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Apple Shortcuts vs Automator: catalog facts
Apple Shortcuts	Automator
Free Free, bundled with macOS and iOS.	Free Included with macOS at no extra cost.
macOS, iOS	macOS
Built into every modern Mac, iPhone, and iPad at no extra cost Drag-and-drop editor is approachable without any scripting	Already installed on every Mac Builds workflows without programming
Limited to the Apple ecosystem with no Windows or Android version Less powerful for complex conditional logic than dedicated macro tools	macOS only Apple now puts more focus on Shortcuts
Downloadable app	Operating system
Closed source	Closed source
License not stated	License not stated
Not stated if an account is needed	No account needed
Not stated if it works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 24, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.