Why people look beyond Shortwave
Shortwave is a popular AI email application that's been making waves (sorry) over the last couple of years. The whole pitch is helping you manage your calendar, triage your inbox, and extract summaries from long email threads without drowning in messages.
But here's the thing: it isn't the only AI email tool on the market. Actually, there are loads of them now, and honestly? Some of them are doing things that Shortwave isn't. Maybe you're hitting pricing walls, maybe you need better team features, or maybe you just want to try something different before committing.
Whatever your reason for looking beyond Shortwave, we've pulled together the best AI email tools and assistants that can help you manage your inbox more effectively. Each one has its own strengths, and we'll help you figure out which one actually fits what you're trying to do.
Why Consider Shortwave Alternatives?
Shortwave is solid, but it's not perfect for everyone. After testing it for a few months, we've noticed some common pain points that send people hunting for alternatives.
First, the pricing. Shortwave isn't cheap, and if you're just looking for basic AI inbox help, you might be paying for features you'll never touch. The free tier is pretty limited, and once you outgrow it, you're looking at a subscription that adds up quickly.
Second, team collaboration. While Shortwave has some shared inbox features, it's really built more for individual power users. If you're trying to manage support tickets or shared team inboxes, you'll find yourself wanting more robust collaboration tools. The AI is great for personal productivity, but it doesn't scale as well for teams as some alternatives do.
Third, the calendar integration situation. Shortwave does let you create calendar events from emails, which is nice. But the integration isn't as deep as some competitors. If you're someone who lives in your calendar and needs everything tightly connected, you might find gaps.
Finally, there's the whole email client lock-in question. Shortwave wants to be your primary email client. That's great if you love it, but some people prefer AI tools that work in the background with Gmail or Outlook without forcing them to switch their entire email setup. Change is hard, and sometimes you just want the AI help without the full migration.
The AI features themselves are impressive, don't get me wrong. The auto-labeling works well, and the summaries are genuinely helpful when you're dealing with long threads. But depending on what you need, other tools might do specific things better.
What Makes a Good Shortwave Alternative?
When we evaluated AI email tools to compare against Shortwave, we looked at a few key things that actually matter in daily use.
AI quality is the obvious one. Can it actually understand your emails and generate useful summaries? Some tools claim AI features but the results are laughably bad. We focused on tools where the AI legitimately saves you time instead of creating more work.
Integration depth matters more than you'd think. Does it work with your existing email setup (Gmail, Outlook, etc.), or do you have to migrate everything? Can you keep using your current client, or is it all-or-nothing? These questions become really important when you're actually trying to adopt a new tool.
Pricing transparency is huge. We hate hidden costs or features locked behind enterprise plans that don't list prices. The best alternatives have clear individual pricing, so you know exactly what you're getting into before you commit.
Team features separate the individual tools from the collaboration platforms. If you're managing shared inboxes or support tickets, you need proper assignment, internal notes, and collision detection. If you're flying solo, you can skip all that complexity.
Calendar and meeting support varies wildly. Some tools excel at scheduling and meeting prep, while others barely touch your calendar. If meetings are a big part of your workflow, this becomes critical.
The learning curve also matters. Some tools are stupid simple and work immediately. Others require setup, training, and workflow changes. Neither is wrong, but you should know what you're signing up for.
Superhuman
Best AI-Powered Premium Alternative
The first option on the list is Superhuman, and honestly, it's probably the closest thing to a premium Shortwave competitor. This is the email client that charges $30/month and somehow makes people excited to pay it.
Superhuman is well-known for its AI-powered features that feel stupidly polished. The application helps you manage your inbox using auto labels that actually make sense. The new auto-draft feature uses AI to craft email replies in your voice, which is genuinely impressive when it works. Type a few bullet points about what you want to say, and it generates a full response that doesn't sound like a robot wrote it.
