Shift alternative
Shift became a browser. zinbox is still just your Gmail.
The short version: Shift retired its classic app on September 30, 2026. Shift Browser is a capable, customizable browser, but it’s a lot of browser if all you wanted was your Gmail accounts side by side. zinbox is a native Mac app that does only that, for $29 a year or $69 once. Stay with Shift if you need Outlook, Windows or other web apps in the same window.
Why people are looking for a Shift alternative
For years, Shift classic was the simple way to keep several Gmail accounts open at once. Version 9 has now been retired, and its replacement is a different kind of product: a full browser with Spaces, a drag-and-drop layout Builder, tabs, Chrome extensions and an AI assistant.
That’s a good fit for people who want one window for all of their work apps. But if you used Shift to get away from browser tabs, not to get a new browser, the upgrade can feel like it added everything you were trying to avoid. Shift’s Advanced plan is also $199.99 / year.
zinbox in one paragraph
zinbox keeps every Gmail and Google Workspace account signed in, side by side, in one native Mac window. Each account gets its own private session, so nothing bleeds between them. Switch with a click or ⌘1–9, and it’s instant because every inbox stays loaded. New mail in any account becomes a real macOS notification, and the dock shows one unread total built from the accounts you choose. Gmail itself is untouched, so your labels, filters, shortcuts and Meet calls work exactly as they do now.
Shift vs zinbox at a glance
 Shift Browser |  zinbox | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A Chromium-based browser with Spaces, a Builder and Shift AI | A native Mac app for Gmail |
| Platforms | Mac and Windows | Mac only |
| Gmail, Outlook and more, alongside other web apps | Gmail and Google Workspace | |
| Other apps | Slack, Notion and many other web apps, plus Chrome extensions | None, by design |
| Account isolation | Each account in its own session | Each account in its own private session |
| Notifications | Desktop notifications | Native macOS notifications for every account |
| Unread badge | Unread counts in the sidebar | Per-account counts and one dock total you control |
| AI | Shift AI built in | None |
| Price | Free plan (up to 5 Spaces); Advanced: $199.99 / year | $29 / year, or $69 once |
Shift details from shift.com, checked October 2026.
The differences that matter
Focus
Shift is built to hold everything: email, chat, docs and any website, arranged however you like. zinbox is built to hold one thing well. There are no tabs, no Spaces to organize and no new tab page, just your inboxes. The tradeoff is real: if you want Slack or Notion next to your mail, zinbox won’t do that.
Native Mac app vs browser
zinbox is written for macOS, so it behaves like the rest of your Mac: notifications go through Notification Center, the dock badge is a real dock badge, and links open in your default browser instead of inside the app. Shift works across Mac and Windows, which matters if you use both.
Notifications and the unread badge
zinbox notifies you about new mail in every account, including the ones you aren’t looking at, without changing any Gmail settings. Click a notification and it opens that account. The dock shows a single total, and you choose which accounts count toward it, so a 20,000-message personal inbox doesn’t drown out work.
Price
Shift has a free plan with up to 5 Spaces, and Advanced costs $199.99 / year. zinbox is $29 a year or $69 once, for up to 3 Macs. Over three years that’s about $600 for Shift Advanced, compared with $69 for zinbox Lifetime.
Who should switch, and who shouldn’t
zinbox is for you if
- You live in more than one Gmail or Google Workspace account
- You’re on a Mac
- You liked Shift classic and don’t want a new browser
- You want notifications and one badge you can trust
Stay with Shift if
- You need Outlook or Office 365 mail
- You use Windows
- You want Slack, Notion or other apps in the same window
- You rely on Chrome extensions or Shift AI
Switching from Shift takes a few minutes
- Download zinbox and open it.
- Sign in to each Google account. Sign-in happens on Google’s own page, including two-step verification.
- Choose which accounts count toward the dock badge.
- Use ⌘1–9 to jump between accounts.
Everything that lives in Gmail, like labels, filters, signatures and settings, is already there. What doesn’t come over is anything that only lived in Shift: other apps, Spaces, bookmarks and extensions.
Questions
- Is zinbox made by Shift?
- No. zinbox is an independent app made by Smmall LLC. It isn’t affiliated with Shift.
- What happened to Shift classic?
- Shift retired version 9, the classic app, on September 30, 2026. Its replacement, Shift Browser, is a Chromium-based browser built around Spaces, a layout Builder and Shift AI.
- Does zinbox work with Outlook or Office 365?
- No. zinbox is built for Gmail and Google Workspace only. If you need Outlook in the same window, Shift is the better fit.
- Does zinbox run on Windows?
- No. zinbox is a native macOS app. Shift runs on both Mac and Windows.
- Can I bring my Shift setup over?
- There’s nothing to import. You sign in to each Google account once, with Google’s normal sign-in. Your labels, filters and settings live in Gmail, so they come with you automatically.
Get your simple Gmail app back.
Every Gmail account, one native Mac app. $29 a year or $69 once.
Shift and the Shift logo are trademarks of their owner, used here only to identify their product. zinbox is not affiliated with Shift. Gmail and Google Workspace are trademarks of Google LLC.