The 8 Best Superhuman Alternatives in 2026 (Free and Cheaper Options)

Short answer: if you use Gmail and want something close to Superhuman for less, try Shortwave, which has a free plan; if you also have Outlook, iCloud, Yahoo or other accounts, Canary Mail (ours) or Spark handle them all and both have free plans. Teams should look at Missive, and if you'd rather not switch apps at all, Gmail and Outlook now have AI built in.

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 5, 2026.

Quick picks

• Closest to Superhuman for Gmail: Shortwave
• Best for mixed accounts and privacy: Canary Mail
• Best free all-rounder: Spark, which even has a Superhuman shortcut preset
• Best for teams: Missive
• Best native Mac app for Gmail: Mimestream
• Cheapest: Gmail with Gemini, whose basic AI features are free in the US

Why people look for a Superhuman alternative

Superhuman is very good at what it was built for: going through a lot of Gmail or Microsoft 365 mail quickly from the keyboard. It has a Split Inbox, reminders, AI writing and summaries, and team features such as shared conversations on every plan. The drawbacks are these:

• Price. Starter is $30 a month, or $25 a month billed yearly ($300). Business is $40 a month, or $396 a year. There's no free plan.
• Accounts. It only works with Google and Microsoft 365 accounts, so iCloud, Yahoo and other IMAP addresses can't be added.
• Encryption. It doesn't list end-to-end encryption among its features.
• Some AI is on the higher plan. Auto Drafts and Ask AI are on Business, not Starter.

If you're here because Notion Mail shut down on September 22, 2026, see our Notion Mail alternatives. Several apps on this list, including Shortwave and Spark, are there too.

Superhuman alternatives compared

The 8 best Superhuman alternatives in 2026

1. Canary Mail: Best for mixed accounts and privacy

Disclosure: we make Canary Mail. Canary puts every kind of account in one inbox, including iCloud, Yahoo, Exchange and IMAP addresses that Superhuman can't add. Its AI drafts replies, summarizes threads and searches your mail in plain English; triage runs on your device, and your email is never used to train generalized AI models. Pro+ adds PGP encryption and SecureSend. Canary has more than 2 million users and has been featured by Apple. For a direct comparison, see Canary Mail vs Superhuman.

• Who it's for: people with several kinds of accounts who want AI and encryption at a low price
• Price: free plan with unlimited accounts on up to 2 devices; Growth $36 a year; Pro+ $100 a year; lifetime licences
• Platforms: Mac, iPhone, iPad, Windows, Android
• Rating: 4.5 on the US App Store (8,786 ratings) and 4.3 on Google Play (7,706 reviews), as of October 16, 2026
• Better than Superhuman: more account types, encryption, a free plan, a yearly price instead of a monthly one
• Worse than Superhuman: not built around keyboard speed, and no team features in the same app (team inboxes are a separate product, Shared Inbox by Canary)
• Downside: paid plans are yearly or lifetime only, with no monthly option.

2. Shortwave: Closest to Superhuman for Gmail

Shortwave is an AI-first Gmail client with keyboard shortcuts, Splits for dividing the inbox, and Bundles that group newsletters and promotions. Its AI Assistant writes in your style (Shortwave calls this Ghostwriter), searches your mail, summarizes threads and organizes the inbox.

• Who it's for: Gmail and Google Workspace users who want Superhuman-style speed with more AI
• Price: free plan; Pro $18 a month; Business $30, Premier $45 and Max $120 per seat a month; 14-day trial; billed monthly
• Platforms: Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android, web
• Rating: 4.7 on the US App Store (746 ratings) and 4.4 on Google Play (1,260 reviews), as of October 16, 2026
• Better than Superhuman: a free plan and a cheaper paid plan for individuals
• Worse than Superhuman: Gmail only; Microsoft 365 and Exchange aren't supported
• Downside: the free plan keeps 90 days of search history and adds a "Sent with Shortwave" signature.

3. Spark: Best free all-rounder

Spark's free plan covers unlimited accounts, a Smart Inbox, send later, snooze and a calendar, plus team basics such as shared threads. It even includes a keyboard shortcut preset copied from Superhuman, which makes switching easier.

• Who it's for: people who want one free app that handles Gmail, Outlook and other accounts
• Price: free; Plus $10 a month or $99 a year; Pro $20 a month or $199 a year
• Platforms: Mac, Windows, iPhone, iPad, Android
• Rating: 4.6 on the US App Store (82,668 ratings) and 4.1 on Google Play (89,371 reviews), as of October 16, 2026
• Better than Superhuman: a free plan, more account types, a Superhuman shortcut preset
• Worse than Superhuman: AI writing and summaries are only on paid plans
• Downside: Spark stores sign-in tokens on its servers to sync your accounts, and processes some mail there for notifications and send later.

4. Dove: Best AI-sorted inbox

Disclosure: Dove comes from the same company as Canary Mail. Dove sorts incoming mail by what needs your attention and lets you ask questions about your inbox. Its free plan includes 10 AI actions a day.

• Who it's for: people who want AI to triage a busy inbox
• Price: free plan; Pro $20 a month or $200 a year
• Platforms: Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android, web
• Rating: 4.7 on the US App Store (21 ratings) and 4.8 on Google Play (34 reviews), as of October 16, 2026
• Better than Superhuman: a free plan, IMAP accounts, a lower price
• Worse than Superhuman: the free plan caps AI at 10 actions a day
• Downside: the free AI allowance runs out quickly on a busy day, and the trial asks for a card.

