The Apple Shortcuts Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Apple Shortcuts in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Apple Shortcuts
The Insider’s Guide
Free automation app for iPhone, iPad and Mac, built by Apple
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among automation tools, read from Apple Shortcuts’s own pages.
Made by Apple Inc. · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Apple Shortcuts’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Apple Shortcuts’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 32 of the 40 other automation tools we grade
Shortcuts is Apple's own automation app. A shortcut chains actions from Apple's apps and from third-party apps that support it into one task that runs with a tap, a click or a Siri request. On iPhone and iPad, personal automations start a shortcut from an event such as a time of day or arriving at a place. The app is free, and shortcuts sync between devices through iCloud.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Apple Shortcuts, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You chain actions and run them with a tap, by asking Siri, or at a time of day or a place.
- 1
Best for free automation on iPhone, iPad and Mac
Shortcuts is Apple's own automation app, and it's free.
- 2
It is free
Apple Shortcuts has no paid plan at all. The US App Store lists Shortcuts as free, with no in-app purchases shown. It needs an iPhone or iPad on iOS 12 or later, or a Mac.
- 3
It runs on 2 platforms
iOS and macOS.
- 4
Actions
Each shortcut is a series of actions, and each action is one step. The App Store listing cites over 300 built-in actions, and apps that support Siri Shortcuts add their own.
- 5
Gallery
A curated collection of ready-made shortcuts. Any of them can be added to your own collection and then edited to suit, which also shows how they are built.
- 6
Personal and home automations
On iPhone and iPad, an automation is triggered by an event instead of being started by hand. Triggers include a time of day, an alarm, a sleep schedule and arriving at a place.
- 7
A 2.8 GPA, above 32 of 40
That is against the other automation tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Apple Shortcuts is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Apple Shortcuts at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, iOS
- Made by
- Apple Inc.
- Category
- Automation
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
- Store rating
- 4.2 on the App Store, 8,524 ratings
The report card
Best for free automation on iPhone, iPad and Mac
Shortcuts is Apple's own automation app, and it's free. You chain actions and run them with a tap, by asking Siri, or at a time of day or a place. It only runs on iPhone, iPad and Mac, an app shows up in it only if its developer supports it, and building your own from 300 actions with variables and logic is where people get stuck.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free, with no in-app purchases, where paid tools in this category start around $15 a month. It comes with the devices you already own, and there's no plan above it to be nudged towards. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The whole app is free: 300+ actions, the Gallery of ready-made shortcuts, personal and home automations and iCloud sync. Nothing is held back and nothing is metered. |
| Features | C | On your own devices it has 300+ actions, triggers for a time, an alarm or arriving somewhere, variables, If and Repeat logic, and web API requests with JSON parsing. It's a smaller job than the app-connecting platforms here, and a third-party app only appears if its developer added support. |
| Ease of use | C | 4.2 on the App Store from about 8,500 ratings, which is middling. The Gallery gives you something that already works to edit, but building your own from 300 actions, with variables and logic, is where people get stuck. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Apple only: iPhone, iPad and Mac, with no Windows, Android or web version. Other services have to be reached by hand with web API requests, and keeping shortcuts in step across devices depends on iCloud Sync and one Apple account. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Apple Shortcuts is for
- Fits if you own an iPhone and a Mac and want routine steps done for you
- Works for routines that hang on a time, a place or your morning alarm
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you use Windows or Android, as there's no version for either and no web app
- Not for you if the app you want to automate doesn't support Shortcuts and you don't fancy web API requests
- Tight if your devices aren't on one Apple account, since syncing depends on iCloud Sync and the same sign-in
- Watch out: building your own from 300 actions, variables and If and Repeat logic is where people get stuck
- Too light for wiring cloud apps together, which is a bigger job than Shortcuts does
Good to know
Good for
- iPhone, iPad and Mac owners automating tasks across Apple's apps
- Routines tied to a time, a place or an alarm on iPhone
- Anyone who wants automation on Apple devices at no cost
Worth knowing
- Shortcuts runs only on Apple devices: the App Store lists it for iPhone and iPad, and Apple documents a Mac app. There is no Windows, Android or web version.
- A third-party app appears in Shortcuts only if its developer supports it; other services have to be reached through web API requests.
- Keeping shortcuts in step across devices depends on iCloud Sync and on being signed in with the same Apple account.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Apple Shortcuts is free to use.
It comes with the devices you already own, and there's no plan above it to be nudged towards.
Shortcuts
Free
The whole app: over 300 built-in actions, the Gallery of ready-made shortcuts, personal and home automations, and iCloud sync.
The free plan
The US App Store lists Shortcuts as free, with no in-app purchases shown. It needs an iPhone or iPad on iOS 12 or later, or a Mac.
Read from apps.apple.com on Oct 5, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: macOS and iOS
Free automation app for iPhone, iPad and Mac, built by Apple. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: templates, workflow automation, no-code.
It's a smaller job than the app-connecting platforms here, and a third-party app only appears if its developer added support.
- Actions
- Each shortcut is a series of actions, and each action is one step. The App Store listing cites over 300 built-in actions, and apps that support Siri Shortcuts add their own.
- Gallery
- A curated collection of ready-made shortcuts. Any of them can be added to your own collection and then edited to suit, which also shows how they are built.
- Personal and home automations
- On iPhone and iPad, an automation is triggered by an event instead of being started by hand. Triggers include a time of day, an alarm, a sleep schedule and arriving at a place.
