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SHIFT BROWSER / SPACES EXPLAINED

Shift Browser Workspaces: Spaces, apps, and the limits that matter.

Shift’s current product language is Spaces. The older v9 help centre calls them Workspaces. Both describe a customizable app-and-account desk—but a Space is an organization layer, not proof of a secure sandbox.

See Shift Spaces

Facts checked against Shift product, help and pricing materials on 30 Aug 2026. Limits and labels can change.

Current name · Spaces

Legacy v9 name · Workspaces

Space

Work · Personal · Client A

Anchor App

One app can ground the context

Apps + accounts

Multiple instances of the same service

Tabs + bookmarks

Sources and shortcuts for the project

Spaces → Workspaces01 → 04

Shift official visual showing Personal, Work and Side hustle Spaces arranged in one browser layout — Shift visual reference · spaces organize contexts, not credentials

01 / NAME THE MODEL

Spaces today. Workspaces in the old v9 guide.

The name changed, the job stayed familiar: keep a project’s apps, accounts, tabs and layout together so you can switch context without rebuilding your desk.

CURRENT PRODUCT

Spaces

Shift’s current Spaces page describes separate areas for work, personal life, hobbies and projects.

Choose a name, colour, theme and icon
Add apps, tabs, extensions and bookmarks
Pin Spaces and Apps on the sidebar

SHIFT V9 / LEGACY TERM

Workspaces

The v9 help article describes Workspaces as groupings of email accounts, apps, bookmarks and web tabs.

Useful when reading old setup guides
Do not assume every v9 control remains
Check the migration path before upgrading

02 / SPACE ARCHITECTURE

A Space is a map for context—not a vault.

Think of the model as a stack. The Space names the context; an Anchor App gives it a home; app instances, tabs and bookmarks fill the work surface; Builder and Quick Settings shape the chrome around it.

Space

Work · Personal · Client A

Anchor App

One app can ground the context

Apps + accounts

Multiple instances of the same service

Tabs + bookmarks

Sources and shortcuts for the project

Layout + controls

Bars, extensions and notification settings

What stays together—and what does not

Shift’s own product pages support organization and account switching. They do not establish a Space as an OS-level or credential-level security boundary. Treat login state, cookies, permissions and sensitive data according to the app and service you use.

Shift official Spaces diagram with Personal, Work and Side hustle labels on a browser surface — Shift official visual · a context map for a browser desk

Spaces	What stays together—and what does not	Workspaces
Apps and app instances	Configured per Space	Good for separate inboxes and tool stacks.
Tabs and bookmarks	Grouped with the context	Useful for project handoff and focus.
Bars, extensions and layout	Customizable	Builder changes the browser surface.
Passwords, cookies and permissions	Not promised as isolated	Do not call a Space a secure sandbox.
Notifications	Controlled in the current build	Old v9 mute controls may differ after migration.

03 / SEARCH, BUILDER, NOTIFICATIONS

Three controls people confuse when they migrate.

Shift’s product story is broad, while help articles are split across versions. Here is the practical reading of the evidence—and the point where you should verify the current desktop build.

Cross-Space search is not clearly promised.

Shift documents an Intelligent Omnibox, preferred search engines and app-oriented workflows. Third-party snippets claim unified app search, but the current official material we could verify does not promise one index across every Space.

Decision rule: test the exact Space and account you need before migrating a large archive.

BUILDER

Build the browser around the work.

Open Quick Settings → Build your Browser. Shift’s Builder lets you drag Apps, Bars and Controls into a custom layout instead of accepting a fixed toolbar.

Decision rule: Builder changes interface layout; it does not turn a Space into a security boundary.

TEMPLATES + ALERTS

Start from a template, then audit notifications.

Templates are a starting point for the layout. Notifications and mute behaviour have changed between v9 and the current browser, so confirm the per-app controls after migration.

Decision rule: keep sensitive alerts governed by the app and OS, not by a visual Space label.

Shift official browser layout visual with a dark new-tab surface and blue highlighted controls — Shift visual reference · Builder and layout, not a security diagramBUILDER

04 / PLANS, TEAMS, MIGRATION

The Space count changes the decision.

Free is useful for a small set of contexts. Advanced removes the headline Space and app limits. Teams adds administration and billing, but does not mean an admin can read every member’s private browsing data.

Free

$0 forever

A few personal contexts

5 Spaces
10 apps per Space
Builder and templates
Limited Shift AI

Advanced

$199.99 / year*

Many contexts and larger app stacks

Unlimited Spaces and apps
Expanded Shift AI
Priority video support
Verify current price before purchase

Teams

$199.99 / user / year*

A managed team subscription

Team Dashboard and seat control
Centralized annual billing
Members keep personal layout and notification controls
Admin cannot view private passwords or browsing history

Team governance is not content surveillance.

