A Mac Alfred alternative that restores your whole workspace
Key takeaways
- Spud is a macOS menu-bar app that saves and restores complete work contexts, including each window's exact position, size, front-to-back order, and reopened browser tabs, which Alfred does not do.
- Alfred's Powerpack is a one-time license starting around £34, while Spud is free forever with a $4.99/month Pro plan and a 10-day trial that needs no card.
- Spud overlaps Alfred on clipboard history, snippets, global shortcuts, and text-to-speech, so it runs alongside a launcher instead of asking you to give one up.
- Spud remaps a saved layout proportionally when you unplug an external display, then puts every window back when you dock again.
Introduction
This page is for Mac power users who switch between deep work, calls, writing, and design all day and are tired of rebuilding the desktop each time. It explains what Spud does, how it compares to Alfred, and where each tool is the better pick. Downloads are direct from eatspud.com, signed and notarized.
The short answer: is Spud a good Alfred alternative?
Spud is a good Alfred alternative if your real problem is a desktop you keep rebuilding, not app launching. Spud is a macOS menu-bar app that saves and restores a complete work context: every window's exact position, size, front-to-back order, relaunched apps, and closed browser tabs reopened without duplicates. That is the one thing Alfred and Raycast do not do. For file and app search, keep your launcher and add Spud for the layout.
What Alfred does, and where it leaves a gap
Alfred is a keyboard-first launcher, and a good one. It opens apps and files fast, and the Powerpack adds clipboard history, snippets, and node-based workflow automations that power users have relied on for years.
Here is what Alfred covers well:
- App and file search from the keyboard
- Clipboard history and text snippets
- Custom Powerpack workflows for automation
The gap is layout. Alfred does not save or restore full desktop arrangements across displays. Close your windows for a call, and Alfred will not bring them back where they were.
Spud vs Alfred: side-by-side comparison
The short version: Alfred wins on launching and mature workflows, Spud wins on restoring your whole desktop. Here is how the capabilities line up.
| Capability | Alfred | Spud |
|---|---|---|
| App and file search (launcher) | Yes, core strength | No |
| Mature workflow automation | Yes (Powerpack) | No |
| Workspace save and restore | No | Yes |
| Window position and z-order restore | No | Yes |
| Reopen closed browser tabs | No | Yes |
| Multi-display proportional remapping | No | Yes |
| Clipboard history | Powerpack | Yes |
| Snippets | Powerpack | Yes |
| Text-to-speech | No | Yes (Talk) |
| Global shortcuts | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | One-time Powerpack, from ~£34 | Free, Pro $4.99/mo |
| Distribution | Direct download | Direct download |
Take it plainly: pick Alfred to launch things, add Spud to put your desktop back together.
Save and restore your whole work context
This is the reason an Alfred user adds Spud. Spud captures a full layout and restores it with one keystroke in about a minute: windows return to their exact positions, sizes, and front-to-back order, closed apps relaunch, and browser tabs reopen with no duplicates. Unplug your external display and the layout re-places itself proportionally on the laptop screen. Dock again and everything returns to where it was.
Download for Mac or start the free 10-day trial, no card.
The switcher: one hotkey for every context
Spud gives every context a single hotkey. Press ⌃⌥ Space to open the workspace switcher, then jump straight to a layout with a number key. Apps that belong to your other contexts hide, so the new one comes up clean and you are not staring at yesterday's clutter.
Clipboard history, snippets, and Talk
These are the tools that overlap directly with Alfred's Powerpack, so a switcher loses nothing familiar.
Clipboard history
Press ⌃ Space to open a searchable clipboard history, so a fresh copy never wipes out something you needed an hour ago.
Snippets
Save the text you type every day as reusable snippets and drop them in from the keyboard.
Talk
Press ⌃ T and Talk reads copied text aloud, handy for proofreading or resting your eyes.
Screenshots and global shortcuts
Spud keeps every screenshot you take in a searchable grid, including the ones you copy straight to the clipboard that macOS never saves. Everything runs from the keyboard, which is the point for a mouse-free workflow. Here are the shortcuts worth memorizing:
- ⌃⌥ Space: open the workspace switcher
- ⌃ Space: open clipboard history
- ⌃ T: read copied text aloud with Talk
Honest take: when to pick Alfred, Raycast, or Spud
Each tool is strong at a different job, and you can run more than one.
- Choose Alfred for deep Powerpack workflows and offline customization, paid once with no subscription.
- Choose Raycast for a free all-in-one launcher with a large extension store and built-in clipboard history.
- Choose Spud to restore complete work contexts, then run it alongside whichever launcher you already like.
There is no need to pick just one. Keep your launcher for search, and let Spud handle the layout.
Pricing: free forever, Pro at $4.99/month
Spud is free forever, with Pro for people who want unlimited use. The free tier covers 2 workspaces, your last 10 clipboard items, and 5 snippets. Pro is $4.99/month for unlimited workspaces, clipboard, and snippets. The 10-day trial needs no card and no sign-up, and nothing you make during the trial is ever taken away.
Download for Mac for the free plan, or start the free Pro trial.
Trust and requirements
Spud is honest about what it needs. The app is signed and notarized, and downloads come direct from eatspud.com, which is a plus for window management because there are no App Store sandbox limits on moving other apps' windows. Spud has no Dock icon and lives in the menu bar. It needs Accessibility permission for one clear reason: to read and move other apps' windows.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an Alfred alternative that restores window layouts?
Yes. Spud is a macOS menu-bar app built to do exactly that. It saves a full desktop layout and restores every window's position, size, and front-to-back order with one keystroke, and it reopens closed browser tabs without duplicates. Alfred does not restore layouts, so many people run Spud next to it.
Is Spud a replacement for Alfred or a launcher?
Spud saves and restores your whole work context, while Alfred is a keyboard-first app and file launcher. The two do different jobs. For app search, keep Alfred or Raycast and add Spud for the desktop layout.
Does Spud have clipboard history and snippets like Alfred's Powerpack?
Yes. Spud includes a searchable clipboard history at ⌃ Space and reusable text snippets, the same tools Alfred puts behind the Powerpack. It also adds Talk, which reads copied text aloud at ⌃ T.
How much does Spud cost compared to Alfred's Powerpack?
Spud is free forever for 2 workspaces, with Pro at $4.99/month for unlimited use and a 10-day trial that needs no card. Alfred's Powerpack is a one-time license starting around £34, so it is a single upfront cost rather than a subscription.
Can I use Spud alongside Alfred or Raycast?
Yes, and that is the recommended setup. Spud handles saving and restoring your desktop layout while your launcher handles app and file search. The two do different jobs, so running both gives you keyboard-first search and full workspace restore.