Box vs Shortkey
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Box starts at See pricing page and Shortkey starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Box AI document Q&A
- Box Extract data extraction
- Box AI Agents
- E-signatures
- Workflow automation
- Content APIs and MCP server
- Natural-language file tasks
- Batch background removal
- Subtitle generation and translation
- PDF and document conversion
- Audio transcription
| Feature | Box | Shortkey |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Cloud content management with Box AI for questions, extraction and agents | Chat-based file assistant that converts, compresses and edits files |
| Category | Productivity | Productivity |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | See pricing page | See pricing page |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | Box, Inc. | Shortkey |
| Based in | United States | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Box starts at See pricing page and Shortkey starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
Prices in USD, checked Nov 5, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Box
- AI answers respect existing file permissions
- Choice of OpenAI, Anthropic and Google models
- Strong security and compliance controls
- Most AI features sit on business tiers
- Pricing is not listed in the fetched pages
- Broad suite can be more than small teams need
Shortkey
- Many file tools behind one chat
- Handles multi-step batch jobs
- Free monthly credits without a card
- Paid plan prices not in the evidence
- 500 MB upload limit
- Files are processed on its servers
Which one should you choose?
Choose Box if you want:
- AI answers respect existing file permissions
- Choice of OpenAI, Anthropic and Google models
- Strong security and compliance controls
Watch out: most ai features sit on business tiers.
Choose Shortkey if you want:
- Many file tools behind one chat
- Handles multi-step batch jobs
- Free monthly credits without a card
Watch out: paid plan prices not in the evidence.
Box vs Shortkey FAQ
What is the difference between Box and Shortkey?
Box: Cloud content management with Box AI for questions, extraction and agents. Shortkey: Chat-based file assistant that converts, compresses and edits files. Both are productivity tools.
Is Box or Shortkey cheaper?
Box starts at See pricing page and Shortkey starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do Box and Shortkey have free plans?
Box: Yes. Shortkey: Yes.
Who makes Box?
Box is made by Box, Inc., based in United States.
Who makes Shortkey?
Shortkey is made by Shortkey.
Which should I choose, Box or Shortkey?
Choose Box if you value ai answers respect existing file permissions and choice of openai, anthropic and google models. Choose Shortkey if you value many file tools behind one chat and handles multi-step batch jobs.