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Canary Mail vs Shortwave

Two fact sheets from our own research, side by side — pricing, platforms, API access and status re-checked by us rather than quoted from the vendors. Canary Mail starts at $36, Shortwave at $30. Only Canary Mail has a free tier.

Canary MailCross-platform email client with PGP, read receipts and an AI copilot for drafts and summaries.ShortwaveAI-first email client for Gmail with deep assistant search

Side by side

FactCanary MailShortwave
CategoryEmail ManagementEmail Management
Pricing modelFreemiumPaid
Starts at$36 year$30 month
Public APINoNo
PlatformsmacOS, Windows, iOS, Android, WebWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
CompanyCartasec Pte. Ltd.Shortwave Communications, Inc.
Last verifiedSep 6, 2026Sep 6, 2026

What our research says

Canary Mail

One of the few mail clients that ships real encryption rather than just an AI compose box - PGP, HIPAA-oriented SecureSend and misdirected-recipient checks sit behind the same $100-a-year licence that covers every platform. The free tier is genuinely usable on two devices. Device caps rather than seats are the thing to watch, and there is no API or team administration.

Pros

  • Native clients for Mac, Windows, iOS and Android under one per-user licence
  • PGP plus SecureSend encryption aimed at HIPAA workflows
  • Phishing, impersonation and misdirected-recipient detection built in
  • AI copilot drafts replies, summarises threads and categorises mail
  • Free tier on two devices and lifetime purchase options as an alternative to subscriptions

Cons

  • Paid plans cap you at 5 devices, which is tight for a multi-device user
  • Lifetime licence prices are advertised but not published
  • No API, shared inbox or team administration
  • Published entity is a Singapore company with no address given on the site

Shortwave

The strongest AI layer on Gmail right now, priced accordingly: $30 a seat is Superhuman money for a product whose real value is search and the assistant, not keyboard shortcuts. Worth it only if you interrogate old mail rather than just triage new mail.

Pros

  • AI search across multi-year history is the feature rivals handle worst
  • Real desktop apps for macOS and Windows plus iOS and Android, not a web wrapper
  • Collaboration is built in rather than bolted on
  • Model class is an explicit priced choice instead of a black box

Cons

  • No free plan and no cheap individual tier any more
  • Gmail-only, which rules out a large share of business mail
  • The $120 Max seat is hard to justify outside very heavy use
  • No public API to build on

Which one fits

Choose Canary Mail if you need

  • People who want PGP without configuring it themselves
  • Professionals handling regulated correspondence on their own account
  • Users on several platforms who want one licence covering all of them

Choose Shortwave if you need

  • People whose job is finding things buried in years of email: recruiters, founders, account managers
  • Small teams wanting shared threads and assignment without adopting a helpdesk
  • Gmail users who liked Google Inbox and want a modern equivalent

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