Molly vs Alfred
Alfred is the launcher most Mac power users know. Its workflows, clipboard history and snippets sit behind a paid Powerpack. Molly is a free native launcher that runs the same .alfredworkflow files — with the limits written down honestly.
Molly and Alfred, side by side
| Molly | Alfred | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, and it stays free. No licence, no account, nothing to renew. | The launcher is free, but workflows, clipboard history and snippets need the Powerpack — £34 for the Alfred 5 single-user licence. |
| Alfred workflows | Imports .alfredworkflow files and keeps the keyword you type today. Keyword → Script Filter → script or output chains run as expected. | Native and complete: every node, every modifier, and a large community workflow gallery. |
| Account required | No. | No. |
| Your data stays on your Mac | Yes. Workflows, history and the application index stay in the app support folder on your Mac. | Yes. Preferences stay local; Alfred contacts its server to validate the licence and to check for updates. |
| System requirements | macOS 14.0 or later. | macOS 10.14 or later, on Intel and Apple Silicon. |
| Where it falls short | No Universal Actions, no Alfred Remote, no native search database, no GUI Views or Automation Tasks. A workflow that uses an unsupported node is refused rather than half-run. | Workflows are a paid extra, and a licence covers the current major version. |
What Molly actually is
Molly is a native macOS launcher written in Swift with no third-party dependencies. A shortcut — ⌥Space by default — opens a compact window that searches your applications, your files, the web and your workflows. It lives in the menu bar rather than the Dock, and it ships with a calculator, light, dark and system themes, and six accent palettes. What makes it interesting is the workflow engine: it imports .alfredworkflow packages, keeps the keyword you already use, and runs Script Filter, Run Script, Clipboard, Open URL, Launch Files, Arg and Vars, JSON and Junction nodes.
Where Alfred is still ahead
Alfred is older, larger and backed by a company with a deep library of community workflows. Every Alfred-specific service exists there, and a single Powerpack licence covers the current major version, with a Mega Supporter tier that adds lifetime upgrades. If your day depends on a workflow that leans on Universal Actions, the native search database or Alfred Remote, Alfred is the safe choice. Alfred 6 is also on the way, and Powerpack buyers get the upgrade.
What Molly does not do
Molly is not a 100% Alfred-compatible implementation, and we would rather you read that here than discover it later. Alfred’s own hotkeys and external triggers are not registered, Universal Actions and Alfred Remote are not implemented, and there is no alfred:// control service, preferences folder or licence API. Some Alfred-native nodes — File Filter, conditional branches, Automation Tasks, GUI Views and Write File — are not supported, and a workflow containing one is refused instead of partially run. Script Filter modifiers are parsed but do not re-render a row live, and the Alfred 5.5 disk cache protocol is not implemented. Your workflows also still need their own runtimes: Python, Node, PHP, jq and any API credentials are yours to provide.
Privacy, side by side
Neither app asks for an account. Alfred keeps its preferences on your Mac and reaches the network to validate a licence and look for updates. Molly makes no network requests at all apart from an optional update check against our own download server, and it collects no analytics, no telemetry and no usage data. In both apps the clipboard stays on your machine.
So which one should you use?
If you want a launcher that opens apps and files quickly and you do not want to pay for anything, Molly is the better fit. If your workflow library depends on the parts of Alfred that only Alfred implements, keep Alfred and treat Molly as a second launcher. Molly imports .alfredworkflow files, so you can try the workflows you already have before you decide — and importing does not run anything until you explicitly allow it.
Questions about Molly and Alfred
Is Molly really free?
Yes. Molly is free to download and to keep. There is no licence to activate, no account to create and nothing to renew. The app updates itself from inside the app, and that update check is the only network request it makes.
Will my Alfred workflows work in Molly?
The common chains do. A keyword that triggers a Script Filter, which runs a script and then copies the result, works the way it does in Alfred. When a workflow uses something Molly does not implement, Molly says so and refuses to run it instead of quietly doing half the job.
Do I have to rebuild my Alfred workflows from scratch?
No. Import the .alfredworkflow files you already have and keep the keyword you already type. Each imported workflow has to be reviewed and allowed once before it can run.
Can I use Molly and Alfred at the same time?
Yes. They use different shortcuts by default, and Molly keeps to itself: no background sync, no shared database and no interference with Alfred.
Does Molly need an internet connection?
No. The launcher, the application index, the calculator and your workflows all work offline.
Download Molly
Free, no account, macOS 14 or later.