Alternatives · Email
Ellie alternatives
As of Nov 13, 2026, the highest-graded Ellie alternative is Shortwave (2.6 GPA). It's also the best free one.
Ellie compared with 6 alternatives: Fyxer, MailMaestro, Jace AI, Shortwave, Inbox Zero and 1 more.
Ellie is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $19 per month (Casual, billed monthly). 4 of the 6 alternatives are free or have a free plan. 2 more offer a free trial.
Listings checked up to Nov 13, 2026 · Where the facts come from
Black Friday: is there a Ellie sale?
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| EllieThis tool | Free trial · from $19/mo | Trial only | Web, Browser extension |
| Fyxer | Free plan · from $37/mo | Yes | Web |
| MailMaestro | Free plan · from $12/mo | Yes | Browser extension |
| Jace AI | Free trial · from $20/mo | Trial only | Web |
| Shortwave | Free plan · from $18/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
| Inbox Zero | Free trial · from $18/mo | Trial only | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Browser extension |
| Compose AI | Free plan | Yes | Browser extension |
Price against what you get
Ellie starts at $19 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. 2 of the 5 alternatives on this chart score higher and start lower: Shortwave and Inbox Zero.
MailMaestro starts lower without scoring higher.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
How each one differs from Ellie
Fyxer
AI assistant that sorts email, drafts replies and takes meeting notes
- Fyxer starts at $37 per person / month, billed annually ($49 billed monthly).
- Fyxer has a free plan, which Ellie lacks.
- Fyxer lists no browser extension, which Ellie has.
- Fyxer also covers meeting notes, transcription, chat assistant and booking links.
- Fyxer does not cover templates and email client, which Ellie does.
Suits: Client-facing professionals with a high volume of email
MailMaestro
AI email writing and inbox assistant for Outlook and Gmail
- MailMaestro starts at $12 per seat / month, billed annually ($15 billed monthly).
- MailMaestro has a free plan, which Ellie lacks.
- MailMaestro lists no web app, which Ellie has.
- MailMaestro also covers text expansion.
Suits: Outlook and Gmail users who write many repetitive emails
Jace AI
AI email agent with a web inbox for Gmail and Outlook
- Jace AI starts at $20 per month, billed yearly ($25 billed monthly).
- Jace AI lists no browser extension, which Ellie has.
- Jace AI also covers chat assistant, workflow automation and AI agents.
- Jace AI does not cover templates, which Ellie does.
Suits: Professionals handling a high volume of email in Gmail or Outlook
Shortwave
AI email client for Gmail with an assistant, filters and split inbox
- Shortwave starts at $18 per seat / month (Pro, the individual plan).
- Shortwave has a free plan, which Ellie lacks.
- Shortwave also lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Shortwave lists no browser extension, which Ellie has.
- Shortwave also covers chat assistant and AI search.
Suits: Gmail and Google Workspace users who want AI to triage and draft email
Inbox Zero
Open source AI email assistant for Gmail and Outlook
- Inbox Zero starts at $18 per user / month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly).
- Inbox Zero also lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Inbox Zero is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Inbox Zero also covers chat assistant and workflow automation.
- Inbox Zero does not cover templates, which Ellie does.
Suits: Gmail and Outlook users who want mail sorted and replies drafted for them
Compose AI
Chrome extension that autocompletes your writing with AI
- Compose AI has a free plan, which Ellie lacks.
- Compose AI lists no web app, which Ellie has.
- Compose AI also covers text expansion and long-form writing.
- Compose AI does not cover templates, email client and inbox filtering, which Ellie does.
Suits: Chrome users who type a lot of email and chat text
Limits worth knowing in Ellie
- Writes replies only; the pricing FAQ says it will not write cold emails.
- Casual has no auto-drafts and works only through the browser extension.
- Extra team members are priced starting at $5 per user, according to the pricing FAQ.
- The pricing page also shows a time-limited first-year discount that is not recorded here.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Ellie?
The alternatives to Ellie in this directory are Fyxer, MailMaestro, Jace AI, Shortwave, Inbox Zero and Compose AI. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Ellie.
Is there a free alternative to Ellie?
Yes. Fyxer, MailMaestro, Shortwave and Compose AI have a free plan alongside paid ones.
Which Ellie alternatives work on Windows?
The Ellie listing does not include a Windows app. Shortwave and Inbox Zero list one.
Which Ellie alternatives work on macOS?
The Ellie listing does not include a macOS app. Shortwave and Inbox Zero list one.
Is there an open-source alternative to Ellie?
Inbox Zero is described as open source on its own site.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 4, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.
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