Shift Reviews

Pros

The fact that I can streamline my workflow and work in 20 different programs/platforms within one app is a lifesaver. I no longer have to switch windows or desktops to switch between tasks and projects. It's all right there with a quick toggle, and I love it.

Plus, it makes it easy to quickly switch between personal and work accounts (social media specifically). No more logging out/logging in every time I want to switch.

Cons

It doesn't have every app/integration I need, but probably about 80% of the ones I use frequently are there, so it's not too bad.

Pros

The ability to keep multiple software platforms open in one screen that ISN'T my web browser is why we're using Shift. Moving effortlessly between multiple Slack channels and Monday.com alone is worth the price of admission for our company. Bringing in email and other platforms is icing on the cake.

Cons

The fact that the email can only be setup to work with major platform email systems like Gmail and 365 is frustrating. I would also like to be able to NOT have this software pull in Gmail but there doesn't seem to be a way to turn that off. I use Shift for a lot of things, but email isn't one of them.

Pros

LOVE that it allows me to shift (get it?) between apps and accounts without changing windows. The integration with G-Suite is helpful since I manage multiple email accounts but generally use Drive with only one (this sort of arrangement frequently causes authentication issues when implemented in a browser)--so I am able to swap between email accounts while working on a spreadsheet in my "master" account.

Adore the integration with apps like WhatsApp, Slack and HootSuite--it's like having my very own personalized terminal with all of the solutions I need to get my work done efficiently. I also like that I can rearrange the stack of accounts and apps to suit my workflow.

Cons

This software is buggy as hell. I frequently have to re-authenticate my Gmail accounts as well as apps like HubSpot, HootSuite and WhatsApp (for some reason, Slack is pretty much the only app I have noticed that does not require me to regularly re-enter my credentials). I wouldn't mind this all that much, except for the fact that Slack does not seem to talk to Apple's Keychain, so I end up having to look up my (sometimes lengthy) passwords for each account. This will sometimes happen mid-session, with no explanation.

Another issue is that my Gmail accounts will routinely reload while I'm in the middle of composing a message. Again, no explanation provided, just a dialogue saying "changes you make might not be saved" and then adios!

The rate at which these issues occur is high enough that I have considered abandoning the product ("why am I paying to take twice as long to write an email?"), especially since, even though I am a paying subscriber, support for these issues has been fair to middling. The latest response I received was that authentication issues can happen when the same Shift account is installed on multiple devices--which seems ridiculous, by the way, for those of us neanderthals that still have multiple computers--and that uninstalling shift on my other computers *should* fix the problem. It didn't, but I have yet to find another product worth my taking the time and effort to rejig my workflow/learn a new interface.

Pros

If you have a lot of different Google products you use regularly (multiple email addresses, calendar, drive, contacts, etc), Shift saves you a ton of tabs and time switching, consolidating everything into one easy to navigate interface. As a business owner that oversees 3 email addresses actively and 3-5 more occasionally, Shift is worth it solely for the email element. It gets even better having calendar integrated. Shortcuts are helpful to jump between everything with ease.

Cons

Once I leveled up to pro, I found that there were diminishing returns. The more things that were all shoved into one interface, the harder it was to navigate it all. And several of the new programs/add-ons had much more limited functionality. Basic is solid. Pro is best. Advanced is overrated.

Pros

Shift is what I call sort of an Iphone or Android app for PC. It collects all of your most used applications, websites and programs for easy access in one clean and efficient user interface. it makes your pc or mac as easy to use as an Iphone. My efficiency has gone through the roof since utilizin this application.

Cons

There is little negative about this software. I suppose more integrations would always be nice but that is hardly a downside. It's more of, "it would be nice for this app to do this or that, but you can only get so much utility for the money!

Pros

I love the idea that all of my work apps being in one 'workstation' so to speak. It makes it easier to eliminate distractions and stay focused on work, as well as keep different apps organized together and at your fingertips. It integrates with darn near everything.

Cons

Shift seems to be incapable of keeping accounts logged in the same amount as a normal browser, leading to the frustrating need to sign in again, constantly, for apps you're trying to use efficiently. Plus, if you click a link from an app in Shift (for example in an email checked via the Gmail tab in Shift), that link is opened INSIDE OF SHIFT, not your preferred browser, which although it sounds like a convenience, is often strange and unhelpful.

Pros

Shift has continued to evolve during the time that I've used it and continues to become a more efficient way to manage the multiple apps and windows that I have to use daily. The app integrations are a god send given I no longer have to keep multiple apps/windows open.

Cons

The one draw back that I have found is that Shift does not import bookmarks from Chrome or other browsers. Once they get these in, I doubt I'll need to use an actual internet browser for anything.

