Software Alternatives & Reviews

Classic Start 8 VS Classic Shell

Compare Classic Start 8 VS Classic Shell and see what are their differences

Classic Start 8 logo Classic Start 8

Classic Start 8 gives you all the features and functionality of a traditional style start menu for use with Windows® 8. Unlike other start menu solutions for Windows® 8 Classic Start 8 is completely free software.

Classic Shell logo Classic Shell

Classic Shell was developed for Windows 8 since that was the first version of the popular operating system to forgo the iconic Start menu.
  • Classic Start 8 Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-04-17
  • Classic Shell Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-30

Classic Start 8 videos

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Classic Shell videos

Classic Shell with Windows 10!

More videos:

  • Review - Classic Shell Review | Make Windows 8 Like Windows 7 with Classic Shell
  • Review - Classic Shell 4.0.2 Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Classic Start 8 and Classic Shell)
LMS
9 9%
91% 91
Note Taking
8 8%
92% 92
Bookmarks
30 30%
70% 70
OS & Utilities
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Classic Shell seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 18 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Classic Start 8 mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Classic Start 8 yet. Tracking of Classic Start 8 recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Classic Shell mentions (18)

  • Scrollbars Are Becoming a Problem
    There's a great add-on called... ClassicShell http://classicshell.net/. - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • What software would be used to remove the red elements and change the layout of the tray icon?
    Windows Classic Shell is what I have used for over a decade. It brings back the old start menu and can be customized. Source: about 1 year ago
  • Microsoft is turning Windows 11's Start Menu into an advertisement delivery system
    ClassicShell is no longer being developed. OpenShell succeeded it. (c.f., http://classicshell.net/). Source: over 1 year ago
  • Is it possible to install windows 8.1 on the surface pro 5?
    Http://classicshell.net/This lets you pick UI goodness you want. Source: over 1 year ago
  • looking for a taskbar replacement
    Other, non-rainmeter options that I'm aware of include TranslucentTB and Classic Shell (note: Open Shell is the newer version, but I'm unsure if it has the same features). Source: about 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Classic Start 8 and Classic Shell, you can also consider the following products

Pokki - Window 8 Start Menu by Pokki. Get your Start menu back and more. “The Windows 8 Pokki Menu is a crowd-pleaser.” “restore the Start Menu, but with an updated look and feel”. “Pokki helps [Windows 8] a lot.

Open Shell - Open Shell is a fork of the Classic Shell project for Windows that getting back the classic start...

Start8 - Start8 returns the familiar Start menu to Microsoft's latest Windows 8 operating system.

Start Menu X - Start Menu X with Start Button. Power users know how inconvenient and time-consuming it is to launch programs from the system menu.

StartIsBack - StartIsBack returns Windows 10 and Windows 8 a real fully featured start menu and start button, behaving exactly like the ones in Windows 7. It's totally awesome and easy solution for your new Windows woes.

Start Button 8 - How to add a Start button to Windows 8? Just install Start Button 8!