Email volume keeps climbing. The average professional now handles over 100 messages daily, spending more than two hours just reading and responding. For executives processing 200 to 300 emails, that time adds up to more than one full workday every week dedicated solely to inbox management.

AI-native email tools help take back control. They streamline workflows, eliminate bottlenecks, and provide the nudges needed to fly through your inbox faster. The right tool can transform email from a time sink into a competitive advantage.

This guide covers the best AI email assistant tools available in 2025, with detailed breakdowns of features, pricing, and ideal use cases.

The best AI email assistants

1. Superhuman Mail - Best for speed and productivity
2. Shortwave - Best for AI-powered search
3. Grammarly - Best for writing quality
4. Microsoft Copilot Pro - Best for Outlook integration
5. SaneBox - Best for inbox organization
6. Mailbutler - Best for email tracking

What is an AI email assistant?

An AI email assistant is software that uses artificial intelligence to help manage, write, and organize email more efficiently. These tools go beyond basic spell-check and filtering to offer features like automated drafting, conversation summarization, intelligent prioritization, and predictive composition.

82% of professionals who use email now incorporate some AI features into their workflow, and industry-leading companies are 3x more likely to report significant productivity gains from AI adoption. The productivity gains are substantial: B2B professionals say AI saves them at least one full workday each week, totaling more than 50 reclaimed workdays each year. 

But not all AI email tools are created equal. Some excel at writing, others at organization, and a few deliver the complete package. Here's what you need to know about each.

1. Superhuman Mail

Superhuman Mail is the most productive email app ever made. Teams using Superhuman Mail save 4 hours per person every week, respond 12 hours faster, and handle twice as many emails in the same amount of time.

Where traditional clients feel sluggish, Superhuman Mail loads instantly. Every interaction is optimized for speed, with keyboard shortcuts that let power users process hundreds of emails without touching their mouse. 

• Auto Summarize displays a one-line summary above every conversation, often eliminating the need to read the full message. 
• Instant Reply generates draft responses overnight, so mornings start with suggested replies ready to send or quickly edit.
• Write with AI turns brief phrases into complete emails that match your voice and tone by analyzing previously sent messages. The system learns over time through natural email writing, becoming more accurate with continued use.
• Auto Labels automatically categorize incoming emails so important messages surface first. Combined with Split Inbox, workflows become effortless, and the inbox feels 10x lighter.
• Ask AI enables natural-language queries across the entire inbox, with direct citations to relevant emails.
• Shared Conversations allow instant collaboration on emails without forwarding or switching apps. 
• Snippets enable quick insertion of prewritten templates while maintaining brand consistency. 
• Read Statuses show exactly when messages are opened, enabling more accurate follow-ups.

Pros

• Most comprehensive feature set of any AI email tool
• Unmatched speed with keyboard-first design
• AI features like Instant Reply and Auto Summarize deliver immediate time savings
• Works with both Gmail and Outlook
• CRM integrations with Salesforce and HubSpot for sales teams

Cons

• Pricing designed for professionals and teams who rely heavily on email
• Keyboard shortcuts have a small learning curve, but they’re also optional

Pricing

• Superhuman’s Starter plan costs $30 per month, or $25 per month when billed annually. 
• The Business plan costs $40 per month, or $33 per month annually, adding Auto Drafts, Ask AI, and CRM integrations. 
• Enterprise pricing is available for larger organizations.

2. Shortwave

Shortwave brings AI capabilities to Gmail, built by former Google engineers who worked on the original Inbox by Gmail. The platform focuses on intelligent search and inbox organization for Gmail users who want AI features without switching providers.

Shortwave's AI Assistant lives in a sidebar and handles tasks through conversational prompts. Users can ask questions about their inbox or generate content based on email history.

The main draw of Shortwave is its AI-powered search that lets users describe what they need in natural language rather than remembering exact keywords. Ghostwriter analyzes sent emails to learn your writing style, though it takes time to train and works best after extensive use. Automatic bundling groups similar emails like newsletters and notifications into collapsible sections.

Pros

• Natural language search works well for finding old emails
• Ghostwriter learns your writing style over time
• Clean interface with smart bundling for newsletters and notifications
• Free tier available for testing

Cons

• Gmail only, with no support for Outlook or other providers
• Lacks CRM integration for sales teams
• Free plan includes a mandatory "Sent with Shortwave" signature
• AI writing features are less comprehensive than full email clients
• No read statuses or team collaboration on lower tiers

Pricing

• Free plan available with basic features. 
• Personal costs $7 per month annually for gmail.com accounts only. 
• Pro costs $14 per month annually with advanced AI. 
• Business costs $24 per month annually with team features. 
• Premier at $36 per month adds unlimited search history. 
• Max at $100 per month provides unlimited AI prompts.

3. Grammarly

Grammarly is a writing assistant rather than a full email client. It focuses on polishing existing writing to eliminate errors and improve clarity, working as a layer on top of your existing email provider.

Grammarly extends writing assistance beyond email to documents and other communication channels. It identifies contextual spelling errors, grammar issues, and awkward phrasing in real time. The tone detector analyzes messages and suggests adjustments for balancing formal and friendly communication.

The premium version offers sentence rewrites that aim to improve clarity. Grammarly for Microsoft Office provides assistance across Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Teams. For organizations, style guides help maintain consistency across teams.

