Best Shortcut Alternatives in 2026

Shortcut is great for engineering teams of 10-100 who want more structure than trello but less than jira., but it is not the only option. Here are the top alternatives ranked by rating, features, and value.

Why People Leave Shortcut

✕Web-only — no desktop or mobile apps
✕Less brand recognition leads to smaller community
✕Docs feature is basic compared to Notion or Confluence

Top 10 Alternatives to Shortcut

Things 3

situational

The most beautiful task manager ever made. Apple-only, one-time purchase, pure GTD.

★ 4.7 (287 reviews)Pricing: paidFrom $9.99 (iPhone), $19.99 (iPad)

Most beautifully designed task manager availableOne-time purchase — no subscription feesGTD-inspired workflow is intuitive and effective

View Details Compare

Linear

recommended

Issue tracking for software teams who care about speed and design quality.

★ 4.7 (234 reviews)Pricing: freemiumFrom $8/user/mo (Standard)Free tier

Fastest project management UI — every action feels instantBeautiful, minimal design that engineers loveGit integration auto-links issues to PRs and commits

View Details Compare

Notion

recommended

All-in-one workspace for notes, docs, wikis, projects, and databases. Infinitely flexible.

★ 4.5 (467 reviews)Pricing: freemiumFrom $10/mo (Plus)Free tier

Replaces 5-10 separate tools with one flexible workspaceDatabase system with multiple views is incredibly powerfulGenerous free tier for individuals

View Details Compare

Todoist

recommended

The best personal task manager. Clean, fast, with natural language input that actually works.

★ 4.5 (389 reviews)Pricing: freemiumFrom $5/mo (Pro)Free tier

Natural language input is the fastest way to capture tasksBeautiful, consistent design across every platformPro at $5/mo is exceptional value

View Details Compare

Airtable

recommended

Spreadsheet-database hybrid that powers custom workflows without code.

★ 4.4 (345 reviews)Pricing: freemiumFrom $20/seat/mo (Team)Free tier

Most flexible no-code database with relational capabilitiesMultiple views transform the same data for different use casesInterface Designer creates custom apps without code

View Details Compare

TickTick

recommended

Task manager with built-in calendar, habit tracking, Pomodoro timer, and Eisenhower matrix.

★ 4.4 (198 reviews)Pricing: freemiumFrom $35.99/year (~$3/mo, Premium)Free tier

More features than Todoist at a lower price pointBuilt-in calendar, habit tracker, and Pomodoro timerEisenhower matrix provides unique prioritization view

View Details Compare

Monday.com

recommended

Colorful, visual work OS that non-technical teams actually enjoy using.

★ 4.4 (345 reviews)Pricing: freemiumFrom $12/seat/mo (Standard, min 3 seats)Free tier

Most visually appealing and approachable PM interfaceMultiple products (CRM, Dev, Marketing) on one platformAutomation builder is intuitive and powerful

View Details Compare

Asana

recommended

Enterprise project management that scales from small teams to Fortune 500.

★ 4.3 (389 reviews)Pricing: freemiumFrom $13.49/user/mo (Premium)Free tier

Excellent balance of power and usability for mid-size teamsWorkflow automation eliminates repetitive task managementPortfolio and Goals features connect work to strategy

View Details Compare

Trello

recommended

The original kanban board. Simple, visual, and still great for straightforward projects.

★ 4.3 (456 reviews)Pricing: freemiumFrom $6/user/mo (Standard)Free tier

Simplest project management tool — zero learning curveButler automation is surprisingly powerful for a "simple" toolGenerous free tier for individuals and small teams

View Details Compare

#10

ClickUp

recommended

The "everything app" for work. Every feature imaginable, one platform, aggressive pricing.

★ 4.3 (378 reviews)Pricing: freemiumFrom $7/member/mo (Unlimited)Free tier

Best value — more features per dollar than any competitorGenerous free tier with unlimited users and tasksEvery view type and project management feature built in

View Details Compare

Shortcut vs Top 3 Alternatives

Criteria	Shortcut	Things 3	Linear	Notion
Rating	★ 4.3	★ 4.7	★ 4.7	★ 4.5
Pricing	freemium	paid	freemium	freemium
Starter Price	$8.50/user/mo (Standard)	$9.99 (iPhone), $19.99 (iPad)	$8/user/mo (Standard)	$10/mo (Plus)
Free Tier	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Learning Curve	easy	easy	easy	medium
Features	6 features	6 features	6 features	7 features

Still not sure which to pick?

Try our AI Tool Finder to get a personalized recommendation based on your needs.

Find Your Perfect Tool