The Extra Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Extra in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Extra
The Insider’s Guide
Free AI email app that sorts Gmail and Outlook around your day
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among email apps, read from Extra’s own pages.
Made by BuildForever, Inc. · checked Oct 9, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Extra’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Extra’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.0
GPA, above 41 of the 51 other email apps we grade
Extra is an AI email app from BuildForever, Inc. that connects to Gmail and Outlook accounts and reorganizes the inbox around daily life. A Today tab summarizes what needs action, mail is sorted automatically into categories such as receipts, packages and travel, and an assistant drafts replies and answers questions about what is in the inbox. It runs on iPhone, iPad, Mac and the web and is currently free.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Extra, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Reply drafts and action items are ready before you open the inbox, and you can speak a reply and let it write the email in your tone.
- 1
Best for a free AI inbox for your personal email
It costs nothing right now, but the FAQ says paid features may come later.
- 2
It is free
Extra has no paid plan at all. 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.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
iOS, macOS and Web.
- 4
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.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
A 3.0 GPA, above 41 of 51
That is against the other email apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Extra is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Extra at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, iOS
- Made by
- BuildForever, Inc.
- Category
- Email Apps
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
- Store rating
- 4.8 on the App Store, 384 ratings
The report card
Best for a free AI inbox for your personal email
Extra is a free AI email app that sorts your Gmail or Outlook around your day: a Today tab lists what needs doing, receipts and packages get filed, and an assistant drafts replies. It costs nothing right now, but the FAQ says paid features may come later. There's no Android or Windows app, it takes Gmail and Outlook only, it needs a recent iOS or macOS, and it's offered in 18 countries.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | It's free, and no paid plan is listed. That includes the AI: the Today tab, Voice Mode and Extra Assist all cost nothing today. The FAQ does say paid features for power users may be introduced in the future. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The whole app is free on iPhone, iPad, Mac and the web, with multiple Gmail and Outlook accounts. Nothing is held back for a paid tier, because there isn't one yet. |
| Features | C | It does the personal-inbox job: a Today tab split into what needs action and what's good to know, categories for receipts, travel and packages, bulk unsubscribe, voice replies and an assistant that answers questions from your mail. But it takes Gmail and Outlook accounts only. |
| Ease of use | B | 4.79 from about 380 App Store ratings, too few ratings for an A. Reply drafts and action items are ready before you open the inbox, and you can speak a reply and let it write the email in your tone. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Apple and a browser: iPhone, iPad, Mac and the web, with no Android app and no Windows app. The apps need iOS 18 or macOS 15.6 or later, it's offered in 18 listed countries, and Gmail and Outlook are the only accounts it connects to. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Extra is for
- Fits if you're on iPhone and Mac and want your personal Gmail or Outlook sorted into categories
- Works for people who want AI help with email and pay nothing for it today
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you have an Android phone or a Windows PC, as there's no app for either
- Not for you if your mail isn't with Gmail or Outlook, as those are the only accounts it takes
- Watch out: it's free today, but the FAQ says paid features for power users may be introduced later
- Tight if your devices are older, as it needs iOS 18 or macOS 15.6 or later
- Watch out: it's offered in 18 listed countries only
Good to know
Good for
- 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
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Extra is free to use.
That includes the AI: the Today tab, Voice Mode and Extra Assist all cost nothing today.
Free
$0
The whole app at no charge: Today tab, automatic categories, bulk unsubscribe, Voice Mode, Extra Assist and multiple Gmail and Outlook accounts.
The 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.
Read from extra.email on Oct 9, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, macOS and iOS
Free AI email app that sorts Gmail and Outlook around your day. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, chat assistant, AI search, email client, inbox filtering.
But it takes Gmail and Outlook accounts only.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- iOS
What it works with
- Gmail
- Google Workspace
- Outlook
Extra is made by BuildForever, Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
41/51
Other email apps it is graded above
Extra's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 41 of the 51 other email apps we grade, and level with 5.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 42 of 51) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Extra has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 52 email apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Extra’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 41 of 51
- AFree plan and trialAbove 42 of 51
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 51
- BEase of useAbove 32 of 51
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 4 of 51
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 50 email apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Extra is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Extra is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 41 of the 51 other email apps we grade.
What you could not
- An email client: sending, receiving, threading and searching years of mail.
- An AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make.
- A search engine with an AI model behind it.
- Filters that read every message as it arrives.
- Apps for macOS and iOS that stay in step with each other.
What this rests on. Extra’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Shortwave, Spark Mail, Edison Mail, Gmail and Superhuman Mail
The 5 tools Extra is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Shortwave
Free plan · from $18/mo
AI email client for Gmail with an assistant, filters and split inbox.
- Only Shortwave lists Windows and Android apps.
- Extra also covers inbox filtering.
- Shortwave also covers templates.
- 3.0GPA
Spark Mail
Free plan · from $8.25/mo
Email client with a unified smart inbox, AI tools and team features.
- Only Extra lists a web app.
- Only Spark Mail lists Windows and Android apps.
- Extra also covers chat assistant, AI search and inbox filtering.
- 3.0GPA
Edison Mail
Free plan · from $14.99/mo
Free multi-account email app with one-tap unsubscribe.
- Only Extra lists a web app.
- Only Extra lists a macOS app.
- Only Edison Mail lists Android and Windows apps.
- 3.0GPA
Gmail
Free plan · from $7/mo
Google's email service, free for personal use with 15 GB of storage.
- Only Extra lists a macOS app.
- Only Gmail lists an Android app.
- Extra also covers chat assistant and AI search.
- 2.2GPA
Superhuman Mail
From $25/mo
Keyboard-driven email client for Gmail and Outlook with built-in AI.
- Extra has a free plan. Superhuman Mail does not.
- Only Superhuman Mail lists Windows and Android apps.
- Only Superhuman Mail lists a browser extension.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Extra free?
Yes. Extra is free to use.
How much does Extra cost?
Extra lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does Extra work on?
Extra is available on iOS, macOS and Web.
How is Extra rated?
Extra's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.8 out of 5 from 384 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
Does Extra have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Extra is listed for iOS, macOS and Web.
Does Extra have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Extra is listed for iOS, macOS and Web.
Is Extra open source?
Extra is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
What does Extra integrate with?
Extra's listing names Gmail, Google Workspace and Outlook. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Extra?
Extra is made by BuildForever, Inc.
What are the alternatives to Extra?
The closest alternatives to Extra in our directory are Shortwave, Spark Mail, Edison Mail, Gmail and Superhuman Mail.
How does Extra compare with other email apps?
Extra's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 41 of the 51 other email apps we grade, and level with 5.
Is Extra good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Extra A for value for money. Extra has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Extra?
Extra is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Extra’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Extra's own pages on 9 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-04-08.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by BuildForever, Inc. Prices change, so check extra.email before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Extra, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/extra
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Extra: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/extra
Know someone choosing between email apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/extra/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded email apps after Extra, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Email Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 52 email apps we grade, compared
- Microsoft Outlook Insider's GuideMicrosoft's email and calendar app for desktop, mobile and web3.6 GPA
- BlueMail Insider's GuideCross-platform email client with a unified inbox and built-in AI3.2 GPA
- Thunderbird Insider's GuideFree, open-source email app for Windows, macOS, Linux and Android3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Extra’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Extra is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by BuildForever, Inc. Prices and plans change: check extra.email before you buy.