Contexts vs Shortcat (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Contexts grades higher than Shortcat: 2.0 against 1.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Contexts grades higher on value for money and the free plan. Shortcat grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Contexts
Mac window switcher with search, a sidebar and a better Command-Tab
Free trial · from $9.99
Which one is for you
Pick Contexts if
- Fits if you keep many windows open and want to jump by typing
- Works for Mac users with several displays and Spaces
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want windows snapped to halves or tiles, because it doesn't resize
- Skip it if you're not on a Mac, as no other system is listed
- Watch out: the page doesn't say whether major versions are paid upgrades
- Watch out: only macOS Ventura, Sonoma and Sequoia are named
Pick Shortcat if
- Fits if you live on a Mac and want to click things from the keyboard
- Works for people who like Vimium-style clicking in every app
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use Windows or Linux, as it is Mac only
- Tight if you want a free tool, since the listing shows no free plan or trial
- Not for you if you need to know the cost first, because the site publishes no price or license terms
- Watch out: it needs macOS 13 or later and Accessibility permission, and some Electron apps expose less than others
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAContextsFair | 1.6GPAShortcatWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B$9.99 per license, below the $16 middle of one-time prices in this category. The page doesn't say whether major versions cost extra. | CNo price is published on the site, so there is nothing to set against the category's $8.00 middle or $19 one-time figure. |
| Free plan and trial | CA free trial download, and the license agreement allows 21 days. No free plan. | FThe listing records no free plan and no trial, and the site shows no price or terms to say otherwise. |
| Features | CSearch switching, a Command-Tab replacement, a sidebar and a trackpad gesture across displays and Spaces. It switches windows but doesn't arrange them. | CClicking, menu search, window search and emoji search, but results depend on each app's Accessibility support, including some Electron apps. It does that one job fully, and it is a smaller job. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. It's a Mac install, with a shortcut to set and a learning curve for the search. | CNo store rating on record, and it needs macOS 13 or later plus an Accessibility permission before it does anything. |
| Platforms and integrations | DMac only, on macOS Ventura, Sonoma and Sequoia. | CMac only, with Safari, Chrome and Firefox support but no other devices and no integrations listed. |
| Best for | switching windows by typing | clicking buttons on a Mac without the mouse |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Contexts and Shortcat. How we grade
Where they differ
- Shortcat also covers launcher.
In commonmacOSKeyboard-firstWindow management
At a glance
| Contexts | Shortcat | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Paid |
| Starts at | $9.99 per license | Not published |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | Free trial download; the license agreement allows a 21-day evaluation period. | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Made by | Contexts | Sproutcube |
| Price read from | contexts.co | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Contexts
- Mac only, and the page lists macOS Ventura, Sonoma and Sequoia.
- Switches between windows; it does not resize or tile them.
- The page names a license price but does not say whether major versions are paid upgrades.
Shortcat
- Needs macOS 13 or later and Accessibility permission.
- Results depend on how well each app implements Accessibility, including some Electron apps.
- The site shows no price or license terms, so the cost could not be confirmed.
Key features
Contexts
- Search switching
- Open a search window with a shortcut, type scattered characters from an app name or window title, and press Return to switch.
- Fast Search
- Hold a modifier key such as Fn, type one or two characters and release to bring the selected window forward.
- Command-Tab replacement
- Lists windows separately rather than apps, with Command-Backquote for the windows of the frontmost app.
- Sidebar
- An auto-hiding list of windows grouped by Space, with Dock-style count badges.
- Trackpad gesture
- Scroll down with two fingers from the top edge of the trackpad to pick a window, then lift to switch.
- Multiple displays and Spaces
- The search window can appear on every display at once, and lists can be filtered by Space.
Shortcat
- Click with the keyboard
- Type what you want to click, such as ok for an OK button; supports right, double and modified clicks.
- Window search
- Searches window titles to bring a window forward without cycling through the app switcher.
- Menu search
- Exposes the front app's menu items to fuzzy search.
- Browser support
- Works in Safari, Chrome, Firefox and some Chromium browsers such as Vivaldi.
- Emoji mode
- Fuzzy search for emojis by several labels.
Plans
Contexts
License$9.99
per license
One license for Contexts 3 on macOS Ventura, Sonoma and Sequoia.
Shortcat
Pricing could not be confirmed. See shortcat.app.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Contexts or Shortcat?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Contexts starts at $9.99 per license, and Shortcat has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, Contexts or Shortcat?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither Contexts nor Shortcat has a free plan. Contexts has a free trial.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.