Open-Shell vs StartAllBack (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Open-Shell grades higher than StartAllBack: 3.0 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Open-Shell grades higher on the free plan and features. They get the same grade on value for money, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Open-Shell
Free classic-style Start menu and Explorer tweaks for Windows
Free
StartAllBack
Windows 11 taskbar, Start menu and Explorer restyling tool
Free trial · from $4.99 one-time
Which one is for you
Pick Open-Shell if
- Fits if you want the old Windows Start menu back
- Works for people who like skins and a customised start button
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want a help desk, as support is GitHub issues, Discussions, Gitter and Discord
- Watch out: the GitHub page warns against versions older than 4.4.196 on Windows for ARM because login can fail after reboot
- Watch out: the classic copy dialog applies to Windows 7 only
- Skip it if you use a Mac or Linux, as it is Windows only
Pick StartAllBack if
- Fits if you miss the older Windows taskbar and Start menu
- Works for businesses that want group-policy control over the Start menu
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you are on Windows 10 or earlier, as that is a different product, StartIsBack
- Watch out: after the 30-day trial the Start menu goes blank until you activate a key
- Not for you if you use Mac or Linux, as it is Windows only
- Watch out: new versions for new Windows releases may need a licence upgrade payment, and activation is tied to your hardware
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAOpen-ShellVery good | 2.4GPAStartAllBackFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree, which is below anything in the category. | A$4.99 once for personal use, far under the category's cheaper quarter. Businesses pay $50 for 10 PCs. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright with no cap, released on GitHub. | CA 30-day trial with no feature limits, and no card is mentioned. After that, a limited mode with a blank Start menu. |
| Features | BClassic Start menu, Explorer toolbar and status bar, skins and custom start buttons, with stable and nightly builds. The classic copy dialog works on Windows 7 only. | CRestores taskbar labels and placement, a Start menu, Explorer commands and old-style context menus. It does one job on Windows 11 only, and Windows 10 and 8 need StartIsBack. |
| Ease of use | BNo rating on record. Install it and the menu replaces the default. | BNo rating on record. You install it and the taskbar changes, with options to adjust. |
| Platforms and integrations | DWindows only. Windows only; no Mac, Linux, phone or web version. | DWindows 11 only for this product. No other platform and no integrations. |
| Best for | a classic Start menu on Windows | an older-style Windows 11 taskbar and Start menu |
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: Open-Shell and StartAllBack. How we grade
Where they differ
- Open-Shell is open source, according to its own site.
- StartAllBack can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Open-Shell also covers launcher.
- StartAllBack also covers menu bar app.
In commonWindows
At a glance
| Open-Shell | StartAllBack | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free trial |
| Starts at | Free | $4.99 one-time for a personal license |
| Free plan | The whole project is free; releases are published on GitHub. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 30-day trial with no feature limits; afterward it runs in a limited mode with a blank Start menu |
| Windows | ||
| Made by | Open-Shell | Stanislav Zinukhov (StartIsBack) |
| Price read from | open-shell.github.io | startisback.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Open-Shell
- Windows only. The classic copy dialog applies to Windows 7 alone.
- The GitHub page warns against installing versions older than 4.4.196 on Windows for ARM, because login can fail after a reboot.
- Support is through GitHub issues, Discussions, Gitter and Discord rather than a vendor help desk.
StartAllBack
- Windows 11 only for StartAllBack; Windows 10 and 8 use StartIsBack versions.
- After the 30-day trial the Start menu goes blank and a reminder appears at every boot until a key is activated.
- New versions for new Windows releases may need a license upgrade payment, according to the vendor's FAQ.
- Activation is tied to the PC's hardware, and one key activates a limited number of computers.
Key features
Open-Shell
- Classic Start menu
- A classic-style Start menu for Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10 and 11.
- Explorer toolbar
- Adds a toolbar to Windows Explorer.
- Explorer status bar
- Shows file size and disk space in the Explorer status bar.
- Skins and custom start buttons
- The project site has guides for skinning the Start menu and for custom Start buttons.
- Stable and nightly builds
- A stable release and a nightly build are both offered for download.
StartAllBack
- Taskbar restore
- Shows labels on task icons, sets icon size and margins, and moves the taskbar to the top, left or right edge.
- Start menu
- Brings back a Start menu that opens programs and system places in one click, with its own search.
- File Explorer and Control Panel
- Restores a revamped ribbon and command bar, a bottom details pane and the older search box.
- Context menus
- Replaces the Windows 11 menus with rounded acrylic ones that the vendor says open faster.
- Styles and recoloring
- Offers Windows 7, Windows 8 and third-party taskbar and Start menu styles and recolors UI in many windows apps.
- Light footprint
- The vendor says it uses less RAM and starts fewer processes than the default shell.
Plans
Open-Shell
Free$0
All components, with stable releases and nightly builds on GitHub.
StartAllBack
Personal$4.99
one-time, personal use
License key stated to work with any StartIsBack version, including StartAllBack. Personal use only; the site also mentions a family pack.
Business, 10 PCs$50.00
one-time for 10 PCs
Required for business use. Adds group policies, priority email support and future optional updates; 100 PCs is $450 and 1,000 PCs is $3,000.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Open-Shell or StartAllBack?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Open-Shell is free, and StartAllBack starts at $4.99 one-time for a personal license.
Which has a free plan, Open-Shell or StartAllBack?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Open-Shell has a free plan. StartAllBack does not, though it 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.