Pros

• Strong grammar and style correction
• Works across many platforms through browser extensions
• Generous free tier for basic checking
• Tone detection for sensitive communications

Cons

• Not an email client, so pair with other tools like Superhuman Mail for complete email management
• Premium features require paid subscription
• Does not generate emails from scratch or draft replies automatically

Pricing

• Free tier includes basic grammar checks plus 100 AI prompts monthly. 
• Pro costs $12 per month annually with advanced style suggestions and 2,000 AI prompts.
• Business costs $15 per member per month annually, with team features and style guides.

4. Microsoft Copilot Pro for Outlook

Microsoft's AI expansion brings Copilot capabilities directly into Outlook. It's a convenient option for those already paying for Microsoft 365, though it's limited to the Microsoft ecosystem.

Copilot summarizes long email threads with numbered references that link to specific messages. This helps when jumping into lengthy discussions, but lacks the always-on summarization of dedicated AI email tools.

Draft generation creates emails from prompts with adjustable tone and length settings, though drafts typically require more editing than AI-native alternatives. The coaching feature provides feedback on how recipients might perceive messages.

Pros

• Native integration with Outlook requires no additional setup
• Thread summarization helps with long conversations
• Included in Microsoft 365 subscription for most users
• Coaching feature provides feedback on tone

Cons

• Only works with Microsoft email addresses like outlook.com or hotmail.com
• Gmail accounts are not supported
• No inbox organization, prioritization, or split inbox features
• Drafts often require significant editing to sound natural
• Cannot learn your personal writing style over time
• Limited speed optimizations compared to keyboard-first email clients

Pricing

• Personal plans start at $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year. 
• Family plans cost $12.99 per month or $129.99 per year for up to six users. 

Plans require a Microsoft 365 subscription. 

5. SaneBox

SaneBox is an inbox organization tool rather than a full email client. It works in the background to sort incoming messages, but you'll still use your existing email provider for reading and writing.

SaneBox analyzes sender importance, communication patterns, and content to sort emails automatically. Important emails stay in the main inbox while low-priority messages move to the SaneLater folder.

Custom folders let users drag emails to train the system. The SaneBlackHole folder blocks future emails from specified senders. Follow-up tracking surfaces conversations when recipients do not reply within a specified timeframe.

Pros

• Set-and-forget approach after initial training
• Works with any email provider
• Helps reduce inbox noise from low-priority messages
• Affordable pricing tiers

Cons

• Requires period of training before accuracy improves
• No AI writing, drafting, or summarization capabilities
• Does not speed up email composition or response time
• Limited to sorting only, with no keyboard shortcuts or speed optimizations
• Must still rely on your email provider's native interface

Pricing

• Appetizer costs roughly $2 per month, or $24 per year, for basic features. 
• Snack costs $7 per month, or $59 per year. 
• Lunch costs $12 per month, or $99 per year. 
• Dinner costs $36 per month, or $299 per year, including all features and multiple accounts.
• 14-day free trial available.

6. Mailbutler

Mailbutler is a plugin that adds email tracking and basic AI features to Outlook, Gmail, and Apple Mail. It enhances your existing email client rather than replacing it.

Smart Compose generates emails from prompts, while Smart Respond suggests replies. Smart Summarize condenses conversations, and Smart Improve polishes drafts. These features work adequately for basic use but lack the personalization of AI that learns your specific writing style.

Task Finder scans emails for actionable items and creates trackable tasks. Email tracking shows when recipients open messages and click links.

Pros

• Cross-platform support for Outlook, Gmail, and Apple Mail
• Task extraction helps identify action items in emails
• Tracking capabilities useful for sales and recruiting
• Affordable entry-level pricing for tracking only

Cons

• AI features require higher-tier Smart plan at $12.95 per month
• Basic plans lack AI capabilities
• AI writing does not learn your personal voice
• No inbox organization, split inbox, or prioritization features
• Adds features to existing clients rather than improving core email speed
• Interface can feel cluttered with all features enabled

Pricing

• Tracking costs $3.95 per month for email tracking only. 
• Professional costs $7.95 per month without AI. 
• Smart costs $12.95 per month with AI capabilities. 
• Business costs $29.95 per month for team collaboration. 14-day free trial available, and annual billing provides 16% discount.

How to choose the right AI email assistant

• Email provider compatibility matters most. Superhuman Mail works with both Gmail and Outlook, while Shortwave only supports Gmail. Microsoft Copilot only works with Microsoft email addresses.
• Primary pain point should guide the decision. For raw speed and comprehensive features, Superhuman Mail delivers the most complete package. For writing quality, Grammarly focuses exclusively on that need. For a hands-off organization, SaneBox handles sorting automatically.
• Budget considerations vary widely. Free tiers exist for Grammarly, Shortwave, and SaneBox. Superhuman Mail commands a premium but delivers measurable time savings for high-volume email users. Top performers save 14% more time every week compared to lower performers who also use AI.
• Ecosystem integration increasingly matters. Tools that work together provide consistent experiences across email, documents, and project management.

The bottom line

Email productivity has become a competitive advantage. B2B professionals say AI saves them at least one full workday every week, and those time savings compound across teams and organizations.

Superhuman Mail stands out as the most comprehensive solution, combining speed, AI intelligence, and team collaboration into a unified experience. Teams save 4 hours per person every week, respond 12 hours faster, and handle twice as many emails. Superhuman Mail saves teams 15 million hours every single year.

For professionals ready to transform their inbox, Superhuman Mail makes email feel good again. Sign up for Superhuman Mail today!

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