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Technology · head to head

Microsoft Edge vs Raycast

Microsoft Edge logo

Microsoft Edge

Technology

Microsoft's Chromium-based browser, distinguished by IE mode for legacy applications and by its integration with Microsoft 365 management.

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Raycast logo

Raycast

Technology

Blazingly fast, totally extendable launcher

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Microsoft Edge outside the European Economic Area, Edge cannot be uninstalled from Windows, and Windows components such as Widgets, help links and taskbar search results open in it whatever the default browser is set to, so an organisation standardising on Chrome still has to manage and patch Edge.; Raycast the free plan includes 50 Raycast AI messages, 5 notes and 3 months of clipboard history
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Edge covers Internet Explorer mode, Raycast covers Application launcher.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Microsoft Edge and Raycast actually diverge.

Attributes where Microsoft Edge and Raycast differ
AttributeMicrosoft EdgeRaycast
Pricing modelfreefreemium
PlatformsWebMacos
FoundedUnknown2020

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Technology).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Microsoft Edge

  • Internet Explorer mode
  • Enterprise Mode Site List
  • Entra ID integration
  • Purview DLP for browsing
  • Intune and Group Policy
  • Vertical tabs and Workspaces
  • Sleeping tabs
  • Chrome extension compatibility

Only in Raycast

  • Application launcher
  • File search
  • Clipboard history
  • Snippets
  • Window management
  • Calculator
  • System commands
  • Extension ecosystem

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Microsoft Edge

  • A Windows estate with intranet applications that still require Internet Explorer, where IE mode buys years before a rewritenot Raycast
  • Microsoft 365 organisations that want browser sessions covered by Purview DLP and conditional access without a separate secure browser productnot Raycast
  • Fleets managed through Intune that need one browser configured by the same console as the rest of the desktopnot Raycast
  • Users who work with many tabs at once and want vertical tabs and automatic tab suspension without installing extensionsnot Raycast

Raycast

  • App launchingnot Microsoft Edge
  • Quick calculationsnot Microsoft Edge
  • File navigationnot Microsoft Edge
  • Snippet expansionnot Microsoft Edge
  • Workflow automationnot Microsoft Edge

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Microsoft Edge

  • Outside the European Economic Area, Edge cannot be uninstalled from Windows, and Windows components such as Widgets, help links and taskbar search results open in it whatever the default browser is set to, so an organisation standardising on Chrome still has to manage and patch Edge.
  • It is Chromium downstream, so Manifest V3 applies exactly as it does in Chrome; full-strength blocking extensions cannot run, and Microsoft's add-ons store adds a second review process rather than a workaround.
  • Almost all of its advantage is conditional on Microsoft 365 and Entra ID; a Google Workspace or AWS-centred organisation gets Chromium plus Microsoft's promotional surfaces and none of the Purview, Intune or conditional access value.
  • Consumer-facing features including Copilot, the Discover pane, shopping notifications and sidebar apps default to on and reappear after feature updates, so suppressing them requires a maintained policy set rather than a one-off configuration.
  • IE mode is a bridge with a maintenance owner attached: the Enterprise Mode Site List must be curated by somebody, and MSHTML receives security fixes but no new capability, so an application parked there gains nothing and its eventual rewrite is only deferred.
  • By default browsing data feeds Microsoft services for Copilot, Discover and shopping features, which in a regulated environment turns the deployment into a policy exercise before it can be approved.

Raycast

  • The free plan includes 50 Raycast AI messages, 5 notes and 3 months of clipboard history
  • Advanced AI models are sold only as an add-on to the paid Pro plan at a further $8 per month on top of the $10 subscription
  • Free team workspaces cap sharing at 30 snippets, 30 quicklinks and 5 commands across all extensions
  • Teams Pro is $15 per user per month, billed per seat rather than per workspace

Pricing, plan by plan

Microsoft Edge

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft Edge review.

Raycast

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Core features: Clipboard History, Quicklinks, Calculator, Snippets, Window Management
    • Thousands of community extensions
    • 3-month clipboard history
  • Pro$10/month
    • Raycast AI with advanced models
    • Unlimited clipboard history
    • Unlimited notes
  • Pro Annual$8/month
    • Same as Pro plan
    • Annual billing saves 20% compared to monthly
  • Teams FreeFree
    • No cost per user
    • Shared extensions, snippets, and quicklinks

Which should you pick?

Choose Microsoft Edge if

  • You need internet explorer mode.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want enterprise mode site list.
Microsoft Edge review

Choose Raycast if

  • You need application launcher.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Macos.
  • You also want file search.
Raycast review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Edge or Raycast better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Edge starts at Free and Raycast at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Edge or Raycast?
Microsoft Edge starts at Free and Raycast at Free.
Does Microsoft Edge or Raycast run on more platforms?
Microsoft Edge runs on Web. Raycast runs on Macos.
Can I use Microsoft Edge for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Microsoft Edge best used for?
Microsoft Edge is most often used for a windows estate with intranet applications that still require internet explorer, where ie mode buys years before a rewrite, microsoft 365 organisations that want browser sessions covered by purview dlp and conditional access without a separate secure browser product, fleets managed through intune that need one browser configured by the same console as the rest of the desktop, users who work with many tabs at once and want vertical tabs and automatic tab suspension without installing extensions. Of those, a windows estate with intranet applications that still require internet explorer, where ie mode buys years before a rewrite and microsoft 365 organisations that want browser sessions covered by purview dlp and conditional access without a separate secure browser product are not what Raycast is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Edge do that Raycast cannot?
Microsoft Edge covers Internet Explorer mode, Enterprise Mode Site List, Entra ID integration, Purview DLP for browsing. Raycast covers Application launcher, File search, Clipboard history, Snippets.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Microsoft Edge: Can I uninstall Edge from Windows?

In the European Economic Area, yes, because the Digital Markets Act requires it. Elsewhere you cannot, and several Windows components will continue to open it regardless of your default browser.

Raycast: Does Raycast offer a free plan?

Yes. Raycast has a free plan with core features including clipboard history, quicklinks, calculator, snippets, window management, and access to thousands of community extensions.

Source
Microsoft Edge: How long will Internet Explorer mode be supported?

Microsoft has committed to supporting IE mode in Edge through at least 2029. It is a migration window rather than a permanent home, since the underlying MSHTML engine gets security fixes but no new capability.

Raycast: How much does Raycast Pro cost?

Raycast Pro costs $10 per month or $8 per month when billed annually, saving 20% with yearly subscription.

Source
Microsoft Edge: Do Chrome extensions work?

Yes. Edge installs extensions from the Chrome Web Store as well as its own store. Manifest V3 restrictions apply identically, so extensions that Chrome no longer supports do not work here either.

Raycast: Does Raycast offer team plans?

Yes. Teams Free tier is available at no cost per user with shared extensions and snippets. Teams Pro costs $15 per user per month with unlimited team members.

Source
Microsoft Edge: Is it worth deploying if we are not a Microsoft 365 organisation?

Usually not for the management features, which depend on Entra ID, Intune and Purview. Without that stack it is Chromium with a different interface and additional Microsoft promotion.

Microsoft Edge: Does it run on Linux?

Yes, there are official Linux builds. Some Windows-specific features, including IE mode, are not available there.

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