The speed is what people rave about most. Keyboard shortcuts for everything, blazing fast search, and an interface designed around the idea that every second counts. If you're someone who gets hundreds of emails a day and needs to burn through them quickly, Superhuman makes that possible.
But here's where it falls short compared to Shortwave: calendar interaction. Shortwave lets you create calendar events directly from emails with AI help. Superhuman can do this too, but the AI side isn't as smooth. You can manually create events from emails, but it doesn't have the same intelligent parsing that Shortwave offers.
The other thing is the price. At $30/month per user, Superhuman is definitely positioning itself as a premium tool for people who bill high hourly rates. If saving an hour a month justifies the cost for you, great. If not, there are cheaper alternatives on this list.
Best for: professionals who get massive email volume, value speed above everything else, and don't mind paying premium prices for a polished experience.
FYXER AI
Best Up & Coming Alternative
FYXER AI is the new kid on the block that you've probably been seeing in Facebook ads or on YouTube. It's a fast-growing London-based company that's moving quickly and adding features at a pace that makes other email tools look slow.
The core functionality is similar to Shortwave in a lot of ways. It connects with Gmail and Outlook to auto-label your inbox, create AI-powered replies based on your writing style, and generally help you get to inbox zero faster. The AI learns how you write, which means the suggestions get better over time instead of always sounding generic.
What sets FYXER apart is the AI note taker that can join your meetings. This is huge if you're constantly jumping between emails and video calls. The AI can attend meetings for you, take notes, and then automatically draft follow-up emails based on what was discussed. Not many email tools do this, and it's genuinely useful when you're trying to manage both async and sync communication.
The platform is adding features rapidly, which is exciting but also a bit chaotic. Sometimes you log in and there's a whole new section you didn't know existed. If you like being on the cutting edge and don't mind occasional rough edges, FYXER is interesting. If you want something totally stable and predictable, maybe wait a bit.
One thing we noticed: the AI can be a bit aggressive with suggestions. Sometimes it tries to help when you don't need it, and you have to tell it to back off. But when you actually need the AI, it's there and it works well.
Best for: early adopters who want meeting AI bundled with email AI, don't mind occasional bugs, and like watching a product evolve quickly.
SaneBox
Best for Existing Email Clients
SaneBox takes a completely different approach, and for a lot of people, it's actually more appealing than Shortwave. Instead of being a whole new email client, SaneBox works quietly in the background with your existing setup.
The beauty of this is you don't have to change anything about how you work. Keep using Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, whatever. SaneBox connects to your account and uses AI to automatically sort emails into folders based on importance. The stuff that actually matters stays in your inbox. Everything else gets filed away for later.
This is used by people like Tony Robbins, which honestly says something about its effectiveness for high-volume email users. The AI learns what's important to you over time. At first, it makes some mistakes, but after a week or two, it gets scary accurate.
SaneBox also has some clever features beyond basic sorting. It can save your Gmail file storage by identifying large attachments and archiving them properly. It reorganizes newsletters so they don't clutter your main inbox. It even has a "SaneBlackHole" folder where you can drag emails, and SaneBox will automatically unsubscribe you or block future messages from that sender.
The downside compared to Shortwave is that you don't get the same AI drafting features or calendar creation. SaneBox is focused purely on organization and filtering. It won't write emails for you or summarize long threads. It just makes sure you're looking at the right emails at the right time.
If you're someone who loves your current email client and just wants AI help with inbox management without learning a whole new interface, SaneBox is the move.
Best for: people who want AI email organization but don't want to switch email clients, and anyone drowning in newsletters and promotional emails.
Spike
Best for Teams
Spike is one that's been around for a while but recently went all-in on AI features. The whole concept is turning email into more of a chat-like experience, which sounds weird but actually works pretty well once you get used to it.
The AI additions include email summaries, smart replies, and generative AI for drafting messages. But where Spike really differentiates itself is the team collaboration angle. It's almost like someone took Slack and smashed it together with an email client, then added AI on top.
