Is Shift free? What the free plan covers and what Advanced costs
Yes, Shift is free. The Shift browser can be downloaded for Mac or Windows at no cost and without a credit card, and the free plan is listed at $0 with no time limit. What the free plan does not give is unlimited room: Spaces and apps per Space are capped, and Shift AI usage is limited. The paid plan, Shift Advanced, costs $199.99 a year or $19.99 a month and removes those caps. One detail most pages about Shift miss is that Shift's own pricing page currently states the free limits in two different ways, so the exact ceiling is worth testing before relying on it. All figures here were read from the Shift pricing page on October 18, 2026.
This site is run by the developer of SpaceDeck, an app aggregation browser for macOS that competes with Shift. The facts below are quoted from Shift's own pages so they can be checked.
A quick note on names: the search "is shift free" also returns SHIFT, a screen time app for iPhone and Android. That is a different product from a different company. This page is about Shift, the desktop browser that gathers web apps and inboxes into one window.
What the free Shift plan includes
The free plan is presented on the pricing page as "$0 forever" with the line "Build a custom browser". Its listed contents are:
- 5 Spaces
- 10 apps per Space
- Browser Builder and templates
- Limited Shift AI usage
- Carbon-neutral browsing
The feature comparison on the same page adds that sync across devices, download scanning, and color themes are part of both plans, and that free users get customer support by email and chatbot.
It helps to know what those listed items mean in Shift's own terms. Browser Builder is how Shift describes creating a custom browser layout. Templates are ready-made browser window layouts meant to get a new user started quickly, and they are available on the free plan. Spaces are Shift's way of separating hobbies, work and projects, each with its own set of apps. Apps are the web services and inboxes added to the browser, and Shift's site highlights switching between email inboxes as one of the main uses. In other words, the free plan includes the full layout system; only the number of Spaces and apps is capped.
Shift has also added a built-in ad blocker called Blocker. Shift describes it as free and built in, blocking ads, trackers and pop-ups without an extension. YouTube ad blocking is reserved for Advanced users.
For one person with a modest set of apps, the free plan is a complete product, not a trial. There is no countdown, and the pricing page does not ask for payment details to start.
Two different free limits on the same page
Here is the detail worth knowing before committing a workflow to the free plan. The plan card and the comparison table at the top of the pricing page say 5 Spaces and 10 apps per Space. Further down, in the frequently asked questions on the same page, the answer to the question about choosing between the free version and Shift Advanced says that anyone can download Shift for free and create up to 2 Spaces with a maximum of 5 apps within each Space.
| Source on the pricing page | Spaces | Apps per Space | Maximum apps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan card and comparison table | 5 | 10 | 50 |
| FAQ answer | 2 | 5 | 10 |
The gap is large. Under the first reading, a free user can hold 50 apps. Under the second, 10. One plausible explanation is that one of the two texts was not updated after a plan change, but Shift does not say which one is current. The practical response is to build the intended setup during the first day and see where the app stops. If the work depends on more than 2 Spaces or more than 5 apps in a Space, confirm the limit in the app itself before planning around the larger figure.
What Shift Advanced costs and what it adds
Shift Advanced is listed at $199.99 USD billed annually. The pricing page offers a monthly toggle with the note "Save $40", and the FAQ gives the monthly price as $19.99 USD a month. Twelve monthly payments come to $239.88, so the yearly plan saves about $40, which matches the label.
Advanced includes everything in the free plan, plus:
- Unlimited Spaces
- Unlimited apps per Space
- Expanded Shift AI usage
- Priority customer support, including video calling
- YouTube ad blocking in Blocker
| Item | Free | Advanced |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0 | $199.99 per year or $19.99 per month |
| Spaces | Capped (see the section above) | Unlimited |
| Apps per Space | Capped (see the section above) | Unlimited |
| Shift AI | Limited usage | Expanded usage |
| Support | Email and chatbot | Email and chatbot, plus video calling |
| Sync, download scanning, color themes | Included | Included |
For teams, the page does not list a price. It offers consolidated billing and a central dashboard through a contact form.
Shift AI on the free plan
Shift AI is included for free. The FAQ says no credits are needed and that it is free for anyone with the Shift browser installed. The free allowance is described as enough for light AI use, such as a daily conversation, occasional drafting, summarizing or research. Shift does not publish a number of messages for the free tier, so there is no exact cap to quote. Readers who rely on AI throughout the day are pointed to Advanced at $19.99 a month.
This matters for the upgrade decision. If the main reason to pay is more AI, it is worth comparing that $19.99 against a direct subscription to the AI service already in use, since Shift AI is one of several ways to get the same kind of help.
Refunds, credit cards, and the version 9 transition
Three practical questions come up before people install or pay.
Is a credit card needed? No. The FAQ states that Shift can be downloaded for free without a credit card. Payment details are only needed when upgrading.
