Superhuman vs Shortwave: Best AI Inbox Compared

Introduction

The AI email client space has matured significantly in 2026, and two names dominate the conversation: Superhuman and Shortwave. Superhuman, now part of the Grammarly family, doubles down on keyboard-driven speed and invisible AI that works automatically. Shortwave, built by former Google Inbox engineers, takes an AI-forward approach with a conversational assistant at its core. Both promise to save you hours each week, but they do it in very different ways. Here is how they compare across everything that matters for your email productivity.

Pricing Comparison

Superhuman offers two main plans. The Starter plan costs $25/month (billed annually) or $30/month on monthly billing. The Business plan runs $33/month annually ($40 monthly) and adds Auto Drafts, Ask AI, CRM integrations with Salesforce and HubSpot, and advanced team collaboration features. Enterprise pricing is available for larger organizations. All plans include 1:1 live onboarding, 100+ keyboard shortcuts, Split Inbox, and core AI features.

Shortwave has a more layered pricing structure. There is a free plan with limited AI features covering only the last three months of email history. The Pro plan costs $14/month (billed annually) for individuals with full AI capabilities. Business plans start at $24/month per seat, Premier at $36/month, and Max at $100/month for power users. Enterprise pricing is custom.

Shortwave is clearly more affordable, especially for individuals. However, Superhuman argues its proven time savings of 4+ hours per week deliver strong ROI at the higher price point.

Key Features Side by Side

Superhuman is built around raw speed. Everything is optimized for keyboard-first navigation, with over 100 shortcuts that let you fly through your inbox without touching the mouse. Split Inbox automatically categorizes emails into customizable streams. Read Statuses show when recipients open your emails. Social Insights pull contact information from email signatures and public profiles. Instant Intro handles warm introductions with a single shortcut.

Shortwave focuses on intelligent organization. It bundles similar emails together automatically, offers AI-powered search that understands natural language queries, and provides smart autocomplete suggestions. The scheduling tools check availability across calendars and create events. AI filters written in plain English let you create custom sorting rules without technical knowledge.

AI Capabilities

This is where the comparison gets most interesting. Superhuman takes an "invisible AI" approach. Auto Summarize generates concise conversation summaries that update as new messages arrive. Auto Reminders detect when emails need follow-up and prompt you proactively. Auto Drafts prepare responses in your voice without manual intervention. Ask AI (Business plan) lets you query your entire inbox to find information faster than keyword search. The AI learns your writing style and tone over time.

Shortwave puts its AI Assistant front and center in a dedicated sidebar. You interact with it through conversational prompts, asking questions about your inbox, requesting email drafts, or having it analyze attachments. It can search across your entire email history, auto-generate responses based on your writing style, and even arrange meetings by checking your schedule. The AI is powerful but requires more manual interaction compared to Superhuman's automated approach.

Email Provider Compatibility

This is a critical difference. Superhuman works with both Gmail and Outlook, covering the vast majority of business email users. Shortwave only supports Gmail and Google Workspace accounts. If your organization uses Microsoft 365 or Outlook, Shortwave is not an option.

Ease of Use

Superhuman has a steeper initial learning curve due to its keyboard-first philosophy, but the included live onboarding session helps significantly. Once you learn the shortcuts, the speed gains are dramatic. The interface is refined and information-dense, keeping you focused on email rather than the app itself.

Shortwave feels more immediately familiar to Gmail users. The AI features are discoverable through the sidebar, and the bundling system organizes your inbox without configuration. However, it is a completely separate interface from Gmail, which means adapting to a new workflow. Some users find the AI replies lack personalization and do not always match their natural tone.

Who Should Choose Superhuman

Superhuman is the right choice for high-volume email professionals who treat their inbox as a core productivity system. If you process hundreds of emails daily, value raw speed above all else, and want AI that works invisibly in the background, Superhuman delivers the most complete package. Sales professionals benefit from CRM integrations, and the Outlook support makes it viable for enterprise teams. The higher price is justified if email is central to your work.

Who Should Choose Shortwave

Shortwave is ideal for Gmail users who want powerful AI features at a more accessible price point. If you prefer interacting with AI through conversation rather than automated features, Shortwave's assistant model is more engaging. Teams looking for affordable per-seat pricing and individuals who want AI email capabilities without a premium commitment will find Shortwave compelling. The free tier makes it easy to try before committing.

Final Verdict

In 2026, Superhuman and Shortwave represent two philosophies of AI-powered email productivity. Superhuman is the faster, more polished option with broader email provider support and invisible AI that automates without asking. Shortwave is more affordable and AI-forward, with a conversational assistant that gives you direct control over AI interactions. For professionals who depend on email speed and work across Gmail and Outlook, Superhuman justifies its premium. For Gmail-only users who want solid AI features at a lower cost, Shortwave is the smarter buy.