Short answer: pick Superhuman if you live in Gmail or Microsoft 365, want to move through mail with the keyboard as fast as possible, and $25 to $30 a month is fine. Pick Canary Mail if you have other kinds of accounts too (iCloud, Yahoo, Exchange or any IMAP address), want encryption and AI that keeps more of your mail on your device, or want to pay $36 a year instead of $300.
Disclosure: we make Canary Mail. We've tried to describe Superhuman the way Superhuman does, using its own plan pages. Prices and features were checked on October 5, 2026.
Canary Mail vs Superhuman at a glance
| Canary Mail | Superhuman | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free plan; Growth $36/year; Pro+ $100/year; lifetime licences | Starter $30/month or $300/year; Business $40/month or $396/year |
| Free plan | Yes, unlimited accounts on up to 2 devices | No |
| Accounts | Gmail, Outlook.com, Microsoft 365, Exchange, iCloud, Yahoo, any IMAP | Google and Microsoft 365 only |
| Platforms | Mac, iPhone, iPad, Windows, Android | Mac, Windows, web, iPhone, iPad, Android |
| AI | Writing, replies, summaries, search; triage runs on your device | Write with AI, Instant Reply, Auto Summarize, Auto Labels; Auto Drafts and Ask AI on Business |
| Encryption | PGP and SecureSend on Pro+ | No end-to-end encryption listed |
| Read receipts | Lite on the free plan, full on Growth | Read Statuses on every plan |
| Team features | Separate product: Shared Inbox by Canary | Shared conversations, comments and drafts; CRM integrations on Business |
Superhuman
Superhuman is built for people who handle a lot of email and want to clear it fast. Almost everything has a keyboard shortcut, the Split Inbox separates mail into groups you define, and reminders bring back threads when nobody replies. Its AI writes and rewrites messages, suggests instant replies, summarizes threads and labels mail automatically. The Business plan adds Auto Drafts, Ask AI and integrations with HubSpot, Salesforce and Pipedrive. Every plan includes team features such as shared conversations, comments and shared drafts.
The limits are price and accounts. There's no free plan, and Superhuman only works with Google and Microsoft 365 accounts, so an iCloud, Yahoo or other IMAP address won't connect.
Canary Mail
Canary puts every kind of account in one inbox: Gmail, Outlook.com, Microsoft 365, Exchange, iCloud, Yahoo and any IMAP provider. It has more than 2 million users and has been featured by Apple on the App Store and the Mac App Store. Its AI drafts and rewrites replies, summarizes long threads and searches your mail in plain English. Search runs against the server, so it isn't limited to the mail already on your device. Triage and prioritization run on your device, and Canary has committed never to use your email to train generalized AI models.
The Pro+ plan adds PGP encryption, SecureSend for encrypted messages to anyone, and phishing and impersonation detection. Canary also blocks tracking pixels automatically. It runs on Mac, iPhone, iPad, Windows and Android; the team aims to keep features the same everywhere, though Mac and iPhone sometimes get new features first. For team inboxes, the same company makes a separate product, Shared Inbox by Canary.
How they compare
Price
Canary's free plan covers unlimited accounts on two devices. Growth, at $36 a year, adds AI writing and summaries, send later and a calendar; Pro+, at $100 a year, adds encryption and phishing protection. Lifetime licences are available, but there's no monthly plan. Superhuman Starter costs $30 a month, or $25 a month billed yearly ($300), and Business costs $40 a month, or $33 billed yearly ($396). A year of Superhuman Starter costs about what eight years of Canary Growth would.
Which accounts you can add
Superhuman connects to Google and Microsoft 365 accounts through their own APIs. Canary also handles iCloud, Yahoo, Exchange and any IMAP address. If you have a personal iCloud or Yahoo account next to your work Gmail, only Canary can show them together.
AI and privacy
Both apps write, reply and summarize. Superhuman's AI goes further on automation, especially on the Business plan with Auto Drafts and Ask AI. Canary's difference is where the work happens: triage and prioritization run on your device, drafting and summaries use cloud models, and your email is never used to train generalized AI models.
Speed and workflow
Superhuman leads here. It was designed for going through hundreds of emails with the keyboard, using a split inbox and follow-up reminders. Canary has snooze, send later and templates, but it isn't built around keyboard speed in the same way.
Security
Canary's Pro+ plan includes PGP encryption and SecureSend, and Canary blocks tracking pixels automatically. Superhuman doesn't list end-to-end encryption among its features; it focuses on compliance and admin controls: SOC 2 Type 2 on every plan, and single sign-on and audit logs on Enterprise.
Teams
Superhuman includes shared conversations, comments and shared drafts on every plan, and CRM integrations on Business. Canary keeps its main app for individuals and offers team inboxes through Shared Inbox by Canary, from $15.99 a month for up to 5 users.
Which should you choose?
- Choose Superhuman if all your mail is in Gmail or Microsoft 365, speed matters more than price, and you want team and CRM features in the same app.
- Choose Canary Mail if you have iCloud, Yahoo, Exchange or IMAP accounts, care about encryption and where your data goes, or want a free plan or a yearly price instead of a monthly one.
If neither fits, see our list of Superhuman alternatives or the broader guide to the best AI email assistants.
Frequently asked questions
Is Superhuman worth $30 a month?
It can be, if you spend hours a day in Gmail or Microsoft 365 and keyboard speed is what you're paying for. If you mainly want AI and one inbox for several accounts, Canary costs $36 a year and has a free plan.
Does Superhuman work with iCloud or Yahoo?
No. Superhuman only supports Google and Microsoft 365 accounts. Canary supports iCloud, Yahoo, Exchange and any IMAP account as well.
Is there a free version of Superhuman?
No. Superhuman has no free plan. Canary has a free plan with unlimited accounts on up to two devices, and a 7-day trial of its paid features with no card needed.
Which is more private, Canary or Superhuman?
Canary runs triage on your device, never uses your email to train generalized AI models, blocks tracking pixels and offers PGP encryption on Pro+. Superhuman doesn't list end-to-end encryption and focuses on compliance and admin controls.
Does Canary's AI only work on recent emails?
No. Canary's AI search runs against your mailbox on the server, so it can find older mail, not just what's already on your device.
Can I use Canary for my team?
Canary's main app is for individuals. For team inboxes, assignments and shared replies, the same company makes Shared Inbox by Canary.
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