Shortwave
Free TrialGmail rebuilt around an AI executive assistant
What is Shortwave?
Shortwave rebuilt Gmail around an AI executive assistant: it searches your entire email history conversationally, drafts in your voice, triages and schedules, and now runs multi-step agentic workflows with integrations like calendar and task tools. Loved by founders and teams who live in email. It dropped its permanent free plan — after a 14-day trial you pick a paid seat — and it only works on top of Gmail and Google Workspace.
Key Features
- ✦Conversational search over all mail
- ✦AI drafting in your voice
- ✦Agentic multi-step workflows
- ✦Smart triage and scheduling
Pros
- ✓Best-in-class AI email search
- ✓Real agentic actions
- ✓Fast, keyboard-driven UX
Cons
- ✗Gmail/Workspace only
- ✗No permanent free plan anymore
Use Cases
- Inbox zero workflows
- Email research
- Founder communications
- Team inboxes
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Shortwave free in 2026?
No free plan. Shortwave is free trial, starting at $14/mo.
What is Shortwave used for?
Gmail rebuilt around an AI executive assistant. Main use cases: Inbox zero workflows, Email research, Founder communications, Team inboxes.
What are the best Shortwave alternatives?
The most popular alternatives to Shortwave are Superhuman, SaneBox, Lindy.
Does Shortwave have an API?
No, Shortwave does not currently offer a public API.
Best Shortwave Alternatives
See full list →Superhuman
The fastest email experience, supercharged with AI
SaneBox
AI email triage that works with any inbox
Lindy
Hire AI employees that handle email, meetings and workflows
ChatGPT
The most popular AI assistant for conversation, writing and analysis
Google Gemini
Google’s multimodal AI deeply integrated with Search and Workspace
Grammarly
AI writing assistant that polishes everything you type