alfred_ ($29.99/month) is an AI executive assistant, handles email across Gmail + Outlook, plus calendar and task extraction. Shortwave (paid plans from $30/seat/month) is an AI-native email client (Gmail-only) with thread summaries and inline AI drafting
Choose alfred_ if you want email handled for you, the brief is the interface, not the inbox. Shortwave: if you want a better email client with AI you invoke on demand
Scope: Shortwave is Gmail-only, email-only. alfred_ covers Gmail + Outlook, plus calendar and tasks as a unified workflow. If you're on Outlook, Shortwave isn't an option
Price: Shortwave restructured its plans in 2026. Paid tiers now run Business $30/seat/month ($24 billed annually), Premier $45 ($36 annual), and Max $120 ($100 annual), plus a 14-day free trial. Shortwave is no longer the cheap option: its entry paid tier now matches or exceeds alfred_'s $29.99, which includes calendar + tasks + brief that Shortwave doesn't touch
Combination doesn't make sense, you'd pay for overlapping email capabilities. Pick one based on scope (Shortwave email-only vs alfred_ unified)
Shortwave is a better email client than Gmail native. alfred_ is a different category. It replaces the inbox-as-interface with a morning brief. If your problem is 'Gmail feels clunky,' Shortwave fixes that. If your problem is 'email takes too much of my day,' alfred_ fixes that.
The Core Difference: Smarter Inbox vs. Handled Inbox
Shortwave
Here's an AI summary of this thread. Want me to help you write a reply?
alfred_
I triaged 47 emails overnight. Here are 6 that need you. Draft replies are ready.
Shortwave puts AI inside your email client. alfred_ puts AI in charge of your email. The difference is who does the work.
What Shortwave Does Well
Shortwave is built by ex-Google engineers and it shows. The product is polished:
AI search: Natural language search across your entire inbox (“find the contract Sarah sent last month”)
Thread summaries: AI condenses long email threads into key points
AI writing:Drafts replies based on context and your writing style
Smart labels: Auto-categorizes emails into bundles
They solve different problems. Shortwave is a better email client with AI features. alfred_ is an AI assistant for client-facing teams that keeps track of email for you. Shortwave is better if you want to process email yourself with AI help. alfred_ is better if you want email handled.
Is Shortwave free?
Shortwave offers a 14-day free trial, then paid plans: Business is $30/seat/month ($24 billed annually), Premier is $45 ($36 annual), and Max is $120 ($100 annual). alfred_ is $29.99/month but includes calendar management, task extraction, and email handling, not just an email client.
Can I use Shortwave and alfred_ together?
You could, but it's redundant. alfred_ keeps track of your email for you, so you wouldn't need Shortwave's email client features. If you use alfred_, you interact with your morning brief and draft approvals rather than an inbox.
Does Shortwave handle tasks and calendar?
No. Shortwave is email-only. alfred_ handles email, calendar, and tasks together: extracting action items from emails, managing your schedule, and delivering daily briefings.
About the authors
Written byPranav MishraAI/LLM Engineer at alfred_
Pranav builds the agents behind alfred_, the systems that watch your inbox and calendar, keep track of what is waiting on you, and surface what actually needs a response. He runs alfred_’s head-to-head field tests against other assistants.
Reviewed byConnor FataFounder & CEO of alfred_
Connor is the founder and CEO of alfred_, focused on making personal assistants accessible to business operators and individuals so they can focus on what matters and what’s important.
alfred_
