The right email client transforms your productivity. 28% of your workweek goes to email, and 361.6 billion emails fly around the globe daily. Email efficiency matters more than ever.
Shortwave vs Superhuman Mail are popular options for upgrading your inbox. How do they compare, and which one fits your needs? This guide breaks down everything you need to know.
Shortwave vs Superhuman Mail at a glance
Before diving into details, here's a quick comparison of how these two AI email clients stack up:
What is an AI email client?
An AI email client is a third-party email application that uses artificial intelligence to help you manage, organize, and respond to emails more efficiently. Unlike standard email providers like Gmail or Outlook's web interface, AI email clients layer advanced features on top of your existing email account.
These clients connect to your Gmail or Outlook inbox and provide an enhanced interface with capabilities like automatic email categorization, AI-powered writing assistance, intelligent search, and workflow automation. The goal is to reduce the time you spend managing email so you can focus on higher-value work.
Both Superhuman Mail and Shortwave fall into this category. They don't replace your email provider. Instead, they give you a faster, smarter way to access your existing inbox.
Email provider and platform support
The first question when choosing an email client: Does it work with your email?
Superhuman Mail works with both Gmail and Outlook accounts. This flexibility matters for professionals who use Outlook through their organization or manage multiple accounts across providers. You can connect personal Gmail accounts alongside work Outlook accounts in the same interface. With over a decade of experience supporting Gmail and Outlook users across startups and enterprises, Superhuman Mail offers proven reliability for mission-critical email.
Shortwave works exclusively with Gmail and Google Workspace accounts. If you rely on Outlook, Yahoo, or any other email provider, Shortwave isn't an option.
For platform availability, Superhuman Mail offers native apps for iOS, Android, and Mac, plus a web app for Chromium browsers. The native Mac app delivers faster performance than browser-based alternatives and integrates with macOS features like notifications and shortcuts.
Shortwave provides iOS and Android apps plus a web application that works across browsers. Desktop users can install Shortwave as a progressive web app (PWA), which functions similarly to a native app but without the same level of system integration.
Bottom line: If you use Outlook or want a native desktop app, Superhuman Mail is your choice. Shortwave is limited to Gmail users who are comfortable with web-based desktop access.
AI features compared
Both clients use AI to accelerate email workflows, but they approach it differently. The key distinction: Superhuman AI works invisibly in the background, so you get the benefits without lifting a finger. Shortwave's AI revolves around an Assistant you have to chat with, requiring time, effort, and constant input.
Superhuman Mail: Best for high-velocity professionals and teams
Superhuman Mail is designed for people whose day runs on email: executives, sales teams, business development, founders, and operators who handle 100+ emails daily in Gmail or Outlook. Rather than bolting AI onto a traditional client, Superhuman Mail weaves AI into the core workflow so you can triage, draft, and follow up in a fraction of the time.
Some of the most impactful features include:
- Auto Summarize: See an instant one-line summary above every conversation, updated as new emails arrive.
- Instant Reply: Get contextual reply options that expand into full responses so you can answer emails in seconds.
- Ask AI: Ask natural-language questions like "What did Sarah say about the Q3 budget?" and get instant answers from across your inbox.
- Instant Event: Turn emails into fully-formed calendar events with title, attendees, location, and time in one step.
- Auto Labels: Automatically categorize incoming emails into smart labels so you can focus on what matters most.
- Auto Reminders & Auto Drafts: Let Superhuman bring back conversations that need replies and pre-write follow-ups in your voice.
- Autocorrect: Fix spelling, punctuation, and capitalization as you type, increasing typing speed by up to 30-50%.
- Write with AI: Turn short prompts into polished emails, rewrite in your tone, and improve clarity with a single command.
- Snippets: Insert phrases, paragraphs, or entire emails with a keystroke. Share team Snippets to keep messaging consistent across your organization.
- Smart Send: Automatically deliver emails when recipients are most likely to read them based on their time zone and past engagement.
Together with features like Split Inbox, powerful keyboard shortcuts, and read statuses, these AI tools make Superhuman Mail especially powerful when you have a high-stakes, high-volume inbox and need both speed and consistency, not just another place to read email.
Shortwave AI
Shortwave built its platform with AI at the foundation. Key AI capabilities include:
- AI Assistant: A conversational interface for searching emails, managing your calendar, and automating tasks. Ask questions about your inbox and get answers based on your email history.
- Ghostwriter: Learns your personal writing voice from emails you send, then drafts messages that sound like you.
- AI filters: Create inbox rules using plain English descriptions rather than rigid criteria. Tell the AI "label anything about job applications" and it handles the rest.
- Instant summaries: Thread summaries appear at the top of conversations for quick context.
- Organize inbox: One-click AI organization that suggests bulk actions based on your email habits.
