Extra vs Shortwave
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Shortwave
AI email client for Gmail with an assistant, filters and split inbox
Where they differ
- Extra is free. Shortwave starts at $18 per seat / month (Pro, the individual plan).
- Only Shortwave lists Windows and Android apps.
- Extra also covers inbox filtering.
- Shortwave also covers templates.
At a glance
| Extra | Shortwave | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $18 per seat / month (Pro, the individual plan) |
| Free plan | Extra is free on iPhone, iPad, Mac and the web, and no paid plan is listed. The FAQ says paid features for power users may be introduced later. | Basic AI with a limited usage quota, 90 days of search history, up to 15 threads per AI search and a "Sent with Shortwave" email signature. |
| Free trial | None listed | 14-day free trial of the paid plans |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | BuildForever, Inc. | Shortwave Communications, Inc. |
| Price read from | extra.email | shortwave.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Extra
- iPhone, iPad and Mac users who want a personal inbox sorted for them
- People buried in newsletters, receipts and shipping updates
- Anyone looking for an AI email app with no subscription fee today
Shortwave
- Gmail and Google Workspace users who want AI to triage and draft email
- Teams that want to comment on and assign email threads internally
- People who want Google Inbox-style bundles on top of Gmail
Worth knowing
Extra
- There is no Android app: Extra runs on iPhone, iPad, Mac and in a desktop browser.
- It works with Gmail and Outlook accounts only.
- Extra is free today, but its FAQ says paid features for power users may be introduced in the future.
- It is offered in 18 listed countries, and the apps need iOS or iPadOS 18 or later, or macOS 15.6 or later.
Shortwave
- Sign-in requires Gmail or Google Workspace. Microsoft 365 and Exchange are not supported, and other providers only work by forwarding mail to Gmail.
- Paid plans start at $18 per seat a month for individuals and $30 on the business plans, and AI usage on every plan is capped by a daily quota.
- The Business plan limits AI search to 5 years of history and allows 3 AI filters.
- Native apps cover Mac, Windows, iOS and Android; other platforms rely on the web app.
Key features
Extra
- Today tab
- A daily briefing that splits the day into Needs Action, Happening Today, Good to Know and More to Browse, with reply drafts and action items prepared before you open the inbox.
- Automatic categories
- Mail is sorted into groups such as News, Shop, Receipts, Events, Travel, Notifications, Personal and Packages, and you can create custom categories of your own.
- Bulk unsubscribe
- Shows who emails you most and how much of it you read, then unsubscribes using the sender's own unsubscribe method and adds a mailbox filter for that sender's future messages.
- Voice Mode
- Speak a reply and Extra drafts it in your tone of voice, which it learns from the emails you send. The draft can be reviewed and edited before it goes out.
- Extra Assist
- An assistant that answers questions from your inbox, such as finding a confirmation number or summarizing a month of ride spending, and helps draft replies.
- Natural-language search
- Search by topic or context, for example a flight confirmation or a restaurant recommendation from last month, without needing the exact keywords.
Shortwave
- AI assistant
- Prompt the assistant to organize the inbox, write in your own voice, search mail or schedule a meeting. It can also browse the web and analyze attachments.
- AI filters
- Describe a rule in plain English and it labels, stars or archives incoming mail. Business includes 3 AI filters, Premier 10 and Max 50.
- Split inbox and bundles
- Divide the inbox into tabs by sender, label or custom query, and triage promotions, newsletters and updates in bulk as bundles.
- AI search
- Ask questions across your mail instead of keyword searching. Business reaches back 5 years and reads up to 50 threads per search; Premier removes the history limit.
- Team collaboration
- Share a live thread with teammates, discuss it in private comments, assign emails with a done status, and keep shared labels, snippets and saved prompts.
- Scheduling and follow-ups
- The assistant checks availability, creates calendar events and writes scheduling emails. Snooze, delivery schedules and no-reply reminders are also included.
Plans
Extra
Free$0
The whole app at no charge: Today tab, automatic categories, bulk unsubscribe, Voice Mode, Extra Assist and multiple Gmail and Outlook accounts.
Shortwave
Free$0
Basic AI with a limited usage quota, 90 days of standard and AI search history, and up to 15 threads per AI search.
Pro$18
per seat / month
For individuals: standard AI, full standard search history, 3 years of AI search history, AI web browsing and personalized AI writing.
Business$30
per seat / month
Standard AI with a daily usage quota, 5 years of AI search history, up to 50 threads per AI search and 3 AI filters.
Premier$45
per seat / month
Advanced AI with twice the Business usage, unlimited AI search history, up to 100 threads per AI search and 10 AI filters.
Max$120
per seat / month
Expert AI with six times the Business usage, up to 150 threads per AI search and 50 AI filters.
