Running with Crayons

What Running with Crayons does

Running with Crayons Ltd. is a privately held, bootstrapped UK software company founded in 2010 by Andrew Pepperrell and Vero Pepperrell. The company develops Alfred, an award-winning productivity application for macOS that enables keyboard-driven app launching, file and web search, clipboard history management, snippet-based text expansion, and visual workflow automation. Alfred's core technology is a native macOS application with deep system integration, supplemented by an iOS companion app (Alfred Remote), an add-on premium tier (Powerpack), and an ecosystem of community-contributed workflows.

The product is built around a no-code visual workflow editor that chains triggers, inputs, actions, and outputs, supported by 218+ built-in Automation Tasks and 375+ community workflows on the Packal repository. The application is Developer ID Signed and Notarised for macOS, runs natively on both Intel and Apple Silicon, and integrates with first-party macOS services (Music.app, Contacts, Shortcuts) as well as third-party tools via community workflows (Spotify, GitHub, Slack, 1Password, Evernote, Zapier, etc.).

The business operates a freemium, product-led growth model: the core app is free indefinitely, while monetization comes from a one-time Powerpack license (single user or family), the paid Alfred Remote iOS app, an optional Mega Supporter subscription for premium support and early access, and corporate volume licensing for teams. The company has remained founder-owned with no external funding, employs fewer than 10 people, and reports no acquisition, M&A, or institutional investment activity. Its stated user base reaches into the millions of Mac users globally.

Name

Running with Crayons

Legal name

Running with Crayons Ltd.

Website

https://alfredapp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Running with Crayons Ltd. develops Alfred, a freemium macOS productivity application offering hotkey-driven app launching, file search, clipboard history, text snippets, and no-code visual workflow automation, serving millions of Mac power users, developers, and enterprise teams globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Desktop Productivity Software

NAICS

Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Whiteboarding & Visual Collaboration (BPAMAMAI)

Keywords

• MacOS productivity software
• Keyboard launcher app
• Workflow automation
• Clipboard manager
• Text snippet expansion

Headquarters

HQ city

Histon

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Powerpack Licenses: One-time perpetual license purchase for the Powerpack add-on, which unlocks advanced features like workflows, clipboard history, snippets, theming, and more. Available as Single User or Family license.
2. Alfred Remote iOS App: Paid iOS application sold through the iTunes App Store for controlling Alfred on Mac.
3. Corporate Licensing: Volume licensing for teams and organizations with multiple seats.
4. Mega Supporter: Premium support and early access program, with free upgrades to newer versions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Running with Crayons develops Alfred, a native macOS productivity application that lets users launch apps, search files and the web, control system functions, and automate repetitive tasks via hotkeys, keywords, and text expansion. The core application is free; a paid Powerpack add-on unlocks advanced features including Clipboard History, Snippets, Workflows (visual no-code automation), theming, and music player control. Alfred Remote for iOS extends the same control surfaces to iPhone and iPad.

Product overview

Running with Crayons Ltd develops Alfred, a productivity application ecosystem for macOS. The core product is Alfred 5 for Mac (free base version), enhanced by the paid Powerpack add-on unlocking advanced features including Clipboard History, Snippets, Workflows automation, File Navigation, Contacts Viewer, Music Mini Player, and custom Theming. Alfred Remote for iOS extends control to mobile devices. The company also offers the Alfred Gallery for community workflow discovery and Alfred Labs for experimental tools. Alfred is Developer ID Signed and Notarised for macOS security compliance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Alfred Remote: iOS companion app for Alfred on Mac, allowing users to control their Mac via pages of icons on their iPhone or iPad.
• Powerpack

Products and services

• Alfred 5 for Mac Free native macOS productivity application that boosts efficiency with hotkeys, keywords, text expansion, file search and web search. The core app launches apps, searches files and the web, and provides calculator, dictionary, system commands, Quick Look, and contacts features. Targeted at individual Mac users and power users.
• Alfred Powerpack Premium add-on for Alfred sold as a one-time license that unlocks advanced features including Clipboard History, Snippets, Workflows (visual no-code automation), File Navigation, Contacts Viewer, Music Mini Player, custom Theming, and iTunes/Music control. Available in Single User and Family licenses with volume licensing for teams.
• Alfred Remote for iOS Paid iOS companion app that turns an iPhone or iPad into a command centre for Alfred on Mac, allowing users to launch apps, files and folders, control music, trigger workflows and manage clipboard snippets from a mobile device. Sold as a one-time purchase on the iTunes App Store.

Quantifiable outcome

• 218+ Automation Tasks available for script-free workflow creation
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration15 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• RedbubbleminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRedbubble handles manufacturing and fulfillment of Alfred-branded merchandise including stickers, t-shirts, notebooks, water bottles, and laptop bags sold through their online marketplace.

Scale indicators3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Wox: Open-source launcher for Windows offering app launching, file search, and pluggable workflows in a similar visual style to Alfred's workflow canvas. Comparable product concept but serving a different OS ecosystem.

Emerging players

• BetterTouchTool: macOS productivity utility for custom gestures, shortcuts, window management, and scripting. Partial overlap with Alfred's hotkey and workflow triggers, particularly for power users customising input devices.
• Hazel: Automated Mac file-management tool that watches folders and runs rules on files. Adjacent to Alfred's file-search and workflow actions but focused on unattended automation rather than interactive launching.
• Butler: Mac menu-bar utility for chaining menu actions into hotkeys and macros. Adjacent to Alfred's hotkey and workflow triggers, with narrower scope but overlapping power-user use cases.
• TextExpander: Cross-platform text expansion and snippet management tool (now part of Smile). Overlaps with Alfred's Snippets feature on macOS and is a partial substitute for power users whose primary need is text expansion rather than launching.

Broad incumbents

• Zapier: Cloud-based automation platform connecting 750+ web apps. An Alfred workflow exists to invoke Zapier, positioning Zapier as a broader incumbent whose web-app automation capabilities Alfred routes into from the desktop.

Direct peers

• Keyboard Maestro: Mac automation platform for building macro-based workflows triggered by hotkeys, strings, or system events. Comparable to Alfred's Powerpack Workflows in visual automation but oriented more toward macro/power-user scripting.
• LaunchBar: Long-standing macOS launcher and productivity tool by Objective Development, offering keyboard-driven app launching, file search, clipboard history, and Instant Send — directly overlapping with Alfred's core feature set.
• Quicksilver: Pioneer open-source macOS launcher with plugin-based actions for file launching, clipboard, and scripting. Historic direct competitor to Alfred in the Mac power-user launcher category.
• Raycast: Modern Mac productivity launcher that competes head-to-head with Alfred on app launching, file search, clipboard, snippets, and extensible workflows. Targets the same Mac power-user persona with a venture-backed, AI-forward roadmap.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/alfredapp
• Facebookfacebook.com/alfredapp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/running-with-crayons-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Running with Crayons