When comparing Z Launcher Beta vs Essential Launcher, the Slant community recommends Z Launcher Beta for most people. In the question“What are the best launchers for Android?” Z Launcher Beta is ranked 7th while Essential Launcher is ranked 23rd. The most important reason people chose Z Launcher Beta is:
Users use their finger or a stylus to write the first letter of an app they are looking for in order to find it and launch it. It allows for a fast way to find and launch apps.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
![Ben Downey](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-qbtEZPmtnrw/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAAAHU/AF2mXD4TgC0/photo.jpg?sz=50)
Pro Apps can be searched for by scribbling letters
Users use their finger or a stylus to write the first letter of an app they are looking for in order to find it and launch it. It allows for a fast way to find and launch apps.
Pro Allows searching contacts and websites directly from the launcher
By gesture writing the name of a contact or website on the home screen the launcher will show results for the user to click on to go to the corresponding contact or webpage.
![Ben Downey](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-qbtEZPmtnrw/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAAAHU/AF2mXD4TgC0/photo.jpg?sz=50)
Pro Keeps your most used apps at the forefront
The launcher learns what the users most used apps are and adapts what it shows on the home-screen to that usage.
![Ben Downey](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-qbtEZPmtnrw/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAAAHU/AF2mXD4TgC0/photo.jpg?sz=50)
Pro Simplifies your homescreen
Z Launcher is a very minimal launcher where the home screen is 4 shortcuts at the bottom, 6 of the most used apps and phone numbers on the home screen and a clock at top.
![Ben Downey](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-qbtEZPmtnrw/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAAAHU/AF2mXD4TgC0/photo.jpg?sz=50)
Pro Nicely designed context-aware multi-app widget on homescreen
A clean and minimal designed widget that contains info from multiple apps, letting the user scroll between them intuitively.
![Ben Downey](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-qbtEZPmtnrw/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAAAHU/AF2mXD4TgC0/photo.jpg?sz=50)
Pro Unread Counters for docked Apps
Having apps like Hangouts or the Phone Dialer in the docked apps will allow for unread counts on the icons.
Pro Widget support
In spite of being a basic minimal launcher, it supports widgets.
Cons
Con A severe lack of customization options
Being that this is meant as a minimal style launcher, there is not many customization options. It is of course still in beta, so more options may wind up in the app over time.
Con Scribble feature is inconsistent
Just as with writing recognition for keyboards it is not always exact, especially depending on the users own handwriting.
Con No customization
In terms of total customization, it is even more spartan than KISS.
Con Only one widget
In spite of this, the widget chosen takes up all the desktop space.
![Vetted.ai illustration](/images/ai/vetted-illustration.png)