5. Missive: Best for teams

Missive combines team inboxes, internal chat, collaborative drafting and assignments in one app. It connects Gmail, Outlook, Exchange, iCloud and IMAP accounts, and can bring in SMS and WhatsApp too.

• Who it's for: small teams that handle shared email together
• Price: Starter $14, Productive $24, Business $36 per user a month billed yearly ($18, $30, $45 monthly); 30-day trial; no free plan
• Platforms: web, Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android
• Rating: 4.5 on the US App Store (97 ratings) and 4.3 on Google Play (251 reviews), as of October 16, 2026
• Better than Superhuman: shared team inboxes and more account types
• Worse than Superhuman: rules, integrations and AI start on the Productive plan, and AI use costs extra credits
• Downside: it gets expensive as the team grows, and there's no free plan.

6. Mimestream: Best native Mac app for Gmail

Mimestream is a native Mac app built on the Gmail API, so labels, filters and categories work as they do 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, native app for Gmail
• Price: $49.99 a year or $4.99 a month; 14-day trial
• Platforms: Mac only
• Better than Superhuman: far cheaper, native to macOS, and keeps data on the device
• Worse than Superhuman: Gmail only and no iPhone app
• Downside: no iPhone, Windows or Android version.

7. Gmail or Outlook with built-in AI: Best if you'd rather not switch apps

The apps you already use now have AI. In the US, personal Gmail accounts get Help me write, thread summaries and suggested replies for free; Google AI Plus ($4.99 a month) and Pro ($19.99) add more. Microsoft 365 Personal ($9.99 a month) includes Copilot in Outlook, which summarizes threads and drafts replies, and it also works on Gmail, Yahoo and iCloud accounts you add to Outlook.

• Who it's for: people who mainly wanted Superhuman's AI and are happy with Gmail or Outlook otherwise
• 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 Superhuman: much cheaper, and nothing new to learn
• Worse than Superhuman: none of Superhuman's speed tools or split inbox
• Downside: free Gmail and Outlook show ads, and Copilot doesn't work in classic Outlook for Windows.

8. SaneBox: Best for a cleaner inbox in any app

SaneBox isn't an email app. It works on your mail server, moving unimportant mail into a SaneLater folder that shows up in any app, with extras like SaneBlackHole for senders you never want to see, follow-up reminders and snooze. It works with Gmail, Microsoft 365, iCloud, Yahoo and any IMAP account.

• Who it's for: people who like their current app but want less clutter
• Price: Snack $3.49 a month or $29 a year; Lunch $5.99 or $49; Dinner $16.99 or $139; 7-day trial
• Platforms: works with any email app on any device
• Rating: 4.6 on the US App Store (649 ratings), as of October 16, 2026
• Better than Superhuman: works with every provider and every app
• Worse than Superhuman: no new interface or shortcuts, and AI reply drafts and summaries are only on the $139 Dinner plan
• Downside: it's another subscription, and it needs access to your mailbox to sort it.

Is Superhuman worth it?

It can be, if all your mail is in Gmail or Microsoft 365, you spend hours a day in it, and keyboard speed matters more to you than price. If you have other kinds of accounts, want encryption, or don't want to pay $300 a year, one of the options above will suit you better. Our Canary Mail vs Superhuman comparison goes through the differences in detail, and our guide to the best AI email assistants covers more AI tools.

How we chose

We looked for apps that replace what people pay Superhuman for: speed, AI help, or a calmer inbox. We checked every price and plan on the vendors' own sites on October 5, 2026, and noted which accounts each one supports, since that's often the deciding factor. For a broader list, see the best email app for multiple accounts.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a free alternative to Superhuman?

Yes. Shortwave (Gmail only), Spark, Canary Mail and Dove all have free plans, and personal Gmail accounts in the US get basic Gemini AI for free.

What is the best Superhuman alternative for Outlook?

Spark or Canary Mail, which both handle Outlook and Microsoft 365 along with other accounts, or Outlook itself with Copilot through Microsoft 365 Personal. Shortwave doesn't support Microsoft 365.

What is the cheapest Superhuman alternative?

Gmail's built-in Gemini features are free in the US. Among apps, Spark, Canary and Shortwave have free plans; Canary's paid plan is $36 a year, and Mimestream is $49.99 a year for Mac users.

What is the best Superhuman alternative for teams?

Missive, which is built around shared team inboxes, chat and assignments. Spark's free plan also includes shared threads.

Can I keep Superhuman's keyboard shortcuts?

Spark has a preset that copies Superhuman's shortcuts. Shortwave and Mimestream are also built to be used from the keyboard.

Does Superhuman have a free plan?

No. Superhuman Starter costs $30 a month, or $25 a month billed yearly.

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Sources

• Superhuman Mail plans
• Shortwave pricing
• Shortwave: Outlook and Exchange support
• Spark pricing
• Spark keyboard shortcuts
• Missive billing and plans
• Mimestream pricing
• Google: Gemini in Gmail
• Microsoft: Copilot in Outlook for added accounts
• SaneBox pricing
• Canary Mail pricing
• Dove pricing
• App Store and Google Play ratings: each app's US store listing, checked October 16, 2026