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Iris Fun vs Raycast

Two fact sheets from our own research, side by side — pricing, platforms, API access and status re-checked by us rather than quoted from the vendors.

The short answer

Free plan
Both — Iris Fun is free to use, Raycast has a free plan
Higher Trust score
Raycast — 91 vs 76 for Iris Fun
Best fit
Iris Fun: Mac users who want quick GPT answers without leaving their current app · Raycast: Mac and Windows power users who want extensions, snippets and window management without paying
Platforms
Iris Fun: macOS · Raycast: macOS, Windows, iOS
Status
Both up at our last check — Iris Fun Sep 1, 2026, Raycast Sep 6, 2026

From our own records as of each tool's last check. Anything we have not confirmed is left out rather than guessed. How we verify

Iris FunA macOS assistant you summon over any app with a shortcut, forwarding requests to GPT models and returning formatted answers.RaycastMac and Windows launcher with extensions, snippets and window management, plus an AI assistant on paid plans.

Side by side

FactIris FunRaycast
CategoryDesktop & OS AssistantsDesktop & OS Assistants
Pricing modelFreeFreemium
Starts at—$10/mo
Trust score76 / 10091 / 100
PlatformsmacOSmacOS, Windows, iOS
CompanyInterface PresentsRaycast Technologies Ltd.
Last verifiedSep 1, 2026Sep 6, 2026

What our research says

Iris Fun

Iris puts a ChatGPT-style panel over any Mac app so you don't have to switch to a browser tab to ask a question. It's still in beta with no pricing page, so features and even continued free access could change before a stable release.

Pros

  • Works as an overlay across any macOS app rather than a separate browser tab
  • Supports formatted output — bold text, lists, and syntax-highlighted code
  • Includes calendar and screenshot features beyond plain chat
  • Currently free to use

Cons

  • No pricing page, so future cost is unknown
  • Beta status means bugs and breaking changes are likely
  • Depends on OpenAI's models rather than offering a choice of model

Raycast

The free Raycast is already the best launcher on a Mac and now a credible one on Windows, which is why the AI upsell works: you are already in the bar twenty times a day, so a chat or a dictation hotkey there costs no habit change. Pay for Pro if you want AI in that spot and cloud sync across machines; skip it if you already pay for a frontier model elsewhere, because the credit pool is small and the best models sit on the $20 and $50 tiers.

Pros

  • The launcher, thousands of extensions, clipboard history and window management are free with no expiry
  • AI, dictation and translation live in the bar you already use, no separate app
  • Bring-your-own-key on Pro lets you route to your own provider account
  • Cloud sync keeps settings, snippets and notes identical across machines
  • Named UK company with a registered address, VAT number and dated terms

Cons

  • Pro's 500 monthly credits run out fast on chat, and the advanced models are not on the trial or the Pro tier
  • Monthly credits expire after 60 days and top-ups after 12 months
  • Cloud sync and custom themes, which have nothing to do with AI, are gated behind the paid plan
  • The Windows and iOS builds trail the Mac version in extensions and features

Which one fits

Choose Iris Fun if you need

  • Mac users who want quick GPT answers without leaving their current app
  • Early adopters comfortable using beta software

Choose Raycast if you need

  • Mac and Windows power users who want extensions, snippets and window management without paying
  • People who want one AI entry point on a hotkey and are happy with mid-tier models at $10
  • Teams sharing commands, quicklinks and a private extension store

Iris Fun vs Raycast: the questions people ask

Is Iris Fun cheaper than Raycast?

Iris Fun is free to use; Raycast starts at $10/mo.

Does Iris Fun or Raycast have a free tier?

Both: Iris Fun is free to use, and Raycast has a free tier.

More comparisons

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