Shortwave: what it does, what it costs, where it struggles
An AI email app for Gmail with an assistant that writes, searches, sorts and schedules for you from a plain-English request.
- Made by
- Shortwave
- Kind
- email assistant
- Free to try
- 14-day free trial (its billing guide also describes a free plan; the pricing page does not list one)
- Where
- web app, iOS, Android, Mac and Windows apps, on your Gmail account
What it does
Shortwave is an email app built around Gmail. Its AI assistant can write and improve emails in your voice, suggest replies, search your mail by meaning, and put a short summary at the top of each email.
AI filters let you sort mail with plain-English rules (label, star or archive). It turns emails into to-dos and can check your calendar, create events and draft scheduling emails.
Paid plans differ mainly in how smart the AI is and how much you can use it, from Claude Sonnet on Business up to Claude Opus on Max.
For automation beyond email filters it points to a sister product, Tasklet, which is sold separately.
Main features
- AI assistant that writes in your voice
- AI search across your email history
- AI filters in plain English
- Summaries at the top of emails
- Emails to to-dos
- Scheduling help with your calendar
- Apps for iOS, Android, Mac and Windows
What it costs
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Business | $30 per seat per month | Standard intelligence (Claude Sonnet 4.6), roughly 150-300 Standard AI requests a day, 5 years of AI search history, 3 AI filters. |
| Premier | $45 per seat per month | Advanced intelligence, 2x Business AI usage, unlimited AI search history, 10 AI filters. |
| Max | $120 per seat per month | Expert intelligence (Claude Opus 4.6), 6x Business AI usage, 50 AI filters. |
Who it's for
- Gmail users who get a lot of email
- People who want to search and sort email by asking in plain English
- Small teams sharing threads and labels
Where it struggles
- Built around Gmail; its pages we checked don't confirm Outlook support (it is only an FAQ question on the pricing page).
- AI use has a daily quota: about 150-300 Standard requests a day on Business, and it varies with how complex the request is.
- Its own pages disagree about free use: the pricing page shows only a 14-day trial, while the billing guide describes a free plan.
- Automation beyond email filters needs Tasklet, a separate product sold separately.
- It works on your email; it does not go out and do tasks on other websites.
At a glance
| Shortwave | |
|---|---|
| What it is | An AI email app for Gmail with an assistant that writes, searches, sorts and schedules for you from a plain-English request. |
| Price | Business: $30 per seat per month; Premier: $45 per seat per month; Max: $120 per seat per month |
| Free to try | 14-day free trial (its billing guide also describes a free plan; the pricing page does not list one) |
| Does the task itself | partly writes, sorts, labels and schedules inside your email and calendar |
| Its own email address | no it works in your own Gmail inbox |
| You can text it | no |
| Its own computer and browser | no |
| Remembers you | Searches your email history (5 years on Business, unlimited on higher plans) and learns your writing voice |
| Where it lives | web app, iOS, Android, Mac and Windows apps, on your Gmail account |
How it compares
If you want an assistant that does the work itself rather than helping you do it, see how Shortwave stacks up: Superhuman vs Shortwave.
Listed in: The best AI email assistants in 2026.
Questions people ask
- Is Shortwave free?
- Paid plans start at $30 per seat per month with a 14-day free trial. Its billing guide also mentions a free plan with most productivity features.
- Can I get a refund?
- Its billing guide says it refunds the full amount if you ask within 14 days of a payment.
- Which AI does Shortwave use?
- Claude models from Anthropic: Sonnet 4.6 on Business and Premier, Opus 4.6 on Max.
Checked 2026-11-08 on Shortwave's own pages: Shortwave home page, Shortwave pricing, Shortwave billing guide. Prices change; check the maker's pricing page before you buy.
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