You get video conferencing built in, collaborative documents, and proper team chat alongside your email. For teams that are tired of bouncing between five different apps, Spike consolidates a lot. The AI works across all of it too, so you can get summaries of chat conversations, not just emails.
The chat-like email interface takes some getting used to. Emails don't look like traditional emails anymore, they look like messaging threads. Some people love this because it feels more natural. Others hate it because it doesn't look "professional" enough for business communication. Your mileage will vary.
As a Shortwave alternative, Spike makes sense mainly if you're looking for team features. The solo experience is fine, but you're paying for collaboration tools you might not use. If it's just you managing your own inbox, there are simpler options.
One nice thing: Spike has proper mobile apps that don't feel like afterthoughts. If you're constantly triaging email on your phone, the mobile experience is genuinely good.
Best for: teams that want to consolidate email, chat, and video conferencing in one place, with AI features across all of them.
Missive
Best for AI Customization for Teams
If you're open to customizing your AI setup instead of using pre-built features, then Missive is worth a serious look. Think of it as a powerful team inbox platform that recently added AI capabilities you can configure however you want.
Missive started as a shared inbox tool for teams handling support tickets and customer emails. The core features around assignment, collision detection, and internal notes are rock solid. But the new AI upgrades let you automate a ton of the repetitive work.
What's different about Missive is that you bring your own AI. You can connect OpenAI, Claude, or other AI services and build custom workflows. Want the AI to automatically categorize support tickets? Done. Want it to draft responses based on your knowledge base? You can set that up. Want it to run background tasks like updating your CRM when certain emails come in? Totally possible.
This flexibility is amazing if you're technical or have specific workflows you want to automate. It's also overwhelming if you just want AI email help that works out of the box. Missive requires more setup than Shortwave, but the ceiling is much higher in terms of what you can accomplish.
The team features are legitimately best-in-class. Shared inboxes, assignments, @mentions, templates, canned responses, and integrations with basically every tool your team already uses. If you're managing support or shared team email, Missive handles it better than anything else on this list.
For individuals, it's probably overkill. But for teams willing to invest time in setup, Missive becomes incredibly powerful.
Best for: teams managing shared inboxes and support tickets who want customizable AI that integrates deeply with their existing workflows.
Spark Mail
Best Mid-Range Option
Spark Mail deserves a mention as a solid middle-ground option. It's not as expensive as Superhuman, not as team-focused as Spike or Missive, and not as minimal as SaneBox. It's just a really well-designed email client with AI features that work.
The AI helps you prioritize emails, showing you what's actually important at the top of your inbox. Smart notifications mean you only get pinged for emails that matter, not every newsletter and promotional message. The AI-powered search is genuinely faster than native Gmail search.
Spark also has a feature called "Gatekeeper" that holds back non-essential emails and delivers them in batches. This is great if you're someone who gets distracted every time an email comes in. Instead of 50 interruptions, you get 2-3 controlled batches you can process when you have time.
The team features exist but they're more basic than Missive or Spike. You can share drafts and discuss emails privately before sending them, which is useful for sensitive communications. But it's not a full shared inbox solution.
Pricing is reasonable. The free tier is generous, and the premium features are around $5-8/month, which is way cheaper than Superhuman but still gets you AI help with your inbox.
One limitation: the AI isn't as sophisticated as Shortwave or Superhuman. It won't write full email drafts for you. It's more focused on organization and prioritization, with some light drafting help.
Best for: individuals who want a polished email client with AI prioritization features at a reasonable price, without going full premium or full team collaboration.
Spark Mail app is a reliable, all-round way to handle and send emails now using AI.
How to Switch from Shortwave
Switching email tools is always a bit painful, but here's how to make it less annoying if you decide to move away from Shortwave.
