Skip to content
effecthub

MailReply 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. MailReply starts at $19, Shortwave at $30. Only MailReply has a free tier.

MailReplyDesktop app that reads an incoming message and drafts the reply for you to editShortwaveAI-first email client for Gmail with deep assistant search

Side by side

FactMailReplyShortwave
CategoryEmail WritingEmail Management
Pricing modelFreemiumPaid
Starts at$19 seat_month$30 month
Public APINoNo
PlatformsmacOS, WindowsWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
CompanyIYIAShortwave Communications, Inc.
Last verifiedSep 6, 2026Sep 6, 2026

What our research says

MailReply

MailReply's angle is that it is a desktop app rather than a mailbox integration, so it works across whichever client you happen to use and never asks for OAuth into your inbox. That also means it is doing less: no threading, no triage, no send-side automation, just a drafted reply you paste. At $19 a seat for 200 emails a month, the per-message cost is high for what it is.

Pros

  • Native Windows and macOS builds instead of a browser extension
  • Works with any mail client rather than one provider's API
  • Every draft is shown for review and editing before sending
  • A free preview version is offered before a licence purchase

Cons

  • Hard monthly caps of 200 and 500 generated emails per seat
  • No mobile, Linux or web version at all
  • The vendor is identified only as IYIA, with no country, entity or address

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 MailReply if you need

  • People who switch between Outlook, Gmail and other clients
  • Users who would rather not grant a web app inbox access
  • Support or sales staff sending a moderate volume of similar replies

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

More comparisons

Browse all Email Writing →