Shortwave: Review of the AI Email Client for Gmail

Shortwave is an email management application with AI designed to transform Gmail’s inbox into a fast, organized and collaborative workspace. Its proposition is direct: use artificial intelligence to organize the inbox, draft and improve emails, automate tasks and find information naturally, all without leaving email. In a context where SMEs live between quotes, support and client coordination, a well-prioritized inbox isn’t a luxury; it’s tangible productivity and focus to close sales, collect on time and serve better. This Shortwave review evaluates its practical value for small and medium enterprises, with focus on automation, multi-account Gmail, mobile apps and security.

AgentAya Verdict: Shortwave

Shortwave stands out for integrating artificial intelligence at product level: it’s not an “add-on,” but the layer that powers natural language search, summaries, smart filters and assisted writing with contextual autocomplete. For SMEs depending on Gmail, the fit is solid: it organizes, prioritizes and executes tasks from email itself, with real-time collaboration (shared threads, private comments, assignments) and native applications on iOS, Android, Mac and Windows. It adds, additionally, AI integrations with key tools (Slack, Notion, Asana, HubSpot, Linear and more), an assistant that understands the context of what you see on screen and advanced features like AI memory, web browsing with AI and automatic filters in natural language.

Key limits: interface, documentation and support oriented to English; the ecosystem is centered on Gmail and Google Workspace (guides exist to coexist with other providers, but optimal experience is with Gmail). Recommendation: SMEs with high Gmail volume, remote teams and founders who measure business in hours saved per day.

Score Breakdown

Category	Score	Brief Description
Features and Functionality	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5.0)	Summaries, search and filters in natural language; comprehensive AI focus
Integrations	⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.0)	Gmail/Google Calendar and connection with apps like Slack, Notion, Asana, HubSpot; MCP support
Language and Support	⭐⭐⭐ (3.0)	Interface and documents in English; email support
Ease of Use	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5.0)	Modern interface, low curve; quick adoption on web and mobile
Value for Money	⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.0)	Functional free plan, free trial and paid levels oriented to business

AgentAya Overall Score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.0 / 5

Recommendable for SMEs working on Gmail and seeking productivity with AI.

Main Features

• Automatically organized inbox: groupings for promotions and newsletters; emails convertible to tasks with priority, notes and reminders; quick reading with summaries at the start of each thread.
• Advanced search with AI and natural language: finds data in emails and attachments; can also analyze team information when corresponding access is shared.
• Filters with AI in natural language: write simple instructions (in English) to label, mark, archive, highlight or prioritize; rules understand content context.
• Writing and improvement with AI: writing from scratch, rewriting by tone and length, summaries and predictive autocomplete that learns your style (adapts to your writing style from sent emails).
• Real-time collaboration: shared threads, private comments on an email, assignment of “next steps” and completion status at team level; links to threads to integrate them into other tools.
• Integrated calendar and scheduling: proposes schedules, creates events and drafts coordination emails without leaving the client.
• Additional productivity: delivery schedules (to receive emails in blocks), follow-up reminders, read status, link tracking, recent opening log, “do not disturb” and granular notification controls.
• Agile experience: native apps on desktop and mobile, commands to navigate with keyboard only, customizable themes, saved searches and multi-account support for Gmail/Google Workspace.

These capabilities reduce unproductive time in prioritization, follow-up and writing: a key saving for SMEs with limited resources.

AI Functions

• Automatic summaries at the top of each thread for ultra-fast reading.
• Search and analysis in natural language: understands complex queries and returns answers or lists of relevant threads; can cover a significant number of threads and history of several years depending on plan.
• Custom filters with AI: understands natural language descriptions to automate labeling, archiving, marking as important or featured, and more.
• Autocomplete and contextual rewriting: suggestions while you write with real facts extracted from your history and adaptation to desired tone.
• Smart Snooze and reminders: proposes appropriate moments to resume each thread.
• Scheduling and agenda with AI: queries availability, creates events and drafts coordination emails with one instruction.
• AI memory: configures persistent preferences (“remember that…”), writing style and work processes for coherent responses over time.
• AI integrations: connects with Slack, Notion, Asana, HubSpot, Linear, Zapier and a web browser to provide external context; compatible with custom MCP servers.

The AI stands out in organization, filtering, writing and connected actions (for example, converting an email into a task in Asana or updating a note in Notion through integrations and MCP).

Integrations

Shortwave works natively on Gmail and Google Calendar, and adds AI integrations with Slack, Notion, Asana, HubSpot, Linear, GitHub and Zapier. From configuration, one-click integrations are enabled and, if needed, MCP servers connect to extend reach to virtually any service with API or to standardize interaction between agents and applications.

Although it doesn’t integrate WhatsApp directly, it coexists well with the usual ecosystem of SMEs using Google Workspace and modern collaborative tools. For technical teams, MCP allows creating custom integrations without depending solely on closed connectors.

