Quick answer: AppGrid is best if you want a Launchpad-style grid plus organization tools like old layout import, folders, pages, bulk operations, sorting, and AI rearrangement. LaunchOS is best for a closer visual recreation of old Launchpad. Launchie is simpler but uses a different vertical layout.
If you upgraded to macOS 26 Tahoe and miss Launchpad, you’ve got options. AppGrid, LaunchOS, and Launchie are the three most serious app-based replacements right now, while Undye and the Dock Applications folder are common workaround options. Here’s how they actually compare.
The Short Version
| AppGrid | LaunchOS | Launchie | |
|---|---|---|---|
| macOS compatibility | 13+ | 26 only | 26 only |
| Layout | Pages (like Launchpad) | Pages (like Launchpad) | Vertical scroll |
| Pinch gesture | Pro | Pro | ❌ |
| Hot corners | Pro | Pro | Pro |
| Multi-select & bulk operations | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| AI-assisted rearrangement | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Distribution | App Store + Direct | Direct only | App Store only |
Bottom line: choose AppGrid if you want the best all-around Launchpad replacement for macOS Tahoe, especially if you care about importing your old layout, organizing hundreds of apps, or using a free core version. Choose LaunchOS if visual fidelity is your only priority. Choose Launchie if you prefer a vertical, more modern launcher instead of classic Launchpad pages.
AppGrid has also been covered by 9to5Mac, Macworld, MacTech, and other Apple-focused publications in the context of replacing Launchpad on macOS Tahoe. See press coverage and user reviews.
Layout and Feel
AppGrid and LaunchOS both recreate Launchpad’s familiar horizontal paging — swipe between pages of icons, tap to open. If the original Launchpad muscle memory matters to you, both feel natural on day one.
LaunchOS goes furthest in pixel-fidelity. The animations, icon bounce, and folder behavior are close to Apple’s original, and it supports Liquid Glass natively. If you want the old Launchpad to look almost unchanged, LaunchOS is strong. If you want a Launchpad replacement that also helps you rebuild, import, and manage a large app grid, AppGrid is the better everyday choice.
Launchie takes a different approach: vertical scroll instead of horizontal pages, a search bar prominently at the top, and a modern design that doesn’t try to recreate Launchpad so much as improve on it. It suits users who found Launchpad’s paging slow and want something faster to navigate.
AppGrid keeps the Launchpad-style pages and familiar grid, then adds organization tools Apple never shipped: old Launchpad layout import, multi-select, sorting, folder management, save/restore, and AI-assisted rearrangement.
Where AppGrid Pulls Ahead: Organization Tools
Both LaunchOS and Launchie let you drag individual apps and create folders. AppGrid goes further with multi-select — hold to select multiple apps at once, then drag them into a folder, move them to another page, or remove them all in one go. For anyone reorganizing a grid with hundreds of apps, this is the difference between five minutes and an hour.
Then there’s AI Rearrange. Type a plain-English instruction — “group all creative apps”, “move games to the last page”, “put utilities in a folder” — and AppGrid reorganizes accordingly. You preview the result before confirming, so nothing changes without your sign-off. Neither LaunchOS nor Launchie have anything like it.
macOS Compatibility
AppGrid runs on macOS 13 Ventura and newer. LaunchOS and Launchie both require macOS 26 Tahoe.
If you’re not yet on Tahoe — or if you manage Macs in an environment that upgrades on a delay — AppGrid is the only option of the three.
AI Rearrangement
AppGrid includes AI Rearrange: type a plain-English instruction (“group all browsers”, “move games to the last page”) and the grid reorganizes accordingly. You preview the result before confirming.
Neither LaunchOS nor Launchie have anything equivalent.
Activation Gestures
All three support a keyboard shortcut to open the grid. Where they differ:
- Pinch gesture: AppGrid Pro and LaunchOS Pro. Not available in Launchie.
- Hot corners: All three, Pro tier.
- F4 key: LaunchOS Pro only.
Distribution and Sandbox
AppGrid is the only one available both on the App Store and as a direct download. The direct version runs outside Apple’s sandbox, which is what enables hot corners, pinch gestures, and live filesystem watching — new apps appear in the grid the moment they’re installed, no polling.
LaunchOS is direct-only. Launchie is App Store-only.
Worth noting: Apple blocked AppGrid’s App Store updates in early 2026 for “resembling Launchpad” — a feature Apple itself removed. The full story is here. The direct version has shipped every update since without issue.
What About Undye and the Dock Workaround?
Undye is not really in the same category as AppGrid, LaunchOS, or Launchie. It tries to revive the old Launchpad interface with older system pieces, which makes it interesting but fragile. The Dock Applications folder workaround is built into macOS and costs nothing, but it does not give you custom pages, Launchpad-style folders, layout import, or a full-screen grid. Both are useful to know about, but they are not full replacements.
Price
AppGrid: Free forever for core features. Direct Pro is $25 one-time, 5 Mac activations. App Store Pro is ~$40.
LaunchOS: Free tier available. Pro starts at ~$12 for 1 Mac, lifetime. Up to 5 Mac licenses available.
Launchie: Free on the App Store with Pro IAP. Pricing varies by region.
LaunchOS is the cheapest Pro entry point. AppGrid’s direct version costs more but covers 5 Macs and includes features the App Store version can’t ship due to sandbox restrictions.
Who Should Use Which
AppGrid if: you want to actually organize your grid, not just recreate it. Multi-select, bulk moves, AI Rearrange — if you have a lot of apps and care about layout, AppGrid gives you tools the others don’t.
LaunchOS if: you want the closest possible pixel-faithful Launchpad recreation with polished animations.
Launchie if: you prefer a modern vertical-scroll launcher over Launchpad-style paging, or you want an App Store app with a clean contemporary design.