Short answer: Superhuman is the closest alternative to Shortwave and, unlike Shortwave, works with Microsoft 365. If you have Outlook, iCloud or Yahoo accounts too, Canary Mail (ours) and Spark handle every provider and both have free plans. Teams that used Shortwave's shared threads should look at Missive, and Mac users who only want a great Gmail app should try Mimestream.
Disclosure: we make Canary Mail, and Dove comes from the same company. Both are in this list and marked as ours. Prices and features were checked on each vendor's own site on October 16, 2026.
Shortwave review: what it does well and where it falls short
Shortwave is an AI-first email client for Gmail and Google Workspace, started by the founder of Firebase and built by a team that includes many early Firebase employees. Its AI assistant writes in your style (Shortwave calls this Ghostwriter), searches your mail in plain English, summarizes threads and organizes the inbox. Splits divide the inbox into tabs, Bundles group newsletters and promotions, and there are keyboard shortcuts for nearly everything. Teams get shared threads, comments and assignees. It runs on Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android and the web.
It's a strong app, and for a Gmail power user it's one of the best AI inboxes you can get. The catches:
- Gmail only. Shortwave connects natively to Gmail and Google Workspace. Yahoo, iCloud, Fastmail and Zoho work only by forwarding into a Gmail account; Outlook.com can be forwarded but you can't send from it; Microsoft 365 and Exchange aren't supported at all.
- The free plan is limited. It keeps 90 days of search history, has a smaller AI allowance, and adds a "Sent with Shortwave" signature to your emails.
- Price. Pro is $18 a month, and team plans run $30, $45 and $120 per seat a month. New subscriptions are billed monthly.
Is Shortwave worth it? If all your mail is in Gmail and you want AI to do a lot of the work, yes, try the 14-day trial. If you have other accounts, a Microsoft 365 job, or don't want another monthly subscription, one of the alternatives below will fit better.
Shortwave alternatives compared
| App | Best for | Free plan | Paid price | Accounts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superhuman | Speed, Gmail and Microsoft 365 | No | $30/month or $300/year | Google and Microsoft 365 |
| Canary Mail (ours) | Every provider, AI and privacy | Yes | Growth $36/year | Gmail, Outlook, Exchange, iCloud, Yahoo, IMAP |
| Dove (ours) | An AI-sorted inbox | Yes, 10 AI actions a day | $20/month or $200/year | Gmail, Microsoft, IMAP |
| Spark | A free all-rounder | Yes | Plus $10/month or $99/year | Gmail, Outlook, Exchange, iCloud, Yahoo, IMAP |
| Gmail with Gemini or Outlook with Copilot | Not switching apps | Yes (Gmail, US) | Microsoft 365 Personal $9.99/month | Their own accounts, plus added accounts in Outlook |
| Missive | Teams | No, 30-day trial | From $14 per user/month (yearly) | Gmail, Outlook, Exchange, iCloud, IMAP |
| Mimestream | Gmail on a Mac | No, 14-day trial | $49.99/year | Gmail and Google Workspace |
The 7 best Shortwave alternatives in 2026
1. Superhuman: Closest to Shortwave, with Microsoft 365
Superhuman is what Shortwave is most often compared with: a fast, keyboard-driven inbox with a Split Inbox, AI writing and summaries, reminders and team features such as shared conversations. The big difference is that it works with Microsoft 365 as well as Google.
- Who it's for: people who live in Gmail or Microsoft 365 all day and want speed
- Price: Starter $30 a month, or $25 a month billed yearly ($300); Business $40, or $33 billed yearly; no free plan
- Platforms: Mac, Windows, web, iPhone, Android
- Better than Shortwave: Microsoft 365 support
- Worse than Shortwave: no free plan, a higher price, and Auto Drafts and Ask AI are on Business
- Downside: still no iCloud, Yahoo or other IMAP accounts.
More: Superhuman alternatives and Canary Mail vs Superhuman.
2. Canary Mail: Best for every provider, with AI and privacy
Disclosure: we make Canary Mail. Canary puts Gmail, Outlook, Microsoft 365, Exchange, iCloud, Yahoo and any IMAP account in one inbox, so you don't have to forward anything into Gmail. AI sorts the inbox on the free plan; Growth adds AI writing and summaries, read receipts, send later and a calendar. Triage runs on your device and your email isn't used to train AI. Pro+ adds PGP encryption, SecureSend and phishing and impersonation detection. More than 2 million people use it.
- Who it's for: people with more than Gmail who want AI help at a low price
- Price: free for unlimited accounts on 2 devices; Growth $36 a year; Pro+ $100 a year; lifetime licenses $100 and $300
- Platforms: Mac, iPhone, iPad, Windows, Android
- Better than Shortwave: every account type, encryption, and a yearly price far below Shortwave Pro
- Worse than Shortwave: fewer team features in the app (teams use the separate Shared Inbox by Canary) and no web version
- Downside: paid plans are yearly or lifetime only, with no monthly option.
