Your projects, remembered.
ContextShelf lives in your menu bar. Open a client folder after 3 weeks away and get an instant AI briefing — where you left off, what was pending, what to do next. AI included. No extra subscription.
Free during beta · No credit card · macOS 13+
Acme Corp — Redesign
AI Briefing
Where you left off
Finalizing the checkout flow mockups in Figma. 3 screens pending review.
Pending
Client feedback on homepage due. Invoice #12 not yet paid.
Next step
Send revised mockups and follow up on payment.
Built for
FreelancersConsultantsAgenciesSolo devsThe problem
You switch back to a project. Your brain is blank.
You spend 45 minutes rereading emails, opening old files, trying to remember what the client wanted. You're billing for that time, but you shouldn't have to.
As a freelancer or consultant, context-switching is the real productivity killer — not the work itself.
Average time lost getting back into a project after a break
University of California Irvine
Projects the average freelancer juggles simultaneously
Freelancers Union Survey
Revenue generated while searching for context
Everyone's experience
How it works
Three steps. Zero workflow change.
Drop your project folders
Tell ContextShelf which folders belong to which client. It watches silently from your menu bar — no setup, no tagging, no friction.
Works with Finder folders. Any structure you already have.
Work normally
ContextShelf indexes your files in the background, locally. Nothing leaves your Mac except the summary when you ask for a briefing.
Your data stays on your machine. Always.
Return. Get briefed instantly.
Open a project folder you haven't touched in weeks — ContextShelf automatically generates a 3-point briefing. No setup, no extra subscription.
AI briefings are included in your plan.
100% local by default
Your files are indexed locally using Spotlight. Only the AI-generated summary leaves your Mac — and only when you ask for a briefing. We never store your files or project data.
Features
Everything you need to stay in flow. Nothing you don't.
Instant briefings
Open any project folder and get a 3-point summary: where you left off, what's pending, and your next recommended action.
Folder-native
No new system to learn. Map your existing Finder folders to clients. ContextShelf works with whatever structure you already have.
AI included, out of the box
AI briefings are included in your plan. No separate AI subscription, no API key setup. Just open a project and get briefed.
Project memory
ContextShelf tracks file activity over time, building a silent timeline of your work that the AI uses to generate accurate briefings.
Privacy first
Indexing happens locally. Nothing is sent to any server without your explicit request. No accounts needed for core features.
Native macOS
Built with Swift and SwiftUI. Lives in your menu bar. Respects your system's dark/light mode. Fast, minimal, out of the way.
Pricing
Simple, honest pricing.
Solo
For freelancers who switch contexts daily.
- ✓Unlimited projects
- ✓100 AI briefings / month
- ✓Full history
- ✓Auto-briefings when reopening dormant projects
- ✓Email support
Pro
For power users and small agencies.
- ✓Everything in Solo
- ✓300 AI briefings / month
- ✓Priority briefings
- ✓Advanced settings
- ✓Priority support
AI briefings are included in your subscription, within your plan's monthly quota.
FAQ
Do I need my own AI API key?
No. ContextShelf includes AI briefings in your subscription, so you can get started without creating a separate AI account.
Is AI usage included?
Yes. Every paid plan includes a monthly quota of AI briefings. Most users will never need anything else.
Can I use my own API key?
Not by default. We may offer it later as an advanced option for power users.
Early access
Be the first to try ContextShelf.
We're opening beta spots for freelancers and consultants who lose too much time switching contexts. Join the waitlist and get free access during beta.
47 people already on the waitlist