Shortwave's AI feels more like a personal assistant you interact with conversationally. The "Organize my inbox" feature scans your recent emails and suggests bulk actions like archiving promotional messages or converting action items to to-dos. However, this conversational approach means you spend more time interacting with the AI rather than simply getting work done.
Notably, Shortwave lacks essential automation features like Auto Reminders and Auto Drafts. Without these, you need to manually track which emails need follow-up and write those follow-ups yourself. This makes Shortwave a slower, more hands-on experience compared to Superhuman Mail's automated approach.
Bottom line: Superhuman Mail's AI focuses on speed and automation that works in the background. Auto Drafts means you wake up to replies already written. Auto Labels means every email is categorized without you lifting a finger. Superhuman AI is most magical when it feels invisible. Shortwave's AI requires more interaction and lacks the automated follow-up features that save the most time.
Inbox organization
How you organize your inbox determines how fast you can process email.
Superhuman Mail: Split Inbox
Split Inbox lets you divide your inbox into custom workstreams. Create splits for Team messages, VIP senders, Calendar invitations, News and newsletters, or custom categories based on people and subject keywords.
Process similar messages together by working through one split at a time. Important emails from executives stay separate from vendor pitches and marketing. You focus on what matters without getting distracted by noise.
Split Inbox works alongside Auto Labels, which automatically categorize incoming emails. Marketing messages and cold outreach can be automatically archived using Auto Archive, keeping your primary inbox clean. Users report hundreds of emails cleared daily through Auto Archive alone.
Shortwave: Bundles
Shortwave uses Bundles to group related emails. The system automatically creates bundles for categories like newsletters, purchase receipts, travel reservations, and social media notifications.
Creating custom bundles is intuitive: drag and drop emails onto each other, and Shortwave learns to group similar messages. You can archive entire bundles at once when you're done reviewing them.
Shortwave also offers inbox Splits (similar in concept to Superhuman Mail) that let you create tabs for high-priority emails, specific senders, or labels. However, Shortwave's three-panel interface can feel cluttered and distracting compared to Superhuman Mail's focused design.
Bottom line: Both approaches help you focus on what matters. Superhuman Mail's Split Inbox offers more granular control with automatic archiving of low-priority emails and a cleaner, more focused interface. Shortwave's Bundles provide visual grouping with easy drag-and-drop customization.
Speed and productivity
For professionals processing hundreds of emails daily, speed differences add up.
Superhuman Mail: Built for speed
Superhuman Mail was designed from the ground up as the fastest email experience ever made. The interface loads instantly. Every action is optimized for keyboard-first operation.
Over 100 keyboard shortcuts let you fly through email without touching your mouse. Archive, reply, snooze, and label messages in milliseconds. The command bar (Cmd+K) provides instant access to any action or search.
TrustRadius reviews consistently praise the speed and efficiency. Users report processing email twice as fast and saving 4+ hours per week.
The platform also includes:
- Remind Me: Temporarily remove emails from your inbox and have them return when you're ready to address them.
- Send Later: Schedule emails to arrive at optimal times for recipients.
- Undo Send: Recall messages when you catch a typo or forgot an attachment.
- Follow-up reminders: Get reminded if you don't receive a response within a timeframe you set.
- Offline Mode: Work without an internet connection and sync when you're back online.
Live 1:1 onboarding helps you master the keyboard shortcuts and workflows from day one. A Superhuman specialist walks you through the features and customizes the setup for how you work.
Shortwave: Fast with AI assistance
Shortwave prioritizes intelligent automation over raw speed. The interface is clean and responsive, with markdown support and keyboard shortcuts for common actions. However, navigating Shortwave and using the AI features can be slower, particularly through the AI Assistant, which requires back-and-forth interaction.
Do Not Disturb mode lets you set working hours and control when email notifications arrive. You can create rules for specific email types, like holding newsletters until weekends.
The Shortwave Method encourages a structured approach to achieving inbox zero: assess emails quickly, handle immediate priorities, and create a clear plan for complex items.
Bottom line: If speed is your top priority and you value keyboard-driven workflows, Superhuman Mail delivers unmatched performance. Shortwave offers good speed with more emphasis on AI doing the work for you, though that AI interaction adds friction.
Team collaboration
Email often involves coordination across teams. Both clients address this need.
Superhuman Mail: Shared Conversations and Team Comments
Shared Conversations reimagines email as multiplayer by default. Share a live view of any email thread with your team. Collaborate within Superhuman Mail or via a shareable link. Add comments directly to the email.
Benefits include:
- Rapidly unblock progress on deals and projects
- Collaborate where work happens instead of switching to Slack
- Include team members wherever they are, even if they don't use Superhuman Mail
- See when teammates have viewed shared conversations
Real-time read statuses show when emails you send are opened and on which device, helping you time follow-ups effectively.
Shortwave: Thread sharing and channels
Shortwave offers thread sharing with live-updating views of email conversations. Team members can see the full history, including attachments and future messages. Shared threads have unique URLs for easy linking from other tools.
