Best Desktop Search Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Recoll is ranked #1 of 59 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of FoxTrot Search and ProFind. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Agent Ransack. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Pronto at $3.25/mo.
Finding a file on your computer can mean searching its contents, messages, or more than one indexed location. Compare content search, email search, message search, and OCR search to see which information types each tool covers. Index locations and indexed-item limits offer useful details about scope, while supported platforms show where the software is available. Free-plan availability and paid-from pricing add practical cost considerations. Recoll, FoxTrot Search, and ProFind are among the entries shown, with Agent Ransack and DocFetcher also included. Consider which sources you need to search, whether recognized text is important, and how much indexed material you expect to work with.
59 desktop search software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
Recognised 40% · Phone app 26% · Documented 20% · Free plan 14% of the score
- 1 Recoll Android only RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.9Free Supported platforms: web, Windows, macOS, LinuxIndex locations: local filesystem, removable volumes, shared or otherwise computer-accessible storageContent search: Yes
- 2 FoxTrot Search iPhone only RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.7 Supported platforms: macOS, iOSIndex locations: Local folders, connected/removable volumes, network drives, NAS, synced index filesContent search: Yes
- 3 ProFind iPhone only RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.7 Supported platforms: macOS, iOSIndex locations: home folders, Mac disks, local disks, external disks, servers, network volumes, cached disks, open Finder foldersContent search: Yes
- 4 Agent Ransack No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.4Free Supported platforms: windowsIndex locations: local, removable, networkContent search: Yes
- 5 Buddi No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.4Free Supported platforms: WindowsIndex locations: Local NTFS volumesContent search: No
- 6 DocFetcher No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.4Free Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, LinuxIndex locations: local, removable, syncedContent search: Yes
- 7 EasyFind No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.3Free Supported platforms: macosIndex locations: Volumes, top-level folders, home folder, and Desktop foldersContent search: Yes
- 8 Listary No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.3Free
- 9 Open Semantic Desktop Search No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.3Free Supported platforms: web, windows, macos, linuxIndex locations: local folders, file servers, file sharesContent search: Yes
- 10 Precision File Search No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.3Free Supported platforms: windows, macos, linuxIndex locations: localContent search: Yes
- 11 Fluent Search No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.2Free
- 12 DocFinder No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 6.0Free Supported platforms: macOS, Windows, Linux; web interface when run from sourceIndex locations: User-selected document folders; other location types not specifiedContent search: Yes
- 13 FileLocator Pro No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.9 Supported platforms: WindowsIndex locations: local, networkContent search: Yes
- 14 Searchmonkey III No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.8 Supported platforms: windows, macos, linuxIndex locations: localContent search: Yes
- 15 WhatInStartup No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.7
- 16 Cathy No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.5 Supported platforms: WindowsIndex locations: Removable media, hard disks, and network drivesContent search: No
- 17 Microsoft Quick Assist No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.5
- 18 Mousepad No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.5 Supported platforms: linuxIndex locations: local, networkContent search: Yes
- 19 Beacon No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.4 Supported platforms: macOSIndex locations: Local filesystem, Desktop and Downloads, and connected cloud folders accessed through desktop sync appsContent search: Yes
- 20 Dowse No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.4 Supported platforms: WindowsIndex locations: Folders explicitly added by the user; local foldersContent search: Yes
- 21 Kerything No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.4 Supported platforms: LinuxIndex locations: Local block devices; mounted filesystemsContent search: No
- 22 KFind No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.4 Supported platforms: linuxIndex locations: localContent search: Yes
- 23 LocalSearch No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.4 Supported platforms: LinuxIndex locations: User home directory by default; configurable indexed locationsContent search: Yes
- 24 LumiFind No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.4 Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, LinuxIndex locations: Local drives and folders; mapped network drives and NAS; synced cloud storage (Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive)Content search: Yes
- 25 Pronto No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 5.4$3.25/mo Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, LinuxIndex locations: Selected folders on the computer; local storageContent search: Yes
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which desktop search software is ranked first on Samsung Mobile US Press?
Recoll is ranked #1 of 59 with a score of 7.9. FoxTrot Search is second and ProFind third.
How many of these have a free plan?
10 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Pronto has the lowest first paid tier we found: $3.25/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked mobile-first: a phone app alongside the web or desktop product, a free tier and the depth of its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.