The short answer. If the complaint is that Spotlight is slow on a large disk, Everything by mdfind indexes through Spotlight and answers fast. If the complaint is that Spotlight finds too much, Trace is a narrower alternative. If you want to act on results and not just open them, FileMinutes. If you want a global fuzzy menu over everything rather than a file search, icmd or Wox. If what you are looking for is the text inside your mail and documents rather than a file name, Selectric searches those directly. The honest starting point is that Spotlight is already indexing — the question is which of its limitations is the one that bothers you.
This guide covers 6 file search tools for macOS. Every fact below is drawn from the same verified records that back each app’s own page. The recommendations are our editorial judgment, not payment.
Quick comparison
| App | What it is | Pricing | Licence | Version |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| everythingByMdfind | system tool | Open source | not published | 1.4.3 |
| FileMinutes | system tool | not published | not published | — |
| iCMD | Mac utility | not published | not published | — |
| Selectric | Mac utility | not published | not published | — |
| Trace | Mac utility | Open source | not published | — |
| Wox | Mac utility | Open source | GPL-3.0 | 2.4.5 |
What actually decides this
- Index or live filesystem walk. An index answers instantly and is stale between updates. A live walk is always current and slow on a large volume. Tools differ on this and it decides their behaviour on external drives.
- Name search or content search. Content search costs far more to index and answers a different question. A tool that only searches names will look fast and will not find the file you meant.
- What happens to the result. Opening is the default. Some tools can also reveal, copy path, or run an action, which is what turns a search tool into a workflow tool.
- How it handles permissions. A search that reports files it cannot open is worse than one that does not mention them. Full Disk Access changes what any of these can see.
- Whether it can search a network volume. Some tools refuse to index or walk network shares, which is exactly where the files you are looking for tend to live. Worth testing before you build a habit on one.
Our picks
- everythingByMdfind — Its record describes fast file search using Spotlight, which builds on the index rather than replacing it. Choose it when you want the fastest possible answer and are already running Spotlight.
- Trace — Its record describes an open-source Spotlight alternative and shortcut toolkit, which is the different-scope case. Choose it when you want a narrower alternative to Spotlight rather than a faster one.
- FileMinutes — Its record describes finding files and taking actions in one place, which is the workflow version. Choose it when you want to act on what you find, not only open it.
- iCMD — Its record describes global fuzzy menu search, which is a launcher-shaped answer to the same problem. Choose it when you would rather have one fuzzy menu over everything than a separate file search.
The apps
everythingByMdfind
everythingByMdfind is a system tool for macOS. Fast file search using Spotlight. It is open source.
What it does. Blazing Fast Search: Utilizes the macOS Spotlight index for near-instantaneous file searching. Flexible Search Options: Search by file name or content to quickly locate the files you need. Advanced Filtering: Refine your searches with a variety of filters. Directory-Specific Search: Limit your search to a specific directory for focused results.
everythingByMdfind is listed with current version 1.4.3.
Full profile and verified facts for everythingByMdfind →
FileMinutes
FileMinutes is a system tool for macOS. Find files and take actions, all in one. Its pricing is not published.
What it does. FileMinutes - Work smarter with files on macOS with fast search, easy navigation, and integrated file actions all in one apps.
Full profile and verified facts for FileMinutes →
iCMD
iCMD is a Mac utility for macOS. Global fuzzy menu search with Vim-style navigation. Its pricing is not published.
What it does. Insights, frameworks, and stories for ambitious founders and operators navigating the modern tech landscape.
Full profile and verified facts for iCMD →
Selectric
Selectric is a Mac utility for macOS. Private search across email, documents, and chat apps. Its pricing is not published.
Full profile and verified facts for Selectric →
Trace
Trace is a Mac utility for macOS. Open-source spotlight alternative and shortcut toolkit. It is open source.
What it does. A minimal, fast app launcher for macOS with window management, menu item search, themes, settings sync, push-to-talk dictation, and productivity features.
Full profile and verified facts for Trace →
Wox
Wox is a Mac utility for macOS. Open-source cross-platform launcher with fast local search and plugin extensibility. It is released under GPL-3.0.
What it does. A native, open-source Raycast / Alfred alternative for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Wox is listed with current version 2.4.5.
Full profile and verified facts for Wox →
How to choose
- No licence fee, source available. everythingByMdfind, Trace and Wox — the source can be read and, under the terms of each licence, reused.
- Pricing not published in our data. FileMinutes, iCMD and Selectric — check the developer’s own site before assuming anything about cost.
Open source: everythingByMdfind, Trace and Wox (3 of 6).
Common mistakes
- Installing a search tool and granting Full Disk Access to it without reading its privacy note. Search tools see everything.
- Expecting content search from a tool that only indexes names. The result list will look plausible and will be wrong.
- Judging speed on a small startup disk. The difference appears on a multi-terabyte volume, and only there.
- Building a search habit on a tool that does not support the external drive you actually keep the files on.
How this guide was put together
Each app’s facts come from its own record: the developer’s own pages and repository, the App Store listing where one exists, and the documentation, each with a source grade and an access date. Where a fact rests on the developer’s own statement rather than on something we verified independently, the sentence says so. Where our data has no value for something, the guide says “not published” instead of guessing.
A price appears here only where the record carries one from a stated source; the guide never estimates one, and it records the pricing model alongside so the two can be read together. Prices change and vary by region, so each app links to its own page for the current detail.
The facts and the recommendations are kept apart on purpose. Everything in the app entries, the comparison table and the answers above is composed from the records. The short answer, the criteria and the picks are our editorial judgment: they reflect what we would choose and why, and they are not paid for. Where we make a recommendation we name the condition it applies under, because we do not call anything “the best” without explaining the criteria.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose between these file search tools?
There is no single answer — it depends on what you need. This guide covers 6 file search tools: everythingByMdfind, FileMinutes, iCMD, Selectric, Trace and Wox. They differ mainly in pricing model, licence and the trade-offs each one carries. Pick by the trade-off you care about rather than by rank.
Are these file search tools free?
Pricing across this group: open source (everythingByMdfind, Trace and Wox) and not published (FileMinutes, iCMD and Selectric). Where we list pricing as not published, the developer does not state a model we could verify — check their own site before assuming anything about cost. We quote a price only where the record carries one from a stated source, and we never estimate one. Prices change and vary by region and by store, so always check the developer’s own page for the current figure.
Which of these file search tools are open source?
everythingByMdfind (not published), Trace (not published) and Wox (GPL-3.0) are open source.
Do these file search tools support Apple Silicon?
Our data does not carry an explicit Apple Silicon statement for any app in this group, so we do not claim one. The absence of a statement is not the same as the absence of support.
How do I choose between them?
Start with how you pay: the guide groups these apps by pricing model, because the budget is the constraint most people actually have. Then check the trade-offs listed for each app: the limitations are the part that decides most people’s choice, because they describe what the app will not do for you.
