Shift vs Vivaldi
We give Shift a 3.2 GPA and Vivaldi a 4.0, out of 4.0. Vivaldi grades higher on value for money, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan and features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Shift
Build-your-own desktop browser for multiple inboxes, apps and Spaces
Free plan · from $19.99/mo
How we grade them
| 3.2GPAShiftVery good | 4.0GPAVivaldiExcellent | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CAdvanced is $19.99 a month or $199.99 billed annually. Rambox Pro is $7 a month and Wavebox Pro $8.33 paid annually. For the extra you get unlimited Spaces and apps, more Shift AI and priority support with video calling. That's dear. | AFree on desktop and phone, with no paid tier. Vivaldi pays its way through search and bookmark partner deals, a share of Proton VPN upgrades and donations, not by charging you. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree forever with 5 Spaces and 10 apps in each, plus the Browser Builder and templates. That's plenty for work, home and a few clients. Shift AI is limited on free, and the listing doesn't say by how much. | AThe lot is free: mail, calendar, feed reader, sync and the ad blocker. On desktop you also get Proton VPN with no ads or data limits once you sign in with a Vivaldi account. New installs come with partner bookmarks, which you can replace. |
| Features | ADrag apps, bars and controls anywhere, or start from a template. Spaces get their own apps, tabs and extensions, with several logins per app. There are more than 4,500 apps in the library, any Chrome extension works, and downloads are screened through Avira. | AAn email client for several accounts, a calendar, a feed reader and notes, plus an ad and tracker blocker. Tabs stack two levels deep, sit side by side and sort into Workspaces. Command Chains run a string of commands from one keystroke. |
| Ease of use | BNo App Store rating to go on. Templates give you a ready-made layout so you don't have to build one, and apps connect from the library in one click. No card is needed to download. | A4.7 from about 4,400 App Store ratings. You can leave it as it comes, or change the shortcuts, themes and layout until it suits you. There's a lot in here, so give it an evening. |
| Platforms and integrations | BMac and Windows on the desktop, with Chrome extensions and a library of more than 4,500 apps. No Linux or phone version is listed. | AWindows, Mac, Linux, Android and iPhone, with history, passwords, bookmarks, tabs and notes synced under end-to-end encryption. Proton VPN is built into the desktop version only. |
| Best for | several email accounts in one desktop window | tab hoarders who like to customise everything |
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: Shift and Vivaldi. How we grade
Where they differ
- Shift starts at $19.99 per month, or $199.99 billed annually (Advanced). Vivaldi is free.
- Only Vivaldi lists Linux, Android and iOS apps.
- Vivaldi is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Vivaldi also covers notes, calendar, email client, screenshots and rSS reader.
In commonFree planmacOSWindowsWeb browser
At a glance
| Shift | Vivaldi | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $19.99 per month, or $199.99 billed annually (Advanced) | Free |
| Free plan | 5 Spaces with 10 apps per Space, the Browser Builder and templates, and limited Shift AI usage. No credit card is needed to download. | Vivaldi is free on desktop and mobile with no paid tier. The company funds itself through search engine and bookmark partner deals, a share of Proton VPN upgrades and donations. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Shift Technologies Inc. | Vivaldi Technologies |
| Price read from | shift.com | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Shift
- People juggling several email accounts and app logins
- Freelancers and consultants who keep each client in its own Space
- Those who want to design their own browser layout
Vivaldi
- Power users who keep dozens of tabs open
- People who want mail, calendar and feeds inside the browser
- Those who like to customize shortcuts, themes and layout
- Users who want a browser without a built-in AI assistant
Worth knowing
Shift
- The free plan is limited to 5 Spaces, 10 apps per Space and limited Shift AI usage.
- Shift is available on desktop for Mac and Windows only; no Linux or mobile version is listed.
- Team setups with consolidated billing and a central dashboard are not priced publicly; the pricing page says to contact Shift.
- Refunds are offered only within 14 days of a purchase or renewal payment.
Vivaldi
- Proton VPN for Vivaldi works only in the desktop browser, and faster speeds, more servers and extra devices need a paid Proton VPN plan.
- New installs come with partner bookmarks and search engines that earn Vivaldi revenue. They can be replaced.
- Vivaldi deliberately leaves out an AI assistant, so there is no built-in chatbot or page summarizer.
- The current Mac download requires macOS 13 or later.
Key features
Shift
- Browser Builder and templates
- Apps, bars and controls can be dragged anywhere in the window, unused controls can be removed, and templates offer ready-made layouts with the sidebar at the side, top or bottom.
- Spaces
- Spaces separate work, hobbies and projects, each with its own apps, tabs and extensions. Several logins for the same app can be toggled without signing out.
- Multiple inboxes
- Several Gmail, Outlook or Yahoo email accounts can be opened side by side, with the apps and extensions used alongside them kept in the same Space.
- Shift AI
- An optional assistant summarizes pages and videos, drafts replies and answers questions using context from Spaces, apps, history and open tabs, with a separate chat in each Space.
- App library and Chrome extensions
- More than 4,500 apps can be connected from Shift's library in one click, any Chrome extension can be added, and Shift offers to add apps that are missing.
- Download scanning and site checks
- Downloads are screened through Avira's file reputation service, visited URLs are checked with Google Web Risk, and passwords are encrypted and stored locally.
Vivaldi
- Mail, Calendar and Feed Reader
- A built-in email client handles several accounts, mailing lists and feeds in one inbox, next to a private calendar and a feed reader that does not rank items by algorithm.
- Tab Stacks, tiling and Workspaces
- Tabs group into two-level Tab Stacks, open side by side in a split-screen view, and sort into Workspaces for switching between categories of tabs.
- Ad and tracker blocker
- A blocker for ads and trackers is built into the desktop and mobile browsers, so no extension is needed to remove them.
- End-to-end encrypted Sync
- Browsing history, passwords, bookmarks, tabs and notes sync between desktop and mobile devices, protected by end-to-end encryption.
- Proton VPN for Vivaldi
- An opt-in VPN from Proton is built into the desktop browser. It is free with no ads or data limits after signing in with a Vivaldi account.
- Customization and Command Chains
- Shortcuts, themes and features can be personalized, mouse gestures trigger actions, and Command Chains run a custom sequence of commands from one keystroke or gesture.
Plans
Shift
Free$0
5 Spaces with 10 apps per Space, the Browser Builder and templates, limited Shift AI usage, and email and chatbot support.
Advanced$19.99
per month, or $199.99 billed annually
Unlimited Spaces and apps per Space, expanded Shift AI usage and priority customer support with video calling.
Vivaldi
Free$0
The full browser on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, including mail, calendar, feed reader, sync and the free tier of Proton VPN on desktop.
Ways to pay less
Shift
- Annual discount
Save $40 with annual billing
Shift Advanced is $199.99 billed annually, against $19.99 a month. Shift's pricing page labels the annual option as a $40 saving.
Vivaldi
No public discounts listed.