3. Dove: Best for an AI-sorted inbox
Disclosure: Dove comes from the same company as Canary Mail. Dove sorts incoming mail by what needs your attention, drafts replies, picks out tasks and meetings, and answers questions about your inbox. It works with Gmail, Microsoft and IMAP accounts.
- Who it's for: people who liked Shortwave's AI but have Outlook or other accounts
- Price: free plan with 10 AI actions a day; Pro $20 a month or $200 a year with unlimited AI; 7-day trial
- Platforms: Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android, web
- Better than Shortwave: Microsoft and IMAP accounts, and unlimited AI on one plan
- Worse than Shortwave: no team features
- Downside: the free AI allowance runs out fast on a busy day.
4. Spark: Best free all-rounder
Spark's free plan includes unlimited accounts, a Smart Inbox, smart notifications, a calendar and team basics such as shared threads and comments. Paid plans add AI writing and summaries.
- Who it's for: people who want one free app for Gmail, Outlook and everything else
- Price: free; Plus $10 a month or $99 a year; Pro $20 a month or $199 a year
- Platforms: Mac, Windows, iPhone, iPad, Android
- Better than Shortwave: every provider, and a generous free plan
- Worse than Shortwave: AI is paid and less central to the app
- Downside: the desktop app is built with Electron, and some mail is processed on Readdle's servers.
More: Canary Mail vs Spark.
5. Gmail or Outlook with built-in AI: Best if you would rather not switch apps
A lot of what Shortwave added to Gmail is now in Gmail itself. Personal accounts in the US get Help me write, thread summaries and suggested replies for free, and Google AI plans (from $4.99 a month) add more. On the Microsoft side, Microsoft 365 Personal ($9.99 a month) includes Copilot in Outlook, which summarizes and drafts, and also works on Gmail, Yahoo and iCloud accounts you add to Outlook.
- Who it's for: people who mostly wanted AI summaries and drafts
- Price: Gmail basics free in the US; Google AI plans from $4.99 a month; Microsoft 365 Personal $9.99 a month
- Platforms: web, phones and desktop
- Better than Shortwave: cheaper, and nothing new to learn
- Worse than Shortwave: no Splits, Bundles or keyboard-first design
- Downside: the free versions show ads, and Copilot doesn't work in classic Outlook for Windows.
6. Missive: Best for teams
If your team used Shortwave's shared threads and comments, Missive goes further: shared inboxes, internal chat on every conversation, drafts you write together and assignments, across Gmail, Outlook, Exchange, iCloud and IMAP accounts.
- Who it's for: small teams that handle email together
- Price: Starter $14, Productive $24, Business $36 per user a month billed yearly; 30-day trial; no free plan
- Platforms: web, Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android
- Better than Shortwave: real shared inboxes and every provider
- Worse than Shortwave: AI needs Productive and is paid with extra credits
- Downside: no free plan, and costs add up as the team grows.
More: Missive alternatives.
7. Mimestream: Best Gmail app for Mac
Mimestream is a native Mac app built on the Gmail API, so labels, filters and categories behave exactly as in Gmail. It has a unified inbox for several Google accounts, keyboard shortcuts, templates and tracker blocking, and keeps your data on your Mac.
- Who it's for: Mac users who want a fast Gmail app and don't need AI
- Price: $49.99 a year or $4.99 a month; 14-day trial
- Platforms: Mac only
- Better than Shortwave: native, private and much cheaper
- Worse than Shortwave: no AI assistant and no phone app
- Downside: Gmail only, and Mac only.
Notion Mail, another Gmail client with AI sorting, shut down on September 22, 2026. If you came from there, see our Notion Mail alternatives. For more AI tools, see the best AI email assistants.
How to move off Shortwave
Shortwave works on top of your Gmail account, so your mail, labels and filters stay in Gmail. Add the account to your new app and it all appears. If you forwarded other accounts into Gmail to use them in Shortwave, you can now add those accounts directly to an app that supports them, and turn the forwarding off.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Shortwave?
Superhuman is the closest, and it also supports Microsoft 365. Canary Mail and Spark are better if you have Outlook, iCloud or Yahoo accounts, and both have free plans.
Does Shortwave only work with Gmail?
Yes. It connects natively to Gmail and Google Workspace only. Some other providers can be used by forwarding them into a Gmail account.
Does Shortwave work with Outlook?
Not really. Outlook.com mail can be forwarded into Gmail, but you can't send from the Outlook address, and Microsoft 365 and Exchange accounts aren't supported.
Is Shortwave free?
There's a free plan with 90 days of search history, a limited AI allowance and a Sent with Shortwave signature. Pro costs $18 a month.
Is Shortwave good?
For Gmail users who want AI to search, summarize and draft, it's one of the best options. It's a poor fit if you rely on Microsoft 365 or other providers.
What is a cheaper alternative to Shortwave?
Gmail's built-in Gemini features are free in the US. Canary Mail's Growth plan is $36 a year, and Spark, Canary and Dove all have free plans.