When comparing Action Launcher Plus vs Microsoft Launcher, the Slant community recommends Action Launcher Plus for most people. In the question“What are the best launchers for Android?” Action Launcher Plus is ranked 5th while Microsoft Launcher is ranked 8th. The most important reason people chose Action Launcher Plus is:
A more powerful alternative to folders, Covers allows the user to disguise what would normally be a folder as an app one of the apps in the folder. One tap opens the app normally, but swiping up on the icon reveals the folder that the icon is covering. The use of covers is also optional for those that would rather use a regular folder.
Specs
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Pros

Pro Covers
A more powerful alternative to folders, Covers allows the user to disguise what would normally be a folder as an app one of the apps in the folder. One tap opens the app normally, but swiping up on the icon reveals the folder that the icon is covering. The use of covers is also optional for those that would rather use a regular folder.

Pro Quicktheme
The action bar and search bar change colors according to the wallpaper, making for a great way to have a consistent color theme.

Pro Supports icon packs
Pro Active, Innovative Developer
The dev constantly releases betas and trials new features. Bugs are found and sorted out quickly. App innovations are often ahead of the curve -- e.g., quickdrawer, instant theming, pixel integration before Nova, gesture integration. When upgraded from AL2 to AL3, the dev also explained the rationale behind the move to a whole new app and payment, and discounted supporters.

Pro Gestures for shortcuts
Use swipes, pinches, and multi-finger gestures on the homescreen as shortcuts to your favorite features. A favorite is a down swipe anywhere on the homescreen, to bring down the notification tray so users don't have to reach up to the top of their screen. Additionally customise double- and triple-taps on the homescreen to launch a variety of options.

Pro Pixel Launcher look & feel
Use the Pixel theme to add a dock background, and add a Google pill button instead of the search bar. this way users can mimic the look of the Pixels launcher.
Pro 1 Google Now page
With a companion app Action Launcher, you gain access to the Google Now page.
Pro Sliding quickdrawer allows for quick access to apps
The quick drawer allows for quick access to apps, from anywhere on the device. This way users do not have to go to the home screen in order to open the app drawer.

Pro Shutters
Shutters is a feature that allows the user to swipe up on an icon to load the app's widget in a small window, and then hide when done. Saves tons of screenspace without losing the functionality of your favorite widgets.

Pro Lightweight
Pro Google Now support
Action Launcher 3 supports Google Now "Ok Google" voice search allowing users to voice search from the home screen.

Pro 3D Touch-like app shortcuts
Pro Does not slow down under load
Pro 'Vertical grid' app tray option
Action Launcher has the option to enable a vertical grid app tray that acts like most menus that slide out from the left of the phone's screen. Apps are organized alphabetically, and touching a letter will take you to apps that start with that letter.
Pro Feels great with curved displays
Action Launcher 3 feels like it was made for curved displays, like the Galaxy S6/7 Edge, BlackBerry Priv, and Nexus 4. Swiping in from the edge for the vertical app drawer or quickpage feels even more natural on these phones.
Pro Easy to organize
It has different pages that help you to have your contacts, reminders, last files opened, and more.
Pro Simple design
Very simple drawer for productivity. Requires little time.
Pro To-do list reminder
It has a very helpful integrated to-do card/widget.
If you use Wunderlist, you may connect this, and have your tasks synced between Microsoft Launcher and Wunderlist.
Pro Utility page
Microsoft Launcher has a powerful utility page, which contains the card widgets, which are powerful widgets integrated within Microsoft Launcher.
It is a page which by default is to the left of your home screen.
Pro Notes card/widget
Microsoft Launcher has its own Notes card/widget, which you may use for easy to access notes and checkbox-lists.
Pro Icon packs
Pro Vertical scrolling
You may enable vertical scrolling for your home screen, which enables you to add multiple pages for your apps and widgets.
Pro Recents
Microsoft Launcher has a Recents card/widget, which can show you recent phone calls, social messaging, SMS, files, clipboard and camera activity.
Pro Gestures customisation
There's customisation for gestures, i.e double tap to lock phone, swipe up for app drawer, etc.
Pro Built-in search engine
Microsoft Launcher features a built-in search engine, which you may use to search the internet and your installed apps.
You may choose to use Bing, Google, or Yahoo as your search engine.
Pro Arrow Hub
Share files directly to your Arrow Hub, which you can connect to from a PC via an URL and your Microsoft Login.
Cons
Con Misleading description of the free version
Most of the features are in the upgrade version.
Con No trial for the pro version
There's no way to try the pro version before buying it.
Con Confusing upgrade procedure
Action Launcher can be upgraded to the Pro version using an in-app purchase. The confusion comes from the fact that there's a Pro version available on the Play store, but the correct version to upgrade is through the in-app purchase.
Con Cannot change icons without upgrading
Cannot change the icons individually without upgrading. Some icon packs do not change all the icons when initially applied.
Con High resource usage
Con Widgets not available for new page
Con Need microsoft account to use
Con Limited Icon Customisation
You can select icons from icon packs but not from individual icon images.
Con App organization
There is no option to automatically sort apps by type and put them into one folder. You'll have to do that manually, which is a pain in the neck if you have lots of apps and want to organize them into folders.
