Hiver
Hiver is a multi-channel customer service platform that transforms your Gmail interface into a collaborative help desk for managing shared inboxes, live chat, and voice support without leaving your email.
Shortwave
Shortwave is an intelligent email client that uses AI to help you organize your inbox, summarize long threads, and draft professional responses to reach inbox zero faster.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Hiver | Shortwave |
|---|---|---|
| Website | hiverhq.com | shortwave.com |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Freemium |
| Starting Price | $15/month | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 7 days free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✘ No product demo |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2011 | 2020 |
| Headquarters | San Jose, USA | San Francisco, USA |
Overview
Hiver
Hiver transforms your existing Gmail interface into a powerful customer service hub. Instead of jumping between different tools, you can manage shared inboxes like support@ or info@ directly from the email environment you already know. You can assign emails to team members with one click, track status in real-time, and write internal notes on email threads to collaborate behind the scenes without forwarding messages to colleagues.
Beyond just email, you can handle live chat, WhatsApp messages, and even voice calls from the same sidebar. It eliminates the need for complex help desk training because it lives right inside Gmail. You can also automate repetitive tasks, build custom reports to track team performance, and ensure no customer query ever falls through the cracks. It is ideal for teams that want professional support capabilities without the steep learning curve of traditional software.
Shortwave
Shortwave is an AI-powered email client designed to transform your messy inbox into a structured workspace. It replaces the traditional list of emails with a focused view that automatically bundles related messages, such as newsletters and promotions, so you can handle them in bulk. You can snooze tasks for later, pin important conversations to the top, and use a built-in calendar to manage your schedule without leaving the app.
The platform integrates advanced AI to help you write better emails and find information instantly. You can ask the AI assistant to summarize long threads, draft replies in your unique voice, or search through your entire history using natural language. It works directly with your existing Gmail account, ensuring your data stays synced across all your devices while providing a much faster, more organized experience.
Overview
Hiver Features
- Shared Inboxes Manage group aliases like support and sales directly from Gmail while keeping track of who is working on what.
- Email Notes Collaborate with your teammates through private notes on email threads instead of using messy forwards or external chat apps.
- Collision Detection See in real-time when another team member is replying to an email so you never send duplicate responses.
- Automated Workflows Set up rules to automatically assign emails based on keywords or sender, saving you hours of manual sorting every week.
- Multi-Channel Support Handle live chat, WhatsApp, and voice calls from a single sidebar without ever leaving your Gmail browser tab.
- Visual Analytics Track key metrics like first response time and resolution rate with built-in dashboards to improve your team performance.
- Email Templates Create and share canned responses with your team to answer common customer questions instantly and maintain a consistent voice.
- Customer Surveys Insert feedback surveys directly into your email signatures to measure customer satisfaction immediately after you resolve an issue.
Shortwave Features
- AI Email Assistant. Draft professional replies, summarize long conversations, and search your inbