Automate Basics

SaneBox vs Shortwave vs Superhuman Mail

Pick up to 4 tools and see their free plans, entry prices, platforms and limits in one table. Every fact comes from each vendor's own pages, checked 16 October 2026.

Written head to head: Superhuman Mail vs Shortwave, with when to choose each side.

Compared on
SaneBox

Free trial · from $5.42/mo

Shortwave

Free plan · from $18/seat/mo

Superhuman Mail

From $25/member/mo

What it isEmail filtering service that sorts less important mail into separate foldersAI email client for Gmail and Google Workspace accountsAI email app for teams that use Gmail or Outlook
Free planNoBasic AI with a limited usage quota; 90 days of standard and AI search history; up to 15 threads per AI search; basic inbox settings; adds a 'Sent with Shortwave' email signature.No
Cheapest paid plan$5.42/mo billed annually (Snack)SaneBox pricing$18/seat/mo (Pro)Shortwave pricing$25/member/mo billed annually (Starter)Superhuman Mail pricing
What it covers1 email account and 2 SaneBox features; $4.54 per month when paid every two years. Educational, non-profit and government agencies can get 25% off.Listed as $18 per seat/month on the Individual tab; the pricing page shows no annual billing option.Mail is also included in the Superhuman suite Business plan ($40 monthly, or $33 per member/month billed annually), which bundles Mail, Grammarly, Docs and Go.
Free trial7-day free trial with all features for up to 4 email accounts14-day free trial of paid plansNone stated
PlatformsiOS, AndroidWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, AndroidmacOS, Chrome extension
Integrations (vendor's figure)Not statedNot statedNot stated
Open sourceNoNoNo
Good for
  • Cutting inbox clutter without switching email apps
  • Keeping newsletters out of the main inbox
  • Cleaning up a long-neglected inbox
  • Finding old emails and attachments by asking questions in plain English
  • Sorting a busy Gmail inbox automatically with AI filters
  • Sharing and assigning customer email threads within a small team
  • Working through a heavy Gmail or Outlook inbox faster
  • Drafting routine replies with AI
  • Sales teams viewing CRM records next to email
Watch out for
  • No free plan; only a 7-day trial
  • Snack covers 1 email account with 2 features; all features require Dinner
  • Relies on folders, which POP email accounts do not support
  • Sign-in requires Gmail or Google Workspace; Microsoft 365 and Exchange are not supported, and other providers work only through forwarding
  • Free plan limits search history to 90 days and adds a 'Sent with Shortwave' signature
  • Each plan has a daily AI usage quota; higher tiers give more usage
  • No free plan for Mail; the Superhuman suite's Free and Pro plans do not include Mail
  • Built for Gmail and Outlook users; other email providers are not mentioned on the product page
  • Auto Drafts, Ask AI and CRM integrations require the Business plan
Made bySaneBox, Inc.Shortwave Communications, Inc.Superhuman (formerly Grammarly)

Entry prices are the cheapest paid plan, as each vendor publishes it; “What it covers” says what that price is per (a user, a channel, a brand, a number of contacts). The sources are listed on each tool's page.

Every tool in AI email and inbox tools is on its category page, with the written head-to-heads on Compare.