Shortwave
AI email client for Gmail that summarizes, organizes, and drafts replies.
Pricing
About Shortwave
Shortwave is an AI-powered email client built specifically on top of Gmail and Google Workspace. It was created by a team of former Google Inbox engineers who wanted to bring back the organizational ideas of that discontinued product and pair them with modern AI. The client sorts incoming mail into customizable tabs, bundles similar messages together, and generates summaries of long threads so users can scan what matters without opening every message. Beyond triage, Shortwave includes an AI writing assistant that drafts replies in the user's own style, an AI-powered search that understands natural-language queries, and a memory feature that lets people customize how the assistant behaves. It also converts emails into tasks, supports scheduled sends, read receipts, link tracking, and shared threads for team collaboration. In January 2026 the company added Tasklet, an agent layer meant to carry out multi-step email workflows automatically. Shortwave targets professionals and teams who want to spend less time managing their inbox, and it lists customers such as Twilio, Spotify, and GitHub. Its core limitation is platform lock-in: because it is built entirely on the Gmail and Google Workspace API, it cannot connect to Outlook, Exchange, or Microsoft 365 accounts, which rules it out for a large share of business email users.
At a glance
- Platforms
- Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows
- Integrations
- Slack, Notion, Asana, HubSpot
- Last verified
- August 2026
Who It's For
- •Individuals seeking to improve email productivity.
- •Professionals overwhelmed by their inbox.
- •Teams and businesses looking for efficient email management solutions.
How It Works
- 1Shortwave integrates with Gmail or Outlook as an AI-powered email client.
- 2It uses AI to automatically bundle related emails into 'bundles' based on sender, topic, or type.
- 3AI summarizes long email threads and provides key information at a glance.
- 4It prioritizes important conversations and filters out noise.
- 5Users can manage their inbox through a clean, intuitive interface with features like snooze, pin, and one-click unsubscribe.
How to Use Shortwave
- 1Sign up for Shortwave and connect your Gmail or Outlook account.
- 2Allow Shortwave to analyze and organize your emails.
- 3Review AI-generated summaries of email threads and bundles.
- 4Use features like "Bundle All" to group similar emails.
- 5Utilize smart notifications and reminders to stay on top of important communications.
- 6Archive, snooze, or unsubscribe from emails directly within the Shortwave interface.
Key Features
- •AI thread summaries
- •AI-assisted email writing
- •Natural-language AI search
- •Inbox bundling and customizable tabs
- •Email-to-task conversion
- •Scheduled send
- •Read receipts and link tracking
- •Shared threads and team collaboration
- •Tasklet AI agent for multi-step workflows
Use Cases
- •Reaching inbox zero faster
- •Summarizing long email threads
- •Drafting replies in a consistent personal style
- •Automating repetitive multi-step email workflows
- •Collaborating on shared email threads with a team
Pros & Cons
Advantages
- •Significantly reduces email clutter by intelligently bundling and summarizing emails.
- •Boosts productivity by allowing users to quickly grasp key information and prioritize tasks.
- •Offers a clean and intuitive interface that simplifies email management.
- •Provides useful features like one-click unsubscribe and smart notifications to save time.
Disadvantages
- •Requires users to transition to a new email client, which may have a learning curve.
- •Reliance on AI for summarization might occasionally miss nuances in complex emails.
- •Some advanced features might be locked behind a paid subscription.
Alternatives
- Superhuman
- Gmail
- Spark
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Shortwave?
Shortwave is an AI-powered email client built specifically on top of Gmail and Google Workspace. It was created by a team of former Google Inbox engineers who wanted to bring back the organizational ideas of that discontinued product and pair them with modern AI.
How much does Shortwave cost?
Shortwave has a free plan; paid plans start at $14. A free trial is available.
Is Shortwave free?
Yes, Shortwave offers a free plan you can start with.
What are the best Shortwave alternatives?
Popular Shortwave alternatives include Superhuman, Gmail, Spark.
What is Shortwave used for?
Shortwave is commonly used for Reaching inbox zero faster, Summarizing long email threads, Drafting replies in a consistent personal style.
What platforms does Shortwave support?
Shortwave is available on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
Information Accuracy
Please note: While we regularly update all tool information including descriptions, features, pricing, and other details, this information may change over time as tools evolve and update their offerings. For the most current and accurate information, we recommend visiting the official website directly. Our goal is to provide you with comprehensive and up-to-date information to help you make informed decisions.