Pros

The software is really easy and straightforward to use. Setting it up is just a matter of logging in to your accounts. The software is very customizable with the extra apps you can install. Once websites are loaded switching between accounts is very fast. The cross-account search feature is very handy when you don't know anymore on which account you received a specific email.

Cons

Account and app colors can only be chosen from a specific set of colors and not with a color picker. You cannot dock extra Google apps on the top-right, only the default Gmail, Agenda and Drive are instantly accessible. Only a select number of Chrome extensions are available to install.
The program takes quite a while to start.

Pros

Shift is great at it's core functionality: having all your accounts logged in and ready to go, without having a million browser tabs open. This is especially handy if you have multiple accounts for the same service (ex: multiple Gmail accounts), as it saves you from having to log in/out or switch accounts.

Shift supports a ton of services natively, such as most major email provider, social medias, CRM's, and other business software.

Cons

The biggest drawback of Shift is the fact that your Shift account must be tied to a Gmail account. If you use Outlook/Office365, you'll have to connect it to a Gmail account first in order to set up your additional emails.

For companies that use Office365 for all in-office accounts, this obviously won't work, since there's no workaround and no solution in sight according to support.

Pros

Everything I need from Email, GroupMe, Slack, Mendeley on the work side and Facebok, Reddit, Duolingo even on the social/personal side is all grouped into one platform

Cons

You do have to pay for the advanced feature, especially the 'Sent from Shift' Signature
It signs out of your accounts sometimes

Pros

I have 5 total emails. 2 of them are office 365. You may ask, why 6. We we are a company that develops strategic relationships with other Marketing Agencies, and we are required part of a white label to communicate part of other teams. Having multiple emails is a crucial part of our operations. Originally I used Kiwi, but Kiwi only supports Gmail / Gsuite accounts. 3 years ago I had everything in outlook, but calendar appoints was horrible. Shift allows me to keep everything in front of my eyes with all email accounts. I am very happy with Shift, and several of our team members use it. if your happy with the Gmail interface, but have multiple email accounts. This software is exactly for you. Look no further, because I spent years trying to find a Windows Based desktop application to manage my emails. Before Shift I have multiple chrome logins and browser tabs open for Gmail. I was missing emails, and everything was out of sorts.

Cons

The only issue I see and experience is sometimes having 6 accounts in Shift my emails are about 30 seconds to 60 seconds delaying incoming. Not the end of the world. The other issue, is about 2 times a weeks one or all of the accounts prompt me to re-authenticate. A little bit of a pain, but not a deal breaker.

Pros

I love that it allows me to have all of my emails and main applications that I use on a daily basis right there in one easy window where I can easily see any notifications. Giving me that quick glance of everything saves me a ton of time. I really love the all email search feature. Running a few businesses makes it hard sometimes to remember which email sent which item so that helps me track stuff down very quickly.

Cons

I know at least for me. Running a MacBook on 10.13.6 with great specs, it still seems to be a heavy resource hog. But I am using a ton of the applications and integrations with it. It does tend to log me out of several of my email account every few days for some reason. But I am unsure if that is a specific Shift thing or something to do with Gmail.

Pros

The ability to manage several accounts and applications simultaneously from one desktop has increased my production dramatically. I serve on several boards and have positions that require monitoring as many as 8 emails. Shift has given me the ability to easily move between accounts and constantly keep my pulse on what is happening in my various roles. I like to operate with maximum efficiency and be very timely with my responses and Shift has allowed me to be at the top of my game at all times.

Cons

This is a nitpick, but I am someone who likes to have zero unread emails in my inbox. The hotkey to make an email read is Ctrl + Q. However, that is also the hotkey for closing the application. So I will frequently close out of Shift and have to re-login which is inconvenient. I also find that the logins will frequently expire for emails I do not check daily and it can cause issues where I am not aware that new messages have arrived since the inbox is not updating.

Pros

1. Ease of use
2. Interface
3. Having Trello, Slack, and two email accounts in one window

Cons

Many of the integrations I hoped to use simply do not work. So for Shift to claim it has them and then to experience them not functioning effectively is extremely frustrating. And this is not user error. I have tried closing, quitting, and reopening the application, refreshing, logging in and out of accounts, and completely deleting and re-adding integrations. Nothing helped. I completely understand glitches now and again and understand these integrations require communication between platforms. However, the extent to which I am having issues with integrations is unreasonable.

