Visual app browsing first
Open apps from a grid that feels like Launchpad, not a command console or automation hub.
Launchpad alternative for macOS.
Facet is a Launchpad alternative for macOS users who want a familiar visual launcher instead of a search-only app opener. Its fullscreen grid, keyboard search, folders, shortcut, and Launchpad import stay free; Pro is normally a $14.99 one-time upgrade and is $7.50 through September 8, 2026.
A simpler alternative to power-user launchers.
Keyboard search when useful
Search when you know the app name, and browse when you do not remember what a tool is called.
Useful Free edition
Keep the core launcher without payment, telemetry growth loops, or subscription pressure. Upgrade once only if you need Pro customization.
Who should use Facet?
Facet is for people who launch apps visually, maintain app folders, or miss the old Launchpad experience. It is not trying to replace advanced automation tools such as command palettes, snippets, scripts, or clipboard managers. It is a focused Mac app for restoring a clean Launchpad-style workflow.
- Choose Facet if you want a visual grid, folders, search, and Launchpad import.
- Choose Spotlight if you mostly search by app or file name.
- Choose a power launcher if you need workflows and automation.
- See the Facet comparison page for a deeper breakdown.
How Facet compares with built-in Launchpad.
Built-in Launchpad is useful when it is available and behaves the way you expect. Facet is for the cases where the built-in experience feels missing, unstable, or too limited for how you organize apps. It keeps the familiar grid but gives it a dedicated app window, keyboard search, folder organization, and an import path for an existing Launchpad layout.
- Use built-in Launchpad if it is already easy to open and you do not need customization.
- Use Facet if you want a persistent Launchpad-style app launcher with clearer organization.
- Use the Launchpad location guide before replacing anything if you only need to find the missing shortcut.
What does macOS already provide instead of Launchpad?
macOS already provides several reliable ways to open software, so a third-party launcher should solve a specific missing workflow rather than pretend those tools do not exist. Apple’s current View and open apps guide documents an Applications surface inside Spotlight with search, category filters, keyboard navigation, and grid or list views. Finder and the Dock remain available as separate launch paths.
Facet adds a user-controlled spatial layer: named folders, a manually arranged grid, stable positions, and an import path for readable Launchpad data. It does not replace Spotlight’s file, web, action, or clipboard search. Use Spotlight when the app name is already known; use a visual grid when the icon, folder, or approximate position is the stronger memory cue.
Which Launchpad alternative fits your launch habit?
You remember names
Start with Spotlight. Command–Space and a few letters are difficult to beat when the target name is already clear, and no additional app is required.
You remember icons and locations
Use a persistent grid. Facet keeps manual order and named folders so an occasionally used utility can remain where you expect it instead of moving with ranking or category changes.
You automate multi-step work
Choose a command launcher such as Alfred or Raycast when scripts, snippets, extensions, clipboard tools, and actions matter more than spatial browsing.
You use only a few apps
Keep the Dock small and use Finder aliases for project groups. A dedicated launcher adds little value if the daily set already fits comfortably on screen.
How were these comparisons verified?
System behavior is checked against Apple’s current Mac User Guide, not screenshots from pre-release builds. Facet capabilities are checked against the public Facet source repository, the current downloadable build, and the Facet documentation. Pricing and version facts are dated because they can change; workflow differences are described separately so the page remains useful after a campaign ends.