Shortlist by what you need
Start here if you know why you are leaving Shortwave.
Want the closest match?
JaceMost similar to Shortwave in what it does, its category and its price.
Visit (opens Jace in a new tab)Need a free plan?
ObsidianHas a free plan, rated 4.6 out of 5.
Visit (opens Obsidian in a new tab)Want the best rated?
SuperhumanRated 4.5 out of 5 in our review, against 4.4 for Shortwave.
Visit (opens Superhuman in a new tab)
At a glance
Green means better than Shortwave, red means worse. Prices are starting prices per month.
| Tool | Our rating | Starts at | Free plan | Best for | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 ShortwaveBaseline | 4.4 | $7/mo | Yes | An AI-native email client built by former Google engineers | |
| Jace | 3.8−0.6 | $20/mo$13 more | No | AI email assistant that drafts Gmail replies in a user's own voice and organizes an inbox automatically. | vs Shortwave |
 Amie | 4.3−0.1 | $15/mo$8 more | Yes | Records meetings without a visible bot joining the call | vs Shortwave |
 MailMaestro | 4.1−0.3 | $12/mo$5 more | Yes | AI email assistant that drafts, summarizes, and manages messages directly inside Outlook and Gmail. | vs Shortwave |
| Obsidian | 4.6+0.2 | $4/mo$3 less | Yes | Notes stored as plain local Markdown files, not a proprietary database | vs Shortwave |
 Fellow | 4.4Same | $7/moSame price | Yes | Structures meetings before they happen, not just notes after | vs Shortwave |
 Circleback.ai | 4.2−0.2 | $20.83/mo$13.83 more | Yes | AI meeting assistant recording, transcribing, and turning conversations into notes, action items, and CRM updates automatically. | vs Shortwave |
 Saidar | 3.5−0.9 | Free | Yes | An email and calendar assistant you talk to in iMessage, with no app to open. | vs Shortwave |
| Superhuman | 4.5+0.1 | $33/mo$26 more | No | A premium, speed-obsessed email client, priced accordingly | vs Shortwave |
The alternatives in detail
In order of how closely each one matches Shortwave.
Jace
3.8$20/mo
vs Shortwave$13 more−0.6
AI email assistant that drafts Gmail replies in a user's own voice and organizes an inbox automatically.
- Context-aware Gmail draft replies based on prior thread history
- Automatic inbox organization that flags what actually needs a response
- Configurable daily draft limits that scale with plan tier
Drafts read closer to a user's own voice than generic AI reply suggestions
Free trial requires payment information upfront, not a no-risk sandbox
Amie
4.3$15/mo
vs Shortwave$8 more−0.1
Records meetings without a visible bot joining the call.
- Meeting recording without a visible bot joining the call
- Combined calendar, task management, and AI notes
- Context-aware summaries from connected email and calendar
Bot-free recording avoids an awkward, visible presence on calls
Full feature set requires a paid plan
MailMaestro
4.1$12/mo
vs Shortwave$5 more−0.3
AI email assistant that drafts, summarizes, and manages messages directly inside Outlook and Gmail.
- AI email drafting with three variation options per prompt
- Automatic thread summarization
- Context-aware reply suggestions
Free tier available with no credit card required
Full feature depth, including advanced summarization, concentrates in the paid Pro tier
Obsidian
4.6$4/mo
vs Shortwave$3 less+0.2
Notes stored as plain local Markdown files, not a proprietary database.
- Notes stored as local, plain Markdown text files
- Extensive community plugin ecosystem
- Full functionality without requiring a cloud account
Genuine file-format portability and long-term data ownership
Plugin-heavy customization has a real setup learning curve
Fellow
4.4$7/mo
vs ShortwaveSame priceSame
Structures meetings before they happen, not just notes after.
- Collaborative meeting agendas built before meetings happen
- Structured one-on-one meeting templates
- AI note-taking and action item tracking
Addresses meeting structure and quality before the meeting, not just after
More collaboration features require a paid plan
Circleback.ai
4.2$20.83/mo
vs Shortwave$13.83 more−0.2
AI meeting assistant recording, transcribing, and turning conversations into notes, action items, and CRM updates automatically.
- Automatic recording and transcription across Zoom, Meet, Teams, and Slack huddles
- AI-generated meeting notes, summaries, and action items
- Draft follow-up email generation after each meeting
Founding team has direct relevant experience (Stripe LLM integration, Tableau analytics)
Team-tier pricing ($25/user/month) scales up cost fast for larger organizations
Saidar
3.5Free
vs Shortwave−0.9
An email and calendar assistant you talk to in iMessage, with no app to open.
- Email and calendar management over iMessage
- Daily schedule summaries
- Surfaces messages needing a decision
Lives in a thread you already have open, removing a step rather than adding one
Needs standing access to your email and calendar, a very large grant
Superhuman
4.5$33/mo
vs Shortwave$26 more+0.1
A premium, speed-obsessed email client, priced accordingly.
- Extensive keyboard shortcuts for maximum speed
- Deliberately minimal, fast interface design
- AI-assisted triage and writing
Genuinely fast, keyboard-driven interface for high email volume
Among the highest prices of any email tool in this category
FAQ
Questions people ask
Is Shortwave free?
Shortwave has a free plan, and paid plans start from $7/mo.
What is the best free alternative to Shortwave?
Obsidian is the highest-rated alternative here with a free plan (4.6 out of 5). Other free options: Fellow, Amie, Circleback.ai.
What is the cheapest alternative to Shortwave?
Among paid plans, Obsidian has the lowest starting price (from $4/mo). If you need it free, start with Obsidian.
How did you pick these alternatives?
We match tools on what they do, their category and their price, using the details in our directory. Ratings come from our reviews and reader reviews.