Team comments allow private discussions within your team, with @-mentions to get specific people's attention. Shared labels create a team-accessible email archive that everyone can search using AI.
Channels let you send emails quickly to groups of teammates, organizing conversations by topic.
Bottom line: Both clients offer robust team features. Superhuman Mail's Shared Conversations create a seamless experience for collaborating on email threads with link sharing for non-users. Shortwave provides similar capabilities with channels for topic-based organization.
CRM and integrations
For sales teams and customer-facing professionals, CRM integration is essential.
Superhuman Mail: Native CRM integrations
Superhuman Mail offers direct integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, and Pipedrive. See contacts, leads, accounts, and opportunities right within your inbox. View and update CRM data without switching applications, add new contacts directly from email, and even enroll leads in HubSpot Sequences.
Shortwave: Limited integration options
Shortwave positions Auto-BCC as their CRM integration, which simply copies outgoing emails to your CRM. This lacks the two-way sync and in-app visibility that native integrations provide. You can't see CRM data while composing emails or update records without leaving Shortwave.
Bottom line: If you rely on a CRM for sales or customer success, Superhuman Mail's native integrations provide significantly more value than Shortwave's basic email logging.
Networking and contact insights
Professional networking often happens through email. Superhuman Mail includes specific features for this.
Superhuman Mail networking features
- Social Insights (Contact Pane): View contact information, including job titles, company details, location, and social links, pulled from email signatures and public profiles. Personalize your outreach without leaving your inbox.
- Instant Intro: When someone introduces you via email, one keyboard shortcut thanks the introducer and moves them to BCC. Handle warm introductions gracefully in seconds.
- Read Statuses: Know when recipients open your emails and on which device. Time your follow-ups for maximum impact.
Shortwave networking features
Shortwave includes read statuses on paid plans and offers AI-powered search to find conversations with specific contacts. The platform doesn't emphasize networking-specific features to the same degree.
Bottom line: If networking and relationship building are central to how you use email, Superhuman Mail's Social Insights and Instant Intro provide meaningful advantages.
Customization and interface
How you personalize your email client affects daily usability.
Superhuman Mail interface
Superhuman Mail presents a text-focused interface optimized for information density. The split inbox appears on the left, with email content displayed prominently. Calendar integration shows upcoming events without leaving your inbox.
The design prioritizes function over flashy visuals. Every pixel serves a purpose in helping you process email faster.
Shortwave interface
Shortwave uses a three-panel layout with more white space and visual distinction. The left sidebar handles navigation, the middle panel shows message lists with bundles, and the right panel displays email content plus AI tools. While this offers flexibility, the multi-panel approach can feel cluttered and distracting during focused work.
Customization options include:
- Eight color themes to differentiate accounts
- Layout choices for how threads open (split screen, side panel, or full-screen)
- Collapsible panels for AI shortcuts, calendar, and activity feeds
Bottom line: Shortwave offers more visual customization. Superhuman Mail focuses on keyboard-driven efficiency with a refined, information-dense interface that keeps you focused on email rather than the app itself.
Pricing compared
Investment matters. Here's how the pricing breaks down:
Superhuman Mail pricing
- Starter: $25/month or $300/year on annual plan
- Business: $33/month or $396/year on annual plan
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
All plans include the core Superhuman Mail experience with 100+ keyboard shortcuts, Split Inbox, and AI features. Business adds advanced team collaboration, CRM integrations, and features like Ask AI and Custom Auto Labels. Live 1:1 onboarding is included at every tier.
Shortwave pricing
- Free: Limited AI features, core productivity tools
- Business: $24/month (billed annually)
- Premier: $36/month (billed annually)
- Max: $100/month (billed annually)
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Shortwave's free plan provides basic inbox organization without the full AI capabilities. Paid plans unlock personalized AI writing, expanded search history, and premium features.
Bottom line: Shortwave offers a free tier and lower entry-level pricing. Superhuman Mail costs more but includes live onboarding, CRM integrations, and a more comprehensive feature set from day one. For professionals who value their time, Superhuman Mail's proven time savings (4+ hours per week) deliver strong ROI.
Fly through your inbox twice as fast
While Shortwave offers solid AI features and a lower entry price, the Gmail-only limitation, lack of native desktop apps, missing CRM integrations, and absence of automated features like Auto Reminders and Auto Drafts may not suit busy professionals, especially teams with diverse email needs.
Superhuman Mail helps teams save 4 hours per person every week. Teams respond 12 hours faster and handle twice as many emails in the same amount of time. With over a decade of experience building the most productive email app ever made, the combination of speed, invisible AI automation, Outlook support, CRM integrations, and team collaboration makes Superhuman Mail the choice for executives and knowledge workers who treat email management as a competitive advantage.
Sign up for Superhuman today and experience why professionals choose it to make email feel good again.