The official team model gives an admin seats, billing and a Team Dashboard. Members still own their personal layout, notifications and app contexts; the admin boundary is not a license to inspect private accounts, passwords, history or Apps.

Plans & limits

Before moving from Shift v9

Use the migration checklist as a release gate, not a promise that every old control survives unchanged.

*Prices and retirement dates are time-sensitive observations from official materials; confirm them on Shift before acting.

01Update v9 to 9.6.3 or later before starting migration.
02Inventory Spaces/Workspaces, app accounts, bookmarks and notification rules.
03Rebuild the current layout in Builder and check Multi-window and Incognito flows.
04Verify Smart Links, AI, Apps and any changed or removed v9 controls.
05Re-check team seats, pricing and the announced 30 Sep 2026 v9 retirement date.

Before moving from Shift v9 Plans & limits

05 / SHIFT OR TABBIT?

Shift arranges the desk. Tabbit helps move the work.

Choose based on the centre of gravity of your day. Shift is strongest when the problem is app/account sprawl. Tabbit is strongest when the problem is reading, comparing and acting on web context.

Decision point	Shift Browser	Tabbit Browser
Core model	Spaces for apps, accounts, tabs and a custom browser layout.	AI-native browsing context for pages, tabs, files and tasks.
Multiple accounts	A central strength: add app instances and switch inboxes.	Keep the relevant pages together and ask AI about the active context.
Research	Organize sources and apps inside a Space.	Deep Research and page summaries turn sources into a brief.
Browser actions	Official materials focus on organization, integrations and AI chat.	Agent can read pages, extract data, fill forms and run multi-step web work.
Best fit	People building a polished app-and-account command centre.	People who want research, summaries and repetitive web work to progress with AI help.

Tabbit Browser showing an article beside an AI summary sidebar with a core message and key takeaways — Tabbit UI · page context and summary

READ

Keep the source and the answer together.

Tabbit’s side panel summarizes a long page while the source remains visible, so a researcher can check the evidence instead of switching windows.

Tabbit Browser Agent mode operating a Google Sheets workbook with task instructions and execution steps on the right — Tabbit UI · Agent execution steps

ACT

Turn a browser brief into visible steps.

Agent mode can work through a web task with execution steps beside the page. The point is not a prettier Space; it is less copy-paste between sources and tools.

This is a workflow comparison, not a safety or performance score. Shift and Tabbit are separate products and separate downloads.

06 / WORKSPACE FAQ

Short answers before you reorganize your browser.

01Does Shift Browser call them Spaces or Workspaces?

The current Shift product pages use Spaces. Workspaces is the term used in older Shift v9 help content. Read the two as the current and legacy names for the same organizing concept, then follow the current migration instructions.

02Do Shift Spaces isolate accounts and passwords?

Spaces organize app instances, tabs, bookmarks and layout. Shift’s public product material does not establish them as a secure credential sandbox, so do not assume cookies, permissions or passwords are isolated just because the sidebar looks separate.

03Can I use multiple accounts for one app?

Yes. Shift’s app model is designed for multiple instances of a service, so you can keep different inboxes or profiles available without repeatedly signing out. Confirm the behaviour of the specific app you depend on.

04Does each Space have its own notifications?

Notification controls exist in the current browser, but v9 and current versions differ and the old mute control changed. Audit each important app after migration; do not assume a Space label alone governs OS or app alerts.

05Can Shift search across every Space?

The official material we could verify documents Omnibox and app-oriented workflows, but does not clearly promise a single cross-Space index. Third-party snippets make a broader unified-search claim. Test your build with the accounts and Spaces you need before migrating.

06How do Builder and templates work?

Open Quick Settings and choose Build your Browser. Builder lets you arrange Apps, Bars and Controls, while templates give you a starting layout. These are customization tools, not evidence of security isolation.

07How many Spaces are in Shift Free?

The official pricing snapshot used for this page lists Free at five Spaces and up to ten apps per Space, with Builder/templates and limited Shift AI. Advanced lists unlimited Spaces and apps. Pricing and limits can change, so check Shift’s current pricing page.

08What should I check before migrating from Shift v9?

Use v9 9.6.3 or later, inventory accounts/bookmarks/notifications, rebuild the layout in current Builder, and test Multi-window, Incognito, Smart Links, Apps and AI. Re-check any removed or changed v9 controls and the current retirement notice before committing.

07 / CHOOSE YOUR WORKFLOW

Need a desk—or a browser that does the next step?

Keep Shift if your main problem is app and account organization. Try Tabbit if your next task is to read sources, summarize context or execute a multi-step web workflow with AI beside you.

Separate product · macOS and Windows · official Tabbit download flow