- Many ways to run a shortcut
- On iPhone and iPad: the app, Siri, the Home Screen, a widget, the share sheet, Control Center or an Apple Watch. On a Mac: Finder, Spotlight, the menu bar, a keyboard shortcut or the command line.
- iCloud Sync
- With iCloud Sync turned on, a shortcut added, changed or removed on one device is updated on the others signed in to the same Apple account, including Apple Watch.
- Scripting and web APIs
- Advanced actions cover variables, If and Repeat logic, menus and prompts, running JavaScript on a web page, URL schemes and requests to web APIs with JSON parsing.
Where it runs
- macOS
- iOS
What it works with
- Siri
- Calendar
- Reminders
- Maps
- Photos
- Safari
- Health
- Music
Apple Shortcuts is made by Apple Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
32/40
Other automation tools it is graded above
Apple Shortcuts's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 32 of the 40 other automation tools we grade, and level with 5.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 37 of 40) and worst on features (C, above 1).
Apple Shortcuts has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 41 automation tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Apple Shortcuts’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 27 of 40
- AFree plan and trialAbove 37 of 40
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 40
- CEase of useAbove 3 of 40
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 5 of 40
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 33 automation tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Apple Shortcuts is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Apple Shortcuts is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.8 is higher than 32 of the 40 other automation tools we grade.
What you could make
- Templates: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- A builder that other people can use without writing code.
- Apps for macOS and iOS that stay in step with each other.
- Hooks into the device itself: an Apple Watch app, widgets, Siri and Shortcuts.
What this rests on. Apple Shortcuts’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
IFTTT, Tasker, MacroDroid and Automate
The 4 tools Apple Shortcuts is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
IFTTT
Free plan · from $2.99/mo
Simple trigger-and-action automations for apps and smart devices.
- Only Apple Shortcuts lists a macOS app.
- Only IFTTT lists a web app.
- Only IFTTT lists an Android app.
- 2.4GPA
Tasker
Free trial · from $4.49 one-time
Android automation app driven by profiles, contexts and tasks.
- Apple Shortcuts has a free plan. Tasker does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Apple Shortcuts lists iOS and macOS apps.
- Only Tasker lists an Android app.
- 2.4GPA
MacroDroid
Free plan · from $1.49
Android automation app built on triggers, actions and constraints.
- Only Apple Shortcuts lists iOS and macOS apps.
- Only MacroDroid lists an Android app.
- MacroDroid can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.4GPA
Automate
Free plan · from $4.99 one-time
Android automation app that builds tasks as flowcharts.
- Only Apple Shortcuts lists iOS and macOS apps.
- Only Automate lists an Android app.
- Automate can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Apple Shortcuts free?
Yes. Apple Shortcuts is free to use.
How much does Apple Shortcuts cost?
Apple Shortcuts lists one plan. Shortcuts: Free.
What platforms does Apple Shortcuts work on?
Apple Shortcuts is available on iOS and macOS.
How is Apple Shortcuts rated?
Apple Shortcuts's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.2 out of 5 from 8,524 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Does Apple Shortcuts have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Apple Shortcuts is listed for iOS and macOS.
Does Apple Shortcuts have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Apple Shortcuts is listed for iOS and macOS.
Is Apple Shortcuts open source?
Apple Shortcuts is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
What does Apple Shortcuts integrate with?
Apple Shortcuts's listing names Siri, Calendar, Reminders, Maps, Photos, Safari, Health and Music.
Who makes Apple Shortcuts?
Apple Shortcuts is made by Apple Inc.
What are the alternatives to Apple Shortcuts?
The closest alternatives to Apple Shortcuts in our directory are IFTTT, Tasker, MacroDroid and Automate.
How does Apple Shortcuts compare with other automation tools?
Apple Shortcuts's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 32 of the 40 other automation tools we grade, and level with 5.
Is Apple Shortcuts good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Apple Shortcuts A for value for money. Apple Shortcuts has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Apple Shortcuts?
Apple Shortcuts is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Apple Shortcuts’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Apple's own pages on 5 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-04-22.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Apple Inc. Prices change, so check support.apple.com before you buy.
- apps.apple.com/us/app/shortcuts/id915249334
- support.apple.com/guide/shortcuts/welcome/ios
- support.apple.com/guide/shortcuts/apdf22b0444c/ios
- support.apple.com/guide/shortcuts/apdfbdbd7123/ios
- support.apple.com/guide/shortcuts/apd932ff833f/ios
- support.apple.com/guide/shortcuts-mac/welcome/mac
- support.apple.com/guide/shortcuts-mac/apdf22b0444c/mac
- support.apple.com/guide/shortcuts-mac/apdb3a4240b0/mac
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Apple Shortcuts, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/apple-shortcuts
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Apple Shortcuts: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/apple-shortcuts
Know someone choosing between automation tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/apple-shortcuts/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded automation tools after Apple Shortcuts, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Automation Insider's GuideEvery one of the 41 automation tools we grade, compared
- IFTTT Insider's GuideSimple trigger-and-action automations for apps and smart devices3.0 GPA
- Node-RED Insider's GuideOpen-source, flow-based programming tool for event-driven apps3.0 GPA
- Ui.Vision Insider's GuideOpen-source browser and desktop automation with computer vision3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Apple Shortcuts’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Apple Shortcuts is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Apple Inc. Prices and plans change: check support.apple.com before you buy.