I'm specifically referring to:

1. Spotify (won't play music)
2. Toggl (won't load, blank screen except for top navigation)
3. Squarespace (won't load)
4. Sprout social (won't load, blank screen)

Pros

Easy to use, used to be really buggy but has improved significantly
Chrome extensions are now available
So easy to toggle between accounts
Doesn't seem to use a lot of bandwidth

Cons

Customer support
Frequent identity verification - but that's probably not within Shift's control

Pros

I like that I can access each of my gmail accounts without having to constantly switch users since I go back and forth CONSTANTLY throughout the day. I can also access Google Drive without having to switch back and forth between users and, with the fast pace of my workday, it makes a huge difference.

Cons

Sometimes there are functions that do not work within Shift as well as just using it within my web browser -- but those issues d not come up often so it is not a big enough deal for me to quit using Shift (plus, there are updates happening so that there is increased functionality and things that were problems before are no longer a problem)

Pros

I appreciate, and have come to depend, on having several e-mail and cloud storage accounts (Google), invoicing / time tracking (Freshbooks), and notes / outlining / to-do (Dynalist and / or Workflowy) in one place via Shift. Just taking into account the reduced number of clicks and alt-tabs, it's a time saver.

Cons

Since Shift mostly works as a container for several Chromium browser tabs, it eats resources just like Chrome does. On a less robust computer (for example, on my older Dell laptop), this results in a noticeable overall performance hit. On my zippy desktop machine (built for gaming), it's no issue at all. So be sure you have good hardware if you plan on using Shift regularly throughout your day for multiple apps.

Pros

I like that everything I need is at my fingertips, in a visually appealing way, with no chance I will accidentally close a tab. Best features are LastPass integration and having each Google Drive file pop out as a separate window!

Cons

It can be buggy - moving slowly, windows don't open where they should, kicking you out of accounts seemingly at random. I also don't love that Google Drive windows automatically go to the back no matter which window you were in last.

Pros

The thing I appreciate most about Shift is the fact that it acts as my work PC, on my personal PC. I have it open all day and use it for communications via email, Discord, Tweetdeck and Linkedin. When I'm done with my day, I simply close the app and I don't have to worry about alerts or pings while I'm using my PC for personal matters. It helps create an easy way to disconnect from work.

Cons

Shift can be very resource intensive if you leave it open. At times, this has slowed my PC down significantly, requiring a reboot.

Pros

Love having everything I need in one place. Easy to switch between accounts.

Cons

Hate that it signs out of my accounts so often. Constantly having to reload. A few bugs and some apps not working properly, like Buffer.

Pros

All of my G Suite and Google accounts can be accessed from one screen. It saves so much time. The integartion of other accounts such as Twietter, Facebook, and LinkedIn is also quite helpful. I don't have to keep checking a bunch of tabs on a web browser to see if I have notifications.

Cons

I don't really have any major complaints. Occasionally I'm required to login in again, which seems to be random.

Pros

- Handle multiple gmail accounts
- Handle multiple google drive account
- Use multiple different addons

With multiple clients wanting me to log into their google drive accounts and e-mails to do internal work, this is fantastic and I haven't found anything that will allow me to move from account to account and do work within their google drive smoothly like Shift.

Cons

I am ALWAYS having to log back into my accounts. Whenever something wrong happens, their solution is to restart the software... which has me log back into EVERYTHING as well.
I use LastPass for my accounts, and they are continually uninstalling LastPass from my app and having me reinstall it and log back in.
It gets very tedious and annoying. I spoke to some colleagues about how the like shift, and without prompting they all said the exact same thing.

Pros

The software is intuitive and easy to use and allows me to have almost all of the programs that I regularly use all in one place. It's so helpful that I've found myself looking to see what programs integrate with it before purchasing them.

Cons

There isn't anything to dislike about the software. The only negative thing that I could say is that when I originally purchased it some of the programs were a little buggy but they've fixed those issues and I haven't had any issues for months.

Pros

I'm a freelancer, and I have multiple clients who want me on multiple email addresses and project management platforms. Before Shift, managing every single one of them was a nightmare. Shift keeps me productive and sane, and I would not do without it.

Cons

There are a few features and functions I wanted to see on it that I couldn't get. For example, I'd like to see more personal to-do/calendar/productivity apps on there vs. huge project management apps, and I'd like to maybe see some personal budgeting software on there too.

Pros

Shift is an outstanding tool for busy professionals to stay organized and maintain different accounts within one platform. It supports various email providers, as well as dozens, if not hundreds of applications. The dashboard is easy to use and it lets you pick from a few templates and color schemes.
I used Shift to stay connected to a few email accounts that I use and it helps me centralize everything within one application. Overall, I am happy with its performance.

Cons

The only thing that I do not like as much about Shift is the pricing. Even though they offer a few tiers for its users, I think it is somewhat expensive.