Android. See the getting started guide.
Questions people ask
Is KeyShift a launcher replacement?
It has a Launcher (Ctrl+Shift+Space) for AI chat, quick maths and its own tools. It does not try to replace a general launcher with thousands of extensions; it is built for text.
Can I keep Raycast and use KeyShift for text?
Yes. Many Mac users run both: Raycast for launching, KeyShift for Quick Actions, the typed trigger and voice. Change any KeyShift shortcut in Settings if two collide.
Does KeyShift work on Windows 10?
Yes: Windows 10 and later, macOS 11 and later on Apple Silicon and Intel, plus Android.
Try it in your own apps
Free plan, 25 AI actions a month, no card needed. Pro from €4 a month billed yearly.