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Technology · head to head

Raycast vs Selenium

Raycast logo

Raycast

Technology

Blazingly fast, totally extendable launcher

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Selenium logo

Selenium

Testing

Browser automation framework and the W3C WebDriver standard

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Raycast the free plan includes 50 Raycast AI messages, 5 notes and 3 months of clipboard history; Selenium flaky tests are the standing complaint: explicit waits and synchronisation are the tester’s job, where newer tools handle it automatically
  • They diverge on capability: Raycast covers Application launcher, Selenium covers W3C WebDriver.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Raycast and Selenium actually diverge.

Attributes where Raycast and Selenium differ
AttributeRaycastSelenium
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsMacosLinux, macOS, Windows, Web
CategoryTechnologyTesting
Founded2020Unknown

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

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 Raycast

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

Only in Selenium

  • W3C WebDriver
  • Many language bindings
  • Selenium Grid
  • Broad browser support

What people use each for

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

Raycast

  • App launchingnot Selenium
  • Quick calculationsnot Selenium
  • File navigationnot Selenium
  • Snippet expansionnot Selenium
  • Workflow automationnot Selenium

Selenium

  • Cross-browser testing where Safari and legacy browsers must be coverednot Raycast
  • Teams whose test suites are written in Java or C# rather than JavaScriptnot Raycast
  • Distributing a large suite across a grid of machinesnot Raycast

Where each one falls short

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

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

Selenium

  • Flaky tests are the standing complaint: explicit waits and synchronisation are the tester’s job, where newer tools handle it automatically
  • Setup involves drivers, versions and grid infrastructure that Playwright and Cypress bundle away
  • Slower to run than tools that talk to browsers over a debugging protocol rather than WebDriver

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Selenium

Free
  • SeleniumFree
    • Full functionality
    • Unlimited tests
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose Raycast if

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

Choose Selenium if

  • You need w3c webdriver.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Web.
  • You also want many language bindings.
Selenium review

Questions people ask

Is Raycast or Selenium better?
Neither clearly leads. Raycast starts at Free and Selenium at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Raycast or Selenium?
Raycast starts at Free and Selenium at Free.
Does Raycast or Selenium run on more platforms?
Raycast runs on Macos. Selenium runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Web.
Can I use Raycast for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Raycast best used for?
Raycast is most often used for app launching, quick calculations, file navigation, snippet expansion. Of those, app launching and quick calculations are not what Selenium is typically brought in for.
What can Raycast do that Selenium cannot?
Raycast covers Application launcher, File search, Clipboard history, Snippets. Selenium covers W3C WebDriver, Many language bindings, Selenium Grid, Broad browser support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Selenium: Is Selenium free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee. Paid costs come from grid infrastructure or services like BrowserStack.

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
Selenium: Selenium or Playwright?

Playwright handles waiting automatically and is faster to set up, which removes most flakiness complaints. Selenium wins on language breadth, browser coverage including Safari, and existing suites you already have.

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
Selenium: Is Selenium still relevant?

Yes. Its WebDriver protocol is a W3C standard implemented by every major browser, and very large existing suites are not rewritten cheaply.

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