MarkDash vs Raycast
The short answer
Pick Raycast if you already live in Raycast and want to find and kill a server from the keyboard, for free. The Dev Servers extension starts JavaScript projects too.
Pick MarkDash if you want the state on screen without asking: every port, warnings when something conflicts, and your pages and links next to each project.
At a glance
| Feature | MarkDash | Raycast |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Native menu bar app, macOS 15 or later | Community extensions for the Raycast launcher: Dev Servers, Port Manager |
| Price | $9.99 per Mac at launch, then $19.99, paid once. 14-day trial | Free. Raycast Pro, $10 a month, isn’t needed |
| Lists listening ports | Yes Every listening TCP port with process, PID, folder and command. Rescans every 4 s | Yes Port Manager lists listening TCP ports |
| Knows the project | Yes Your saved sites by name; any other server by its folder | Yes Dev Servers groups by project and git worktree |
| Starts your projects | Yes One click, with your login shell’s PATH. Detects the command from the folder | Partly Dev Servers, for JavaScript projects (Vite, Next, Astro…) |
| Stops a server | Yes Quit signal to the whole process tree, force kill after 3 s | Yes By port, PID or name; a project or everything |
| Restarts a server | Yes For the sites you saved | Partly Dev Servers, with the package manager it detects |
| Live logs | Yes For the servers MarkDash starts | Partly Dev Servers shows the startup log |
| Port conflict warnings | Yes Port taken, two copies of one project, a server that moved (5173 → 5174). One-click kill | No |
| Saved pages that follow the port | Yes Save /admin, /blog… per project. Paste a localhost URL and it’s filed under the right one | No |
| Links, notes and a board | Yes Categories, notes, search, To do / Doing / Done board | No |
| Menu bar | Yes | Yes Server count and port list |
| Scripting | Partly Shortcuts and Spotlight: open, start and stop sites, open links. No CLI | Yes Raycast commands, hotkeys and quicklinks |
Where MarkDash pulls ahead
- One app instead of two or three extensions, and it doesn’t need Raycast.
- Any command that listens on a port: Rails, Django, Hugo, Bun, not only JavaScript.
- Warnings for a busy port, two copies of a project or a moved server.
- Saved pages per project that follow the port, and a links board.
Where Raycast is the better pick
- It’s free if you already use Raycast.
- Everything is a keystroke away, from a launcher you have open anyway.
- Dev Servers groups servers by git worktree.
- Port Manager shows whether a port is open to your network or only to your Mac.
Using both
They don’t get in each other’s way. MarkDash’s sites and links are in Spotlight and Shortcuts, so you can reach them from Raycast too.
What they cost
The extensions are free in the Raycast Store. Raycast is free for personal use; Pro costs $10 a month and is mostly about AI.
MarkDash is a one-time purchase per Mac, from $9.99, after a 14-day free trial with every feature. See the licenses.
Questions
Which Raycast extensions handle dev servers?
Dev Servers finds, starts, restarts and stops JavaScript dev servers. Port Manager lists listening ports and kills them, and lets you name ports. Both are free in the Raycast Store.
Try MarkDash on your own projects
Free for 14 days, then $9.99 per Mac, paid once. macOS 15 or later.
More comparisons
- MarkDash vs lsof and killThe built-in commands for finding who holds a port.
- MarkDash vs Activity MonitorApple’s process viewer, which has no port column.
- MarkDash vs PortlivoThe closest app to MarkDash, with sharing and a CLI.
- MarkDash vs LocalhostBarA small, free, open source list of localhost ports.
- MarkDash vs PortKillerFree, open source port killer for Mac and Windows.
- MarkDash vs Laravel HerdA full PHP and Laravel environment.
- MarkDash vs kill-port and fkillThe npm commands that free a busy port.
Sources for Raycast: Dev Servers · Port Manager · Raycast pricing