CopperlightCompare
A free, open source Alfred alternative.
Alfred has been a favorite Mac launcher for years, with deep workflows and a loyal community. Copperlight takes another path: clipboard history, snippets, window commands and translation come built in, and the whole app is open source.
Copperlight vs Alfred
| Feature | Copperlight | Alfred |
|---|---|---|
| Source code | Open, under the GPL-3.0 | Closed |
| Account | None | None |
| Apps, files, web searches, calculator | Yes | Yes |
| Clipboard history | Built in: text and images, 90 days by default | With the Powerpack; off by default; 24 hours to 3 months |
| Snippets | Built in: pasted by name, with {date}, {clipboard}, {query} and {cursor} | With the Powerpack; can expand as you type in any app |
| Window management | Built in: halves, quarters, thirds, nudging, other displays, restore, and saved layouts | Through workflows |
| Translation | On your Mac, with Apple’s Translation (macOS 26) | Through workflows |
| Extending it | Commands in a text file, scripts in a folder, script filters that list what they print, community script commands | Workflows, with the Powerpack |
| Settings | One plain-text file you can keep in git | In the app; synced through a folder with the Powerpack |
| macOS | 15 or later | 10.14 or later |
| Other devices | None | Alfred Remote for iPhone and iPad |
| Going online | For currency rates, app descriptions, and stock prices or the weather you ask for | To activate the Powerpack and check for updates |
Which one is for you
Pick Alfred if
You rely on workflows, want snippets that expand as you type, or your Mac runs an older macOS.
Pick Copperlight if
You want clipboard history, snippets, window commands and translation built in, settings in one text file, and source code you can read.
Moving over from Alfred
- Hotkey. Alfred and Copperlight both open with ⌥Space. Quit Alfred, or give one of them another key in its Settings.
- Web searches become commands in config.toml, with {query} where the search goes:
[[command]] alias = "w" type = "url" url = "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?search={query}" - Snippets become [[snippet]] entries. Copperlight doesn’t import Alfred’s collections, so copy over the ones you use.
- Workflows don’t run in Copperlight, but the script behind one can often move over: drop it in ~/.config/copperlight/scripts/ and type its name.
- Snippets that expand as you type: Copperlight pastes snippets from the launcher. For text that should expand anywhere, macOS has Text Replacements in System Settings → Keyboard.
Questions
Is there a free Alfred alternative with clipboard history?
Yes. Copperlight is free and open source, and its clipboard history keeps text and images for 90 days by default, searchable and pasted where you are.
Does Copperlight run Alfred workflows?
No. Copperlight runs scripts from a folder and community script commands instead, and many everyday workflows are built in: window commands, translation, timers, emoji and a pomodoro.
Can Copperlight expand snippets as I type?
No: you paste a snippet by typing its name in the launcher. For text that should expand anywhere, macOS’s Text Replacements, in System Settings → Keyboard, do it.
Will Copperlight run on my Mac?
It needs macOS 15 or later, on Apple silicon or Intel. Alfred runs on older versions, back to macOS 10.14.
Can Copperlight and Alfred run side by side?
Yes, once they have different hotkeys: both start on ⌥Space.
Alfred details from alfredapp.com, its Powerpack page and its help pages. Checked October 2026.
Try it in a minute.
Download it, drag it into Applications and press ⌥Space. The first launch takes one extra click.