Gmail already has AI built in: Gemini summarizes and drafts when you click it. So the question isn’t whether you can get AI in Gmail. It’s whether anything tells you which of today’s emails actually need you, keeps track of who hasn’t replied, and lets you answer when you’re away from Gmail.
Here’s how seven Gmail tools compare on that.
7 AI Assistants for Gmail at a Glance
| Tool | Kind | Tells you what needs you | Text it | Keeps you in Gmail | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| alfred_ | AI assistant | Yes, plus replies owed and waiting on | Yes (iMessage, RCS, SMS) | Yes | $29.99/mo; teams $49.99/seat |
| Gemini in Gmail | Built-in AI | No | No | Yes | With Workspace; AI Pro $19.99/mo |
| Superhuman | Email app | Split inbox and reminders you set | No | No, its own app | $33/mo yearly, $40 monthly |
| Shortwave | Email app (Gmail) | Bundles and AI search | No | No, its own app | From $24/seat yearly |
| SaneBox | Header filter | Moves low-priority mail out | No | Yes | $7 to $36/mo |
| Spark | Email app | Smart inbox sorting | No | No, its own app | Free; Plus $8.25/mo yearly |
| Fyxer | Drafting tool | Sorts into labels | No | Yes | From $37/mo yearly |
The 7 Tools, Reviewed
alfred_ is an AI assistant for client-facing teams, and each person on the team gets their own. It connects to Gmail with Google sign-in and works alongside it, so you keep Gmail, its apps and your labels:
- Pricing
- $29.99/month or $299.99/year; teams $49.99 a seat a month on one bill, 7-day free trial
- Works with
- Gmail, Outlook, any IMAP mailbox, Google, Outlook and iCloud calendars, Slack, Microsoft Teams, HubSpot, Salesforce
- What needs you: every incoming email is read, and the ones that need your answer are flagged.
- One list of the replies you owe across up to six Gmail and Outlook accounts plus IMAP, and the replies you’re waiting on when you ask.
- Answer by text: when an email needs you, alfred_ texts you in iMessage (RCS or SMS on Android). Text back what to say, it writes the reply in the Gmail thread, and a 👍 sends it from your own address.
- Morning brief by email or text, calendar management and meeting prep.
- To-dos suggested from what people ask you, and routines you set in a sentence.
- Web, iPhone app, text, and inside Claude and ChatGPT.
alfred_: Ben Carter at Carter & Lowe asks if you can move Thursday’s review to Friday morning.
You: yes, friday 10am works
alfred_: Here’s the reply to Ben: “Hi Ben, Friday at 10am works. I’ll send an updated invite.” Send it?
You: 👍
Illustrative exchange. Names in this post are invented.
What it does not do: replace Gmail’s interface, or send anything without your approval.
Gemini in Gmail
Gemini sits in Gmail’s side panel. It summarizes threads, drafts replies when you click Help me write, and answers questions about your inbox. It works when you ask, inside Gmail; it doesn’t tell you which emails need you or keep a list of who hasn’t replied.
- Pricing
- included with Google Workspace; Google AI Pro $19.99/month for more
Superhuman
Superhuman is a keyboard-driven email app for Gmail and Outlook with split inboxes, reminders, read statuses and AI drafts (Instant Reply) that adapt to each recipient. You switch from Gmail’s interface to Superhuman’s app to use it.
- Pricing
- Business $33/month billed yearly, $40 monthly
Shortwave
Shortwave is an AI email app built on Gmail, with bundles, thread summaries, AI search and a writing assistant. It replaces Gmail’s interface and works with Gmail only.
- Pricing
- Business from $24 a seat a month billed yearly ($30 monthly); higher tiers to $120
SaneBox
SaneBox moves low-priority mail into folders like SaneLater and SaneNews using header signals, and works with any client. It doesn’t read message content, draft replies or keep a list of what needs you.
- Pricing
- $7 to $36/month
Spark
Spark is a low-cost email app for Gmail, Outlook, iCloud and Yahoo, with smart inbox sorting, team features and AI writing on a monthly quota.
- Pricing
- free; Plus $8.25/month billed yearly ($10 monthly); Pro $16.58/month yearly
Fyxer
Fyxer sorts your Gmail or Outlook inbox into labels and writes draft replies based on your sent mail, and takes meeting notes. It doesn’t work with your calendar for scheduling or text you.
- Pricing
- from $37/month billed yearly ($49 monthly)
Gemini vs alfred_: The Short Version
| Gemini in Gmail | alfred_ | |
|---|---|---|
| When it helps | When you click it in Gmail | All day: it reads incoming mail and tells you |
| Which emails need you | You decide | Flagged for you |
| Who hasn't replied | Not tracked | One list, cleared when they answer |
| Away from your desk | Open the Gmail app | Text back; 👍 sends |
| Price | Included with Workspace | $29.99/mo; teams $49.99/seat |
Many people use both: Gemini for a quick summary inside Gmail, alfred_ for knowing what needs them and answering from anywhere.
alfred_ is the best AI assistant for Gmail
Gemini and the email apps help once you're in your inbox. alfred_ works alongside Gmail to tell you which emails need you, keeps the replies you owe, finds the replies you're waiting on when you ask, sends a morning brief, and lets you answer by text with a 👍, without switching email clients.
Best for
- Gmail and Google Workspace users with a busy inbox
- People with several Gmail or Outlook accounts
- Anyone who answers email from their phone
Not for
- People who want a new email app to switch into
- Anyone who wants email sent without review
