Shortwave: pricing, features and alternatives
AI email client for Gmail and Google Workspace accounts
What is Shortwave?
Shortwave is an email client with an AI assistant, built for Gmail and Google Workspace accounts. The assistant can search years of email history, summarise threads, draft replies and sort incoming mail with AI filters, and the app includes team features such as shared threads, comments and assignees. Microsoft 365 and Exchange accounts are not supported.
Good for
- 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
Key features
- AI assistant that searches email history and answers questions
- AI filters that sort incoming email (3 to 50 on Business plans)
- AI autocomplete, instant summaries and attachment analysis
- Splits, bundles and delivery schedules for organising the inbox
- Team features: thread sharing, comments, assignees and shared labels
- Read statuses, link tracking, snippets and follow-up reminders
Limitations to know about
- 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
Shortwave pricing
Shortwave has a free plan. Paid plans start at $18 per seat a month (Pro).
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Basic AI, 90 days of search history, 15 threads per AI search |
| Pro | $18 per seat/month | Standard AI, full search history, 3 years of AI search history, AI web browsing, personalised AI writing |
| Business | $30 per seat/month | 5 years of AI search history, 3 AI filters, AI integrations, read statuses and link tracking |
| Premier | $45 per seat/month | Advanced AI, 2x AI usage, unlimited AI search history, 10 AI filters |
| Max | $120 per seat/month | Expert AI, 6x AI usage, 50 AI filters, 3x context tokens |
Free plan limits: Basic 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.
What a team pays: For a team of five on Pro: $90 a month.
Shortwave alternatives
Superhuman Mail
AI email app for teams that use Gmail or Outlook
Spark Mail
Cross-platform email app with a smart inbox, AI writing and team features
SaneBox
Email filtering service that sorts less important mail into separate folders
Gemini in Google Workspace
Gemini AI inside Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Meet and other Google Workspace apps
Lindy
AI assistant that works in Slack, email and meetings to handle routine tasks
Front
Shared inbox and ticketing platform for customer-facing teams, with AI as paid add-ons
Compare Shortwave with these side by side
Head to head: Shortwave vs Superhuman Mail
Frequently asked questions
Is Shortwave free?
Shortwave has a free plan. Basic 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. Paid plans start at $18/seat/mo.
How much does Shortwave cost?
Shortwave's cheapest paid plan, Pro, costs $18 per seat a month billed monthly. Listed as $18 per seat/month on the Individual tab; the pricing page shows no annual billing option. Prices as published on Shortwave's pricing page on 23 September 2026.
What is Shortwave used for?
Shortwave is an email client with an AI assistant, built for Gmail and Google Workspace accounts. People use it for finding old emails and attachments by asking questions in plain English, sorting a busy Gmail inbox automatically with AI filters and sharing and assigning customer email threads within a small team.
What are the alternatives to Shortwave?
Tools that do a similar job include Superhuman Mail, Spark Mail, SaneBox, Gemini in Google Workspace and Lindy. Each has its own page here with its plans, limits and prices.
Who makes Shortwave?
Shortwave is made by Shortwave Communications, Inc.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from Shortwave Communications, Inc.'s own pages, read on the dates shown.
- shortwave.com/pricing/ (pricing and plan features for Individual and Business tabs (read in a browser), trial) read 23 September 2026
- shortwave.com/docs/how-tos/microsoft-outlook-exchange-other-sign-in-support/ (supported email providers) read 23 September 2026
- shortwave.com/download/ (platforms) read 23 September 2026
- shortwave.com/about/ (company name, founders) read 23 September 2026
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