Security and Data Compliance

Shortwave declares a “by design” security approach to handle emails, attachments and sensitive metadata. Main points:

• Compliance and audits: CASA Tier 2 verification with annual audit; GDPR alignment and SOC 2 Type II availability for organizations requiring it (via commercial contact).
• Google verification: compliance with Google’s data policy for services with Gmail/Workspace access and approval in Google Workspace Marketplace.
• Account protections: compatibility with Google Advanced Protection.
• Infrastructure and encryption: all data is hosted on Google Cloud, with encryption at rest (AES-256) and in transit (TLS 1.2+), and defense in depth at network, service and application level.

For regulated SMEs, operational recommendation is to enable multi-factor authentication, define team permissions and request from sales the formal evidence (for example, SOC 2 report and specific data processing agreements when applicable).

Language – Customer Support and Interface

Documentation, communications and help channels are oriented to English. There are best practice guides, help center and detailed “how-to” articles. For international teams with functional English proficiency, adoption is viable; in teams with little English it may require additional support.

AI Language – The Tool Itself

The interface is in English. AI functions and automations can process content in other languages, but the most polished experience (especially in filters and semantic search) is achieved by writing instructions and queries in English. For international SMEs with a bilingual team, this isn’t a barrier; if the team doesn’t master the language, it’s recommended to create a set of standardized prompts and templates.

Mobile Access

Shortwave offers native apps for iOS and Android, plus desktop for Mac and Windows, with fluid synchronization and almost all key functions: prioritization, summaries, autocomplete, filters and collaboration. It also has installation as PWA, notification controls, “do not disturb” and multi-account support, useful for those managing multiple Gmail/Google Workspace addresses.

Support, Onboarding Process, and Account Management

The onboarding process is clear and guided. Guides cover from migration and multi-account use to configuration of groupings, inbox divisions, AI filters and assistant memories. The command palette and shortcuts allow working almost without using the mouse. For teamwork, it includes shared threads, private comments and assignment of responsible parties; additionally, it allows sharing labels and creating an AI-consultable email archive at team level.

Ease of Use / UX

The interface is clean and fast. AI accompanies without interfering: it appears when you draft, filter or search, and proposes actions on email blocks to accelerate triage (classification). Scheduled delivery and grouping options help work in batches and avoid constant interruptions. For SMEs, this translates to less time “inside email” and more time in commercial and operational execution.

Pricing and Plans

Shortwave has a free plan with limitations and paid levels oriented to business and enterprises. The free trial allows validating productivity return. As you move up levels, AI search history increases, the limit of threads analyzed per search, the amount of available AI filters and the “cognitive capacity” of the assistant (more context, more precise responses). High plans add priority support and personalized training. There’s a modality for organizations with advanced integration, compliance, security or support requirements.

Case Study

A creative agency with five people migrated their email operation to Shortwave to centralize proposals, reviews and approvals. Before, losing a critical thread among newsletters and notifications was common. After configuring automatic groupings and AI filters to detect “approved,” “review” and “urgent,” the team reduced daily prioritization time by almost half. Creatives use automatic summaries to enter long threads in seconds and delegate through email assignment instead of forwarding.

Result: more on-time deliveries and fewer hours inside email. Additionally, with read status and link tracking, they prioritize commercial follow-up with objective data.

Shortwave vs Alternatives

Criterion	Shortwave	MailMaestro	Mailbutler
Main Focus	Email client with integrated AI on Gmail: organized inbox, search and AI filters; calendar and collaboration included	AI assistant within Outlook/Gmail (add-on) to draft, summarize and organize	Extension for Apple Mail, Gmail and Outlook that adds AI, tracking and templates
Integrations	Google Calendar; Slack, Notion, Asana, HubSpot, Linear, GitHub and Zapier; expansion via MCP	Works in Outlook/Gmail and leverages leading AI models	AI features, tracking and templates on existing email client
Security	Security by design, encryption in transit/at rest, Google verification, CASA Tier 2; SOC 2/GDPR options	Aligned to client and provider framework; review policies	Adds features on existing clients; review provider and service policies
Ease of Use	Very high; cohesive web/mobile flow	High if you already work in Outlook/Gmail and prefer not to change client	High if you want to keep your current client with extra features

Comparative conclusion:

If your company works with Gmail and wants comprehensive AI with minimal friction, Shortwave is coherent and scalable. If your environment is Outlook or you prefer AI features integrated within existing clients, MailMaestro or Mailbutler allow direct adaptation without changing interface.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Shortwave a good option for SMEs? 

Yes. Especially for SMEs using Gmail and needing to organize email, summarize long threads and delegate tasks from email. Free trial allows validating time savings before deploying across the entire team.

Does Shortwave support other languages in interface or AI? 

Interface and documentation are in English and AI functions are optimized for English. It can work with content in other languages.

What integrations does it offer and what is MCP? 

Works on Gmail and Google Calendar and connects with Slack, Notion, Asana, HubSpot, Linear, GitHub and Zapier. MCP (Model Context Protocol) allows linking apps and AI agents to execute actions from email and create custom integrations.

How is the pricing scheme? 

There’s a free plan with limitations, paid levels for professional use and an enterprise option with advanced administration. Free trial exists to evaluate value.

What security and privacy guarantees does it offer? 

Encryption in transit and at rest, storage on Google Cloud, Google verification, Advanced Protection compatibility, CASA Tier 2 compliance with audit, SOC 2 Type II/GDPR options via sales.