---
title: "Panehop vs AltTab, Witch, rcmd and Raycast"
description: "An honest comparison of macOS window switchers: what each does well, where Panehop differs, and a table to check it against."
url: "https://panehop.com/compare"
lang: "en"
markdown: "https://panehop.com/compare.md"
llms: "https://panehop.com/llms.txt"
---

# Panehop and the alternatives, honestly

Every switcher on this page is good at something, and one of them is free. Here is what each owns, where Panehop differs, and the table to check it against. Prices and statuses as of 29 August 2026.

| | Panehop | AltTab | Witch | rcmd | Raycast |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Search-to-switch across windows | Yes | No | Partly | Partly | Partly |
| Two-keystroke Fast Search | Yes | No | No | Partly | No |
| Per-window ⌘Tab | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Focus a window on another Space | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| No Screen Recording permission | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Actively maintained | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| One-time price | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partly |
| Price | $14.99 one-time | Free | $14 | ~$10–15 | Free tier |
| Status | Maintained | Very active | Active | Active | Active |

## AltTab — Free, very active

**What it owns:** Windows-style thumbnail grid for ⌘Tab; open source; enormous community.

**Where Panehop differs:** Thumbnails need Screen Recording, and a grid stops scaling past a few dozen windows. No search-first switching.

## Witch — $14, active

**What it owns:** The closest keyboard model: per-window lists with in-panel search, deeply configurable.

**Where Panehop differs:** Search happens after you open a panel; there is no global two-keystroke Fast Search.

## rcmd — ~$10–15, active

**What it owns:** Right-⌘ plus a letter to jump to an app; fuzzy window search inside.

**Where Panehop differs:** App-centric: the letter picks an app, and windows come second. No per-window ⌘Tab cycling.

## Raycast — Free tier, active

**What it owns:** A launcher with window search inside it — and a hundred other things.

**Where Panehop differs:** Launcher first: open Raycast, type, pick. Slower than a held modifier and two letters, and there is no ⌘Tab cycling.

Names belong to their owners. If we have a fact wrong, tell support and it will be corrected.