Ferrocast A free Alfred alternative with clipboard history and snippets
In Alfred, clipboard history, snippets with auto-expansion and Workflows are part of the Powerpack, a one-off purchase (£34 for a single Alfred 5 licence, which the shop says includes a free upgrade to Alfred 6). Ferrocast includes clipboard history and expanding snippets for free, as an open-source (MIT) launcher for Apple Silicon Macs.
Alfred has a decade of Workflows behind it and runs on older Macs; Ferrocast does not try to replace that. If what you want from the Powerpack is the clipboard and snippets, read on. I make Ferrocast, so check the sources.
Download FerrocastFree · MIT · Apple Silicon · no account
Alfred Powerpack features and their Ferrocast counterpart
| Feature | Alfred | Ferrocast (free) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free app; Powerpack is a one-off £34 (single Alfred 5 licence) | Free, no paid plan |
| Clipboard history | Powerpack; ignores password apps by default | Included; skips entries from password managers; you choose how long to keep it |
| Snippets with auto-expansion | Powerpack | Included, with placeholders such as {date}, {clipboard} and {cursor}; imports Raycast snippet JSON |
| Automation | Workflows (Powerpack), with thousands from the community | Raycast-compatible Script Commands; no visual workflow editor |
| Shell commands | Run in Terminal from Alfred (Powerpack) | Script Commands run without opening Terminal |
| Settings sync between Macs | Through Dropbox or another file sync service (Powerpack) | Opt-in through iCloud Drive (Settings → Advanced, off by default). Keychain API keys stay on each Mac. Backup export is still in Settings |
| AI | No built-in AI stated on its website | Ask AI with your provider; Ollama on your Mac by default |
| File conversion | File actions, and custom ones through Workflows | 275 local conversions and 26 file tools |
| Window management | Not stated on its website | About 40 commands |
| Requirements | Alfred 5: macOS 10.14 or later | Apple Silicon, macOS 13 or later |
| Interface language | Not compared here | English plus six more: Spanish, German, French, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese and Simplified Chinese. Per Mac, not synced |
| Source code | No open licence stated | MIT |
Alfred column from alfredapp.com/powerpack, the shop, clipboard help and minimum requirements, checked 28 October 2026. Ferrocast column from its key facts and docs.
Move your clipboard and snippets habit to Ferrocast
- Install Ferrocast. Download the DMG or install it with Homebrew. It needs no account.
- Pick a hotkey. Ferrocast opens with ⌥ Space by default; change it in Settings if Alfred uses it.
- Turn on the clipboard history. In Settings → Clipboard, keep Record history on and choose how long to keep it.
- Recreate your snippets. Open Snippets from the launcher, press ⌘N and type the keyword and text. Automatic expansion needs the Accessibility permission.
Install Ferrocast with Homebrew
brew tap drumst0ck/ferrocast
brew install drumst0ck/ferrocast/ferrocast
ln -sfn "$(brew --prefix)/opt/ferrocast/Ferrocast.app" \
/Applications/Ferrocast.app
open /Applications/Ferrocast.appStay on Alfred if you…
- rely on Workflows, your own or from the community;
- use an Intel Mac or a macOS version older than 13;
- want Alfred 6, which the shop says is a free upgrade for new Alfred 5 Powerpack buyers;
- want settings sync through Dropbox rather than iCloud Drive.
Ferrocast fits if you…
- mostly want clipboard history and snippets without paying for them;
- want AI chat with your own model, file conversion that never uploads, or screen recording, in the same launcher;
- prefer software whose code you can read.
Related guides
- Free Raycast alternative for Mac
- Ferrocast vs Raycast: free vs paid
- Mac launcher with local AI
- Mac window management: 40 commands
Questions
Is Alfred free?
The Alfred app is free. Clipboard history, snippets, Workflows and settings sync are part of the Powerpack, a one-off purchase (£34 for a single Alfred 5 licence when we checked on 28 October 2026).
Is there a free alternative to the Alfred Powerpack?
For clipboard history and snippets, yes. Ferrocast is a free, open-source Mac launcher that includes both. It does not run Alfred Workflows.
Can Ferrocast import my Alfred snippets?
Not directly. Ferrocast imports snippets from a Raycast JSON export; Alfred snippets have to be recreated.
Does Ferrocast run Alfred Workflows?
No. Ferrocast runs Raycast-compatible Script Commands, which are plain scripts with metadata comments.
Does Ferrocast work on Intel Macs?
No. Ferrocast needs an Apple Silicon Mac and macOS 13 or later. Alfred 5 runs from macOS 10.14.
Is Ferrocast affiliated with Alfred?
No. Ferrocast is independent and not affiliated with Alfred or Raycast.
What languages is Ferrocast available in?
English, plus Spanish, German, French, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese and Simplified Chinese. It follows the macOS language order, or Settings → General → Language. The choice stays on that Mac and is not synced. Anything not translated yet shows in English. Names you type and what Raycast extensions show are never translated.