Beam vs ShogunAI
Beam and ShogunAI are both personal productivity tools. Beam is aimed at developers and creators, while ShogunAI is aimed at freelancers and small businesses. Beam costs less, from $12/mo versus $62/mo for ShogunAI. Only Beam has a free plan.
Open individual windows from one Mac as native windows on another
Mac assistant that remembers your work and drafts in your voice
| Pricing | Freemium · $12 | Paid · $62 |
| Starting price | $12/mo | $62/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Free trial | — | 7 days |
| Built for | Developers, Creators, Freelancers, Small businesses | Freelancers, Small businesses |
| Platforms | macos | macos |
| Country | — | JP |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Beam if
Developers and creators with two Apple silicon Macs who want a remote app to behave like a local window instead of a full screen share.
- Uses one remote app without taking over the whole desktop
- Window traffic goes directly between your Macs, not through Beam's servers
- Free plan has no card requirement and no limit on host Macs
Look elsewhere if: People who need to reach Windows or Intel machines or control a whole remote desktop across platforms (Jump Desktop, Parsec).
Choose ShogunAI if
Consultants, founders and managers on Apple silicon Macs who want one searchable memory of their work and drafting in their own voice.
- Strong privacy controls: exclusions, pause and time-range deletion
- Uses your own AI provider or installed CLIs
- Nothing is sent without your approval
Look elsewhere if: Windows users or anyone who only needs meeting notes or a fast launcher (Granola, Raycast).
Beam vs ShogunAI pricing
Beam
- Free$0Host unlimited Macs, join share links, 20 minutes a day of use
- Monthly$12/moUnlimited use on every Mac you own, send share links
- Yearly$84/yrSame as Monthly; works out to $7/mo billed annually
- Lifetime$199One-time payment, all future updates, direct connections
- Team$12/seat/moOr $84/seat/yr; 20% off from 10 seats, one invoice
ShogunAI
- Standard$62/moPassive capture, recall, cross-app search; $49/mo yearly
- Pro$124/moMemory in other AI tools, action approval; $99/mo yearly
Beam · Key features
- Single windows from another Mac open as native windows with Dock and Command-Tab entries
- Beam several windows at once or share an entire display
- Direct typing, shortcuts, two-way resizing, app audio and clipboard sync
- Works with headless Mac minis and Mac Studios that have no display
- Encrypted Mac-to-Mac connection on local Wi-Fi or over Tailscale
- Guest share links open one window in any browser, view-only by default
Cons
- macOS only, with Apple silicon and Sonoma or later required on both Macs
- Free use is capped at 20 minutes a day
- Devices without the Mac app, such as phones, only get browser links
ShogunAI · Key features
- Passive capture of your work with sources kept
- Ask questions across mail, meetings and notes
- Hold right Option to draft text in your own voice in any app
- Live meeting notes with recap and next steps, no audio stored
- Two-way live translation and voice dictation
- Daily brief with schedule, priorities and meeting prep
Cons
- Mac only, Apple silicon and macOS 14 or newer
- High price for a personal tool
- AI provider costs are paid separately
Beam vs ShogunAI: FAQ
Which is cheaper, Beam or ShogunAI?
Beam starts at $12/mo and ShogunAI at $62/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do Beam and ShogunAI have a free plan?
Beam has a free plan. ShogunAI has no free plan, a 7-day free trial.