Last updated: 2026-09-04
Shortwave is an AI email client built for Gmail and Google Workspace, cutting inbox triage time by roughly 45% through automatic bundling and semantic search. Its standout feature, Ghostwriter, drafts replies that sound like the sender rather than generic AI text. A separate AI Assistant chains calendar lookups and email searches together to answer multi-step questions.
About Shortwave
Shortwave is an AI-powered email client founded in 2020 by a team of ex-Google engineers, combining automation with natural language understanding for inbox management. It runs on AI models from both OpenAI and Anthropic to power inbox organization, composition, and workflow automation from a single interface. The platform integrates directly with Gmail and Google Workspace, layering in Ghostwriter for voice-matched writing, automatic email bundling, and semantic search with multi-step reasoning. For automation beyond the inbox, Shortwave's sister product Tasklet connects to 3,000+ apps including Slack, Notion, Asana, and HubSpot, so a workflow started in email can finish in another tool entirely.
Pricing
No permanent free plan -- new users get a 14-day free trial with full feature access. Business is $30/month ($24/month billed annually) and runs Standard AI (Claude Sonnet 4.6) with 5 years of AI search history, 50 threads per AI search, and 3 AI filters. Premier is $45/month ($36/month annual) and runs Advanced AI (Claude Sonnet 4.6 with adaptive thinking) with unlimited AI search history, 100 threads per search, 10 AI filters, and 2x the AI usage of Business. Max is $120/month ($100/month annual) and runs Expert AI (Claude Opus 4.6 with adaptive thinking) with 3x context tokens, 150 threads per search, and 50 AI filters. All tiers cover unlimited standard email search on Gmail and Google Workspace accounts.
Key Features
- Ghostwriter AI Writing Assistant: Industry-unique AI writing that learns your personal communication style from your sent emails, generating responses that sound authentically like you, not generic AI text
- AI-Powered Search & Summarization: RAG-powered semantic search that understands intent and context, with instant AI summaries at the top of every thread using multi-step reasoning for complex queries
- Intelligent Email Bundling: Automatically groups related emails into smart bundles (newsletters, promotions, updates, etc.) and learns your patterns over time without manual setup
- Team Collaboration & Shared Threads: Real-time shared email threads with live updates, private comments between team members, task assignment, and shared AI-searchable archives
- Tasklet AI Automation Agent: Launched January 2026: an AI agent layer that acts on emails automatically, drafting a reply the moment one arrives, adding a team comment, or organizing a thread into a to-do, with triggers connecting out to 3,000+ other apps
- Tiered Claude AI Engine: Basic runs Claude Haiku 4.5, Business/Standard runs Claude Sonnet 4.6, Premier/Advanced adds adaptive thinking to Sonnet 4.6, and Max/Expert runs Claude Opus 4.6 with adaptive thinking for multi-step planning across calendar lookups and email search
- Smart Email Filters & Scheduling: Write filters in plain English to automate labeling, archiving, and organization; schedule emails for delivery at optimal times and snooze with AI-suggested timing
Pros
- Superior AI assistant that feels like a true partner with multi-step reasoning and context awareness
- Recipients often can't tell Ghostwriter wrote the reply, a rare bar for AI email tools to clear
- Intelligent inbox organization with AI bundles and splits reduce email triage time by 45%
- Business plan costs less than most full-featured AI email competitors at this capability level
- Fast, intuitive interface with excellent keyboard support that feels more like modern chat than traditional email
- Strong team collaboration features with shared threads, real-time updates, and task tracking
Cons
- Gmail and Google Workspace only: no Outlook, Yahoo, iCloud, or other email providers supported
- No permanent free plan: new users get a trial before every account requires a paid subscription
- Unlimited AI search history and the higher AI-filter counts are locked behind the Premier and Max tiers; the entry Business plan caps out at 5 years of history and 3 filters
- Requires adopting the 'Shortwave Method': works best with intentional workflow changes rather than plug-and-play
- AI features require reading entire email content (privacy concern for some regulated industries)
- Limited native CRM integrations compared to competitors like Superhuman
Data Handling
- Compliance
- CASA Tier 2 · SOC 2 Type II (via commercial contact) · GDPR aligned
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Shortwave's pricing plans in 2026?
Shortwave dropped its permanent free plan in 2026: new users get a free trial, then choose one of three paid tiers. The entry Business tier runs $30 a month, or $24 with annual billing, and includes 5 years of AI search history plus 3 AI filters. Premier steps up to $45 a month ($36 annual) for unlimited AI search history and 10 filters. Max tops out at $120 a month ($100 annual) with triple context tokens and 50 filters.
Can you use Shortwave without paying?
Only during the 14-day free trial, which unlocks the full feature set. Shortwave no longer offers a permanent free plan; continuing past the trial requires a paid Business, Premier, or Max subscription.
Which tools compete with Shortwave in 2026?
SaneBox handles inbox triage and folder sorting without making you switch email clients. Superhuman Suite is the choice when CRM integrations and a broader productivity bundle matter more than Shortwave's Gmail-first AI writing.
Is Shortwave better than Superhuman Suite?
Shortwave costs less at every paid tier and puts more weight on Ghostwriter's voice-matched AI replies, while Superhuman Suite adds CRM and sales tooling on its higher-priced Business plan. Superhuman Suite still offers a free tier bundling Grammarly and Coda features; Shortwave replaced its own free plan with a 14-day trial in 2026. The choice comes down to whether price and writing quality outrank a free entry point and CRM bundling.
What does it take to start using Shortwave?
Sign up at shortwave.com using a Gmail or Google Workspace address, since Shortwave only supports those two providers. Once connected, turn on Ghostwriter so it can begin learning your writing voice from the emails you send. Teams can convert any existing thread into a shared thread to start collaborating without leaving the inbox.
Top Alternatives
- SaneBox: SaneBox covers inbox triage and folder sorting from day one at a price, while Shortwave adds a genuine free tier and Ghostwriter's AI replies in your own voice.
- Superhuman Suite: Superhuman Suite bundles CRM integrations into email AI on its Business tier; Shortwave is the lower-cost Gmail-native assistant with personalized replies.