Next to your launcher, not instead of it.

Apropos opens on the app in front: its menus, what you can do with your selection, and your own commands. Launchers open on everything else. Most people will want both.

Apropos: What you can do in the app in front, with what you selected.
Raycast: Launching, a large extension store, clipboard, windows, snippets and AI.
Spotlight on macOS 26 and later: Files, apps and App Intents actions, built into macOS.
Alfred 5: Launching and file search, with deep workflows in the Powerpack.
The Help menu search: Finding where a command lives in the menus of one app.

Apropos compared with Raycast, Spotlight, Alfred and the Help menu
What it does
	AproposWhat you can do in the app in front, with what you selected.	RaycastLaunching, a large extension store, clipboard, windows, snippets and AI.	SpotlightFiles, apps and App Intents actions, built into macOS.	AlfredLaunching and file search, with deep workflows in the Powerpack.	Help menuFinding where a command lives in the menus of one app.
Menu commands of the app in front	Yes: The list itself: every command, its menu path and its shortcut, as soon as it opens	Yes: Through the Search Menu Bar Items command	Partly: Mixed into results; Command-3 narrows to actions and menu items	Partly: With a third-party workflow, which needs the Powerpack	Yes: Search by name; it points at the item in its menu
Actions on what you selected	Yes: Built in for text, files, the page, the folder and git, plus your own	Partly: Extensions can read selected text and Finder items	Partly: Some actions, such as Change Case and Translate	Partly: Universal Actions, in the Powerpack	No: None
Launch apps and search files	No: No, on purpose	Yes: Yes	Yes: Yes	Yes: Yes	No: No
Clipboard history	No: No	Yes: Yes; three months on the free plan	Yes: Yes, once you turn it on	Partly: Yes, in the Powerpack	No: No
Setup and price
Default key	Option-Space, any key you like	Option-Space	Command-Space	Option-Space	Shift-Command-?
Account	None	Not required; sync and AI need one	Part of macOS	A licence key for the Powerpack	Part of macOS
Price	Not announced yet	Free; Pro $10 a month or $96 a year	Included with macOS	Free; Powerpack £34	Included with macOS

Compare Apropos with

Default key

AproposOption-Space, any key you like

RaycastOption-Space

Menu commands of the app in front

AproposYes: The list itself: every command, its menu path and its shortcut, as soon as it opens

RaycastYes: Through the Search Menu Bar Items command

Actions on what you selected

AproposYes: Built in for text, files, the page, the folder and git, plus your own

RaycastPartly: Extensions can read selected text and Finder items

Launch apps and search files

AproposNo: No, on purpose

RaycastYes: Yes

Clipboard history

AproposNo: No

RaycastYes: Yes; three months on the free plan

Account

AproposNone

RaycastNot required; sync and AI need one

Price

AproposNot announced yet

RaycastFree; Pro $10 a month or $96 a year

Checked on 20 October 2026 against each tool’s own pages and, for Spotlight’s menu search, a MacMost review. The arrow after a fact opens its source. More on Raycast,Spotlight and Alfred.

Next to your launcher, not instead of it.

One tool at a time.