Comparison

Automation Control vs Shortcuts Browser

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Automation Control

Enhance your existing automation workflows with advanced management and conditional execution. This tool allows you to enable, disable, or pause automations based on specific criteria like time, location, or focus modes. It provides a centralized dashboard for organizing and monitoring your automated tasks.

Highlights
  • Conditional execution of automations
  • Enable/disable/pause automations
  • Sort and filter automations
  • Backup and restore configurations
  • Log view for completed automations
  • Set conditions (Date, Time, Location, Focus Modes, Weather)
  • Search and pin automations
Features
Read full description

If you use the Shortcuts automations like I do, surely you can find it difficult to manage them. Automation Control works with the Shortcuts app to provide a better way to manage your Shortcuts automations. This app, in a nutshell, is a glorified IF statement that determines if your automations should run or not. By simply adding Automation Control's Get Status of Item action to your Shortcuts Automations or by using the Automation Control Template shortcut, you now have better control over enabling, disabling, pausing, or setting conditions for your automations unlike ever before. This does not replace your Shortcuts automations tab; you still need to do some setup there for this app to manage them. Originally a shortcut a few years ago, and now an app, and with it, here are some things that you can do... - Name your automations along with adding an icon and a description - Sort your automations in order of A-Z, Z-A, Status, or Manually - Quickly toggle on/off your items with a simple double tap and view its status right on the item row - Multiple indicator views to choose your favorite way of viewing the on and off status of your items - 12-hour and 24-hour timing support - Backup and Restore - Log View to see a log of when your automations completed successfully - Send or Receive a text variable between Shortcuts and this app - Filter/Group automations based on status - Search bar to search for specific automations - Pin automations - Set timers on your automations - Multiple layouts - Set conditions such as Date & Time, Location, Focus Modes, Weather, and more... - More and more to come... How to use: - Create an Automation Control item by tapping the + button in the top right. - Name, describe, and select an icon and, of course, enable it. - Leave it as a Controller item by simply saving the new item or tap the Controls button and set various conditions. - Download the Automation Control Template shortcut, rename it to the same name as the control item you’ve just created, and set up your actions. - Set up your automation via the Automation tab in the Shortcuts app and add a Run Shortcut action from the list of actions and select the shortcut you’ve just modified. Full details found at https://ibanks.craft.me/6kbyyNVhWXjawv

About

Shortcuts Browser

Instantly access your favorite websites with one tap from your home screen. This app creates custom shortcuts that open any URL in full-screen Safari, streamlining your browsing and enhancing productivity. Enjoy a clean interface and local data storage for privacy.

Highlights
  • One-tap website access
  • Full-screen Safari browsing
  • iOS Shortcuts integration
  • Smart history tracking
  • Local data storage
  • Interactive setup guide
Features
Read full description

Transform your browsing experience with lightning-fast one-tap website access! Shortcuts Browser revolutionizes how you access your favorite websites by integrating seamlessly with iOS Shortcuts. Create home screen shortcuts that instantly open any website in full-screen Safari with just one tap - no more navigating through browsers! Key Features: • Lightning Fast Access - Open websites instantly from home screen shortcuts • Full-Screen Safari - Secure browsing with Safari's full-screen presentation • Modern iOS Integration - Built with iOS 16+ App Intents framework • Smart History - Track and revisit your browsing history easily • Beautiful Interface - Polished UI with gradient backgrounds and smooth animations • Privacy Focused - All data stored locally on your device • Interactive Guide - Step-by-step tutorial for creating perfect shortcuts How It Works: 1. Open Shortcuts Browser and follow the beautiful interactive guide 2. Create shortcuts using the iOS Shortcuts app with two simple actions 3. Add your shortcut to the home screen with a custom icon 4. Tap once for instant website access in full-screen Safari! Perfect for: • Quick access to frequently used websites (news, social, work tools) • Productivity and workflow automation enthusiasts • Users who want streamlined browsing without app switching • Creating personalized web launcher experiences Privacy & Security: Your browsing history and shortcuts are stored locally on your device. We implement comprehensive privacy protection and give you full control over your data with our transparent privacy policy. Transform your iPhone into a personalized web launcher. Download Shortcuts Browser today and experience the fastest, most elegant way to access your favorite websites!

Screenshots

Automation Control4 screens
Shortcuts Browser4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Automation Control at 4.8 against Shortcuts Browser's 1.0. Automation Control also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (11 vs 1). Shortcuts Browser's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Automation Control sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Shortcuts Browser asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Automation Control holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Automation Control has 11 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Automation Control ships an update weekly, Shortcuts Browser every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on June 10, 2026 and August 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Automation Control versus Shortcuts Browser: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAutomation ControlShortcuts Browser
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (11 ratings) — better1.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews80.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings11 — better1
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 6 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size29 MB7 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperJerrod BanksKeisuke Karijuku

Customer experience

Automation Control

All ratings10 ratings
Positive90.0%
Neutral10.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral10.0%
Negative10.0%

Shortcuts Browser

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Automation Control

One-time3
  • Small Tip$0.99
  • Medium Tip$2.99
  • Large Tip$4.99
None

Shortcuts Browser

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Automation Control free?
Automation Control is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Shortcuts Browser free?
Shortcuts Browser is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Automation Control or Shortcuts Browser?
Automation Control is rated higher. Automation Control averages 4.8 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Shortcuts Browser averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Automation Control or Shortcuts Browser have ads?
Shortcuts Browser shows ads; Automation Control does not.
Which is updated more often, Automation Control or Shortcuts Browser?
Automation Control ships an update weekly, and Shortcuts Browser every 6 days. Most recently, Automation Control was updated on June 10, 2026 and Shortcuts Browser on August 16, 2026.

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