Shortwave is a next-generation AI-powered email client designed to transform the chaotic modern inbox into a structured, productive workspace.
Introduction
Shortwave is a next-generation AI-powered email client designed to transform the chaotic modern inbox into a structured, productive workspace. Built by the former team behind Google Inbox, Shortwave brings back the beloved “bundling” logic while integrating a sophisticated AI Assistant directly into the communication flow.
Unlike traditional email apps that simply display messages, Shortwave acts as a proactive researcher and editor summarizing lengthy threads, drafting contextually aware replies, and providing “natural language search” across your entire email history.
Its mission is to eliminate the drudgery of manual email management, allowing users to reach “Inbox Zero” faster through automation and intelligent organization.
AI-First Inbox
Inbox Zero Focused
W3school
Google Inbox Successor
Semantic Search
Review
Shortwave is known for its flawless integration of AI into the core email workflow. Its primary strength is the AI Assistant, which doesn’t just “chat” but actually understands the context of your threads to draft perfect responses and find specific facts buried in years of history.
The “Bundle” logic is arguably the best in the industry, keeping newsletters and receipts out of sight until you need them. While it is currently exclusive to Gmail accounts and requires a subscription for the full AI power, it is the definitive productivity tool for anyone whose primary work happens within their inbox.
Features
AI Summaries
Instantly condenses long, complex email chains into a few readable bullet points.
Draft with AI
Writes high-quality email replies based on a short prompt or your previous writing style.
Natural Language Search
Allows you to ask questions about your emails (e.g., "What was my flight number for the Tokyo trip?") and get a direct answer.
Schedule & Snooze
Advanced controls to make emails reappear in your inbox exactly when you are ready to handle them.
Pin & Sweep
A workflow where you "Pin" what matters and "Sweep" everything else away in one click.
Intelligent Bundling
Automatically groups related emails (Newsletters, Promotions, Finance) into single rows to reduce visual clutter.
Best Suited for
Founders & CEOs
Ideal for managing high volumes of critical communication and finding past details instantly.
Project Managers
Perfect for summarizing long project threads and extracting action items for the team.
Researchers
Excellent for using the AI search to navigate years of technical or academic correspondence.
International Professionals
Useful for the AI's ability to translate and summarize emails in different languages instantly.
Productivity Enthusiasts
Great for those who previously loved Google Inbox and want a "keyboard-first" workflow.
Sales Teams
A strong tool for drafting personalized follow-ups and keeping track of client history.
Strengths
The AI acts as a personal historian, recalling facts and drafting emails that actually sound like you.
Bundling logic is superior to Gmail’s native tabs.
Extremely fast, keyboard-driven UI allows power users to clear 100 emails in minutes.
One of the best mobile email experiences
Weakness
Gmail Only; currently doesn’t support Outlook, iCloud, or custom IMAP servers.
Requires “Personal” subscription for the AI to access your full history beyond 90 days.
Getting started with: step by step guide
The Shortwave workflow is designed to minimize time spent “looking” at email and maximize time “doing” work.
Step 1: Setup
The user connects their Gmail account and allows Shortwave to index the last few months (or years) of data.
Step 2: Triage (Sweep)
The user opens the inbox and “Sweeps” away bundles of promotions or newsletters that don’t need immediate action.
Step 3: Summarize
For long threads, the user clicks the AI icon to read a 3-sentence summary before deciding how to respond.
Step 4: Draft & Reply
The user types a short instruction (e.g., “Say no, but suggest a meeting next Thursday”) and the AI generates the full response.
Step 5: Pin & Snooze
Important emails are “Pinned” to the top; emails requiring action later are “Snoozed” to a specific date/time.
Step 6: AI Query
When a specific detail is needed, the user asks the AI Assistant directly rather than manually scrolling through labels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does Shortwave replace my Gmail?
A: No. It is a “skin” or “client” on top of Gmail. All your emails, labels, and folders remain perfectly synced with the native Gmail app.
Q: Can I use it with my Outlook or iCloud account?
A: Currently, Shortwave is exclusive to Gmail and Google Workspace accounts.
Q: Is the AI safe? Does it read my emails?
A: Shortwave uses high-security LLMs. They state they do not use your email data to train public models, and they are SOC2 Type II compliant.
Q: What is a "Sweep"?
A: “Sweep” is a feature that marks all unpinned emails in a section as done, helping you clear out noise in a single click.
Q: Can the AI write emails in different languages?
A: Yes. The AI is highly multilingual and can summarize a German email in English, or draft a polite reply in Spanish.
Q: What happens if I go back to the regular Gmail app?
A: Everything will be exactly where you left it. Shortwave’s “Done” status maps to Gmail’s “Archived” status.
Q: Does it have a "Dark Mode"?
A: Yes, Shortwave has a beautifully designed Dark Mode available on all platforms.
Q: Can I use my own custom domain?
A: Yes, as long as your custom domain email is hosted via Google Workspace.
Q: Is the AI Assistant included in the Free plan?
A: You get a limited number of AI summaries on the Free plan, but the full conversational search and drafting require the Personal plan.
Q: Does it support multiple Gmail accounts?
A: Yes, you can add and switch between multiple Google accounts seamlessly within the app.
Pricing
Shortwave operates on a freemium model. While the basic email features are free, the advanced AI search, summarization, and history features are unlocked through a tiered subscription.
Basic
$24/month
Basic AI summaries, standard email features, community support.
Standard
$36/month
Full AI Assistant, Priority AI processing, custom thread actions.
Pro
$100/month
Team AI features, Admin controls, shared snippets, SOC2 security.
Alternatives
Superhuman
The "luxury" competitor; extremely fast and polished, but with less emphasis on the "Bundle" logic and AI search.
Microsoft Outlook
The enterprise standard; powerful but often feels cluttered and lacks deep generative AI integration in the core UI.
Gmail (Native)
Reliable and free, but lacks the advanced bundling and conversational AI assistant of Shortwave.
Share it on social media:
Shortwave
Sale Ends In: