The Shortcat Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Shortcat 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.
Shortcat
The Insider’s Guide
Click and switch windows on a Mac using only the keyboard
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among window managers and launchers, read from Shortcat’s own pages.
Made by Sproutcube · checked Nov 13, 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 Shortcat’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Shortcat’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
1.6
GPA, above 0 of the 48 other window managers and launchers we grade
Shortcat is a macOS app that reads the interface of the active app through the Accessibility API and lists buttons, menus and windows in a searchable palette. You type a few letters to click an element, search a menu or jump to a window. It also works in Safari, Chrome and Firefox.
To get you started, here are 7 things to know about Shortcat, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Its site shows no price or license terms, and how well it works depends on how each app handles Accessibility.
- 1
Best for clicking buttons on a Mac without the mouse
Shortcat reads the front app's interface and lets you click buttons, search menus and jump between windows by typing.
- 2
It runs on macOS
macOS.
- 3
Click with the keyboard
Type what you want to click, such as ok for an OK button; supports right, double and modified clicks.
- 4
Window search
Searches window titles to bring a window forward without cycling through the app switcher.
- 5
Menu search
Exposes the front app's menu items to fuzzy search.
- 6
A 1.6 GPA, above 0 of 48
That is against the other window managers and launchers we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 7
Keep it
To replace Shortcat you would be making a launcher wired into the operating system. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Shortcat at a glance
- Pricing
- Paid
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS
- Made by
- Sproutcube
- Category
- Window Managers & Launchers
- Our grade
- 1.6 GPA, weak
The report card
Best for clicking buttons on a Mac without the mouse
Shortcat reads the front app's interface and lets you click buttons, search menus and jump between windows by typing. Its site shows no price or license terms, and how well it works depends on how each app handles Accessibility.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | No 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 | F | The listing records no free plan and no trial, and the site shows no price or terms to say otherwise. |
| Features | C | Clicking, 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 | C | No store rating on record, and it needs macOS 13 or later plus an Accessibility permission before it does anything. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Mac only, with Safari, Chrome and Firefox support but no other devices and no integrations listed. |
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 Shortcat is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- Mac users who want to cut mouse use
- People who like Vimium-style link clicking across all apps
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Shortcat's current pricing could not be confirmed from its own site.
The listing records no free plan and no trial, and the site shows no price or terms to say otherwise.
We could not confirm Shortcat’s current prices from its own site, so this guide lists no plans. shortcat.app has them.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: macOS
Click and switch windows on a Mac using only the keyboard. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: keyboard-first, launcher, window management.
Clicking, menu search, window search and emoji search, but results depend on each app's Accessibility support, including some Electron apps.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Shortcat is made by Sproutcube.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
0/48
Other window managers and launchers it is graded above
Shortcat's GPA of 1.6 is higher than 0 of the 48 other window managers and launchers we grade.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (C, above 35 of 48) and worst on free plan and trial (F, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 49 window managers and launchers we grade, cut by the letter each got. Shortcat’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 1 of 48
- FFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 48
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 48
- CEase of useAbove 8 of 48
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 35 of 48
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
To replace Shortcat you would be making a launcher wired into the operating system. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 48 of the 48 other window managers and launchers grade higher.
What you could not
- A launcher wired into the operating system.
- Control over other apps' windows.
- A real app for macOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. Shortcat’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
Superkey, Mouseless, Hyperkey, Contexts and Sol
The 5 tools Shortcat is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Superkey
Free trial · from $15.99
Mac hyper key, key remapping and keyboard screen clicking.
- Superkey can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Shortcat also covers launcher and window management.
- Superkey also covers keyboard and mouse remapping.
- 2.0GPA
Mouseless
Free trial
Control the mouse from the keyboard on Mac, Windows and Linux.
- Only Mouseless lists Windows and Linux apps.
- Shortcat also covers launcher and window management.
- Mouseless also covers keyboard and mouse remapping.
- 2.6GPA
Hyperkey
Free
Free Mac utility that turns a key into the Hyper modifier.
- Hyperkey has a free plan. Shortcat does not.
- Shortcat also covers launcher and window management.
- Hyperkey also covers keyboard and mouse remapping.
- 2.0GPA
Contexts
Free trial · from $9.99
Mac window switcher with search, a sidebar and a better Command-Tab.
- Shortcat also covers launcher.
- 2.8GPA
Sol
Free
Open-source macOS launcher and command palette.
- Sol has a free plan. Shortcat does not.
- Sol is open source, according to its own site.
- Sol also covers clipboard manager and calculator.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
9
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 Shortcat free?
No. Shortcat is a paid product.
What platforms does Shortcat work on?
Shortcat is available on macOS.
Does Shortcat have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Shortcat is listed for macOS.
Does Shortcat have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Shortcat is listed for macOS.
Is Shortcat open source?
Shortcat is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Who makes Shortcat?
Shortcat is made by Sproutcube.
What are the alternatives to Shortcat?
The closest alternatives to Shortcat in our directory are Superkey, Mouseless, Hyperkey, Contexts and Sol.
How does Shortcat compare with other window managers and launchers?
Shortcat's GPA of 1.6 is higher than 0 of the 48 other window managers and launchers we grade.
Could I make my own version of Shortcat?
To replace Shortcat you would be making a launcher wired into the operating system.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Shortcat’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Sproutcube's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
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 Sproutcube. Prices change, so check shortcat.app before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 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.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Shortcat, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/shortcat
- 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, "Shortcat: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/shortcat
Know someone choosing between window managers and launchers?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/shortcat/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded window managers and launchers after Shortcat, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Window Managers & Launchers Insider's GuideEvery one of the 49 window managers and launchers we grade, compared
- Flow Launcher Insider's GuideFree, open-source app launcher and file search for Windows3.0 GPA
- Launchy Insider's GuideOpen-source keystroke launcher with plugins and skins3.0 GPA
- Cerebro Insider's GuideFree open-source Electron launcher for Windows, Mac and Linux2.8 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 Shortcat’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. Shortcat is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Sproutcube. Prices and plans change: check shortcat.app before you buy.