First, figure out what you're actually using in Shortwave. Are you relying heavily on the labels and organization? The calendar features? The AI summaries? Understanding what you'll miss helps you choose the right alternative and set it up properly.
Most alternatives connect directly to your Gmail or Outlook account, so your actual emails aren't going anywhere. You're just changing the interface and AI layer on top. This means you can try alternatives without committing, which is nice. Sign up for a free trial, use both tools for a week, and see which one you prefer.
Export your settings if possible. Shortwave might have custom labels, filters, or rules you've built. Some of these might be transferable to your new tool, but you'll probably need to recreate them manually. It's annoying but usually only takes an hour or so.
Watch out for keyboard shortcuts. If you've memorized Shortwave's shortcuts, you'll have to relearn them in the new tool. Superhuman users rave about shortcuts, but they're different from Shortwave. Budget a few days to retrain your muscle memory.
The AI training period is real. When you switch to a new AI email tool, it won't immediately understand your priorities and writing style. Give it at least a week of normal use before judging whether the AI is useful or not. SaneBox specifically says it takes about a week to get accurate.
Finally, consider running both tools in parallel for a couple weeks. Keep Shortwave as your safety net while you get comfortable with the new tool. Once you're confident, you can fully switch. This gradual approach prevents you from missing important emails during the transition.
Shortwave Alternatives FAQ
What's the cheapest Shortwave alternative with AI features?
Sanebox starts at around $7/month and offers solid AI-powered inbox organization without requiring you to change email clients. Spark Mail's free tier also includes basic AI prioritization, making it a good budget option if you don't need advanced features.
Can I use these alternatives without switching from Gmail?
Yeah, SaneBox is specifically designed for this. It works in the background with Gmail, Outlook, or basically any email provider without forcing you to use a new interface. You keep using Gmail exactly as you always have, but the AI organizes things behind the scenes.
Which Shortwave alternative is best for teams?
Missive if you want deep customization and shared inbox features. Spike if you want email, chat, and video all in one place. Both handle team collaboration way better than Shortwave does. For solo users, honestly, stick with individual-focused tools.
Do any of these alternatives offer better calendar integration than Shortwave?
Not really. Shortwave's calendar integration is actually pretty good compared to most email AI tools. If calendar is your main concern, you might want to look at scheduling-specific tools like Reclaim or Motion instead of email-first tools.
How do I know if an AI email tool is worth the subscription cost?
Track how much time it saves you. If you spend 2 hours a day on email and a tool saves you 30 minutes, that's 10+ hours a month. At $30/month, you're paying $3/hour for time back. For most professionals, that math works. If you only spend 30 minutes daily on email anyway, you probably don't need premium AI help.
Can I try these tools before committing?
Most offer free trials. Superhuman gives you a trial period, FYXER has a free tier with limitations, SaneBox offers a trial, and Spark has a generous free plan. Try 2-3 before paying for anything.
Which Shortwave Alternative Should You Choose?
So out of all the tools we've covered, which one should you actually go for?
If you want something that works in the background without changing your email client, SaneBox is the obvious choice. It's not flashy, but it works really well for inbox organization, and you don't have to learn a new interface.
If you're looking for a premium experience and don't mind paying for it, Superhuman is probably the closest thing to Shortwave in terms of polish and power-user features. The keyboard shortcuts and speed are genuinely impressive if that's your thing.
New and upcoming tools like FYXER AI are worth checking out if you're willing to deal with some rough edges in exchange for innovative features like meeting AI. They're moving fast and adding capabilities that established tools don't have yet.
For teams, it's really between Missive and Spike depending on whether you want deep customization or an all-in-one communication hub. Both are solid, just different philosophies.
And if you just want something reasonable that works without breaking the bank, Spark Mail hits a nice middle ground between features and price.
The honest answer is that the best alternative depends on what specifically you're trying to fix about Shortwave. Figure that out first, then pick the tool that solves that problem. Every tool on this list is good at something, none of them are perfect at everything.