Open Shell vs 8StartButton

Struggling to choose between Open Shell and 8StartButton? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Open Shell is a Os & Utilities solution with tags like start-menu, explorer-replacement, windows-shell.

It boasts features such as Classic start menu interface, Advanced configuration options, Support for themes and skins, Fully customizable menus and shortcuts, Plugin architecture for extensions, Multi-monitor support, Search box with advanced filtering, Keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys and pros including Lightweight and fast, Highly customizable, More options than Windows 10 start menu, Familiar interface for Windows 7 users, Completely free and open source.

On the other hand, 8StartButton is a Os & Utilities product tagged with start-menu, windows-8, utility.

Its standout features include Restores Start button and Start menu, Adds familiar interface from previous Windows versions, Offers extra customization options compared to default Windows 8 Start screen, Lets you boot directly to desktop instead of Start screen, Lets you resize Start button and change its position, Includes variety of themes and skins for Start menu visuals, and it shines with pros like Free, Easy to use, Adds back useful Start menu, Highly customizable, Lightweight and fast.

Feature	Open Shell	8StartButton
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Os & Utilities	Os & Utilities

Product Overview

Open Shell

Description: Open Shell is a free and open-source start menu replacement for Windows that provides advanced configuration options and customization. It aims to restore the classic start menu for users who prefer the Windows XP or Windows 7 interface.

8StartButton

Description: 8StartButton is a free utility that restores the Start button and Start menu in Windows 8 and 8.1, bringing back the familiar interface from previous Windows versions. It adds an extra level of customization options compared to the default Windows 8 Start screen.

Key Features Comparison

Open Shell Features

• Classic start menu interface
• Advanced configuration options
• Support for themes and skins
• Fully customizable menus and shortcuts
• Plugin architecture for extensions
• Multi-monitor support
• Search box with advanced filtering
• Keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys

8StartButton Features

• Restores Start button and Start menu
• Adds familiar interface from previous Windows versions
• Offers extra customization options compared to default Windows 8 Start screen
• Lets you boot directly to desktop instead of Start screen
• Lets you resize Start button and change its position
• Includes variety of themes and skins for Start menu visuals

Pros & Cons Analysis

Open Shell

Pros

• Lightweight and fast
• Highly customizable
• More options than Windows 10 start menu
• Familiar interface for Windows 7 users
• Completely free and open source

Cons

• Less intuitive for new Windows users
• Requires some time to configure
• Occasional bugs or crashes
• Limited native integration with Windows 10 features

8StartButton

Pros

• Free
• Easy to use
• Adds back useful Start menu
• Highly customizable
• Lightweight and fast

Cons

• Limited features compared to paid Start menu replacements
• Occasional bugs or glitches
• Some features may not work fully on Windows 8.1
• Lacks support or updates

Pricing Comparison

Open Shell

• Free
• Open Source

8StartButton

• Free