What is the refund policy? The FAQ says a full refund is available if requested within 14 days of the original purchase or of a renewal payment. Refunds return to the original card within 5 to 10 business days. That 14-day window applies to renewals too, which is useful for anyone who forgets to cancel a yearly plan.
What about Shift version 9? Shift is moving users from version 9 to its new browser. The FAQ says the new version will be available to all v9 users over the following couple of months, and that Spaces, apps and bookmarks will be migrated. Users who do not want to wait can download the new version directly, but the FAQ notes that this means leaving the current setup behind. To check the installed version, open Shift and choose About Shift from the Shift menu in the menu bar. A version starting with 9 is the older app.
How Shift's free plan compares with similar tools
Readers asking "is Shift free" are usually comparing it with other tools that gather web apps into one window. Here is what the closest alternatives publish about their free plans, checked on October 18, 2026.
- Rambox offers a free Basic plan with unlimited catalog apps, up to 2 custom web apps and 1 active computer. Workspaces and multi-login are in Pro at $7.00 a month or $70.00 a year, according to the Rambox pricing page.
- Ferdium is open source and has no paid tier at all, as described on the Ferdium home page. It can be used without an account.
- The macOS app aggregation browser run by this site has a free plan of 1 workspace with up to 3 apps, with no time limit and no account. Multiple accounts per service, unlimited workspaces and sync are in Pro at $7 a month, $60 a year or $129 one-time. Its pricing page lists the free and paid limits.
Shift's free plan is generous on app count, at least under the plan card's reading, and it runs on both Mac and Windows. Its paid plan is the most expensive of the group. The side-by-side detail on sessions, notifications and sync is in the comparison with Shift.
What the paid plans cost over two years
Monthly prices hide how far apart these tools are over a realistic period of use. Most people who settle on an app aggregation tool keep it for years, so a two-year view is more honest than a one-month one. The figures below use only the published prices quoted above and simple multiplication.
| Product | Paid plan used | Cost over 24 months |
|---|---|---|
| Shift Advanced | Yearly, $199.99 | $399.98 |
| Shift Advanced | Monthly, $19.99 | $479.76 |
| Rambox Pro | Yearly, $70.00 | $140.00 |
| Rambox Pro | Monthly, $7.00 | $168.00 |
| Ferdium | No paid plan | $0 |
| macOS browser run by this site | Yearly, $60 | $120 |
| macOS browser run by this site | One-time, $129 | $129 |
Price is not the whole story. Shift runs on Windows as well as Mac, includes its own AI assistant and ad blocker, and offers video call support on Advanced. Rambox is cross-platform with a Teams plan. Ferdium is free but community supported. The point of the table is narrower: if the only reason to upgrade is a few more Spaces or apps, the yearly difference between these options is large enough to justify an hour of testing alternatives before paying.
Two habits keep the cost down whichever tool is chosen. First, pick yearly billing only after the first month, once the setup has stopped changing. Second, put the renewal date in a calendar. Shift's 14-day refund window covers renewal payments, but only for someone who notices the charge in time.
When the free plan is enough, and when Advanced pays off
The free plan is enough when:
- All the apps fit inside the Space and app limits that the app actually enforces
- AI use is occasional
- Email and chatbot support is acceptable
Advanced is worth $199.99 a year when:
- Work is split across many clients or contexts that each need their own Space
- One Space needs more apps than the free cap allows
- Shift AI is used heavily every day
- Video call support has real value, for example for a small team rolling Shift out
A quick way to decide: count the Spaces needed today and the apps in the busiest one. If both counts are within 2 and 5, the free plan holds under either reading. If either is higher, test the free plan first, because the larger published figure may or may not apply.
What to change first
Install the free Shift plan, set up the real list of Spaces and apps on the first day, and note where the app stops you. If it stops below what the work needs, compare the yearly cost of Advanced with the other free plans above before upgrading, and keep the 14-day refund window in mind.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Shift browser free to download?
Yes. Shift can be downloaded for Mac or Windows for free, and no credit card is needed. The free plan is listed at $0 forever, with limits on Spaces, apps per Space and Shift AI usage.
How much is Shift Advanced?
Shift Advanced is $199.99 USD per year, or $19.99 USD per month, according to the official pricing page on October 18, 2026. The yearly plan saves about $40 compared with twelve monthly payments.
How many apps can I add on the free Shift plan?
Shift's pricing page currently states two different limits. The plan card says 5 Spaces with 10 apps per Space, while the FAQ on the same page says 2 Spaces with up to 5 apps each. Set up the intended apps on the first day to see which limit the app applies.
Can I get a refund on Shift Advanced?
Yes. Shift's FAQ says a full refund is available if requested within 14 days of the original purchase or a renewal payment. The money goes back to the original card within 5 to 10 business days.
Is Shift AI free?
Shift AI is free for anyone with the Shift browser installed and needs no credits. The free plan covers light use, such as a daily conversation or occasional drafting. Heavier use is part of Shift Advanced.