Albert is a free, open-source keyboard launcher for Linux and macOS with a plugin system. See features, plugins, and how it compares to Alfred and Spotlight.
Albert is a free, open-source keyboard launcher for Linux (and macOS) built with C++ and Qt, designed to give users instant, keyboard-driven access to applications, files, calculations, and system actions.
It was created by developer Manuel Schneider and is released under the GPLv3 license, with development and issue tracking hosted publicly on GitHub under the albertlauncher organization.
Albert is desktop-agnostic, meaning it is not tied to a single desktop environment like GNOME or KDE, which makes it a popular choice among Linux users who want an Alfred- or Spotlight-style launcher regardless of their setup.
At its core, Albert provides a single input box, triggered by a global hotkey, where users can type to search and launch applications, open files and folders, run calculations, or trigger web searches.
Its plugin system is the main extensibility mechanism: Albert ships with a set of officially reviewed and maintained plugins, and developers can build additional plugins using its C++ API to add custom functionality or integrate with other tools.
Performance is a stated design priority, with the project emphasizing fast, low-latency results even under rapid typing, which is central to its appeal as a productivity tool for keyboard-centric users.
Albert is entirely free and open source under the GPLv3 license, with no paid tiers, subscriptions, or locked features.
The project accepts optional financial support through a Patreon page for users who want to help fund ongoing development, but this is voluntary and not required to use any part of the application.
Yes, Albert is completely free and open source under the GPLv3 license, with no paid plans.
Albert supports Linux across multiple desktop environments and also has a macOS build; there is no official Windows version.
Albert was created by developer Manuel Schneider and is maintained as an open-source project on GitHub.
Albert offers similar keyboard-launcher functionality but is free, open source, and available on Linux, whereas Alfred is macOS-only with a paid Powerpack and Spotlight is built into macOS.
Yes, Albert has a plugin system and a C++ API that lets developers build custom plugins beyond the officially maintained set.
No, Albert runs locally on your machine and does not require an account or internet connection for its core launcher functionality.
Albert is released under the GNU General Public License v3.0 (GPLv3).
Support happens through the project's GitHub repository issue tracker and community documentation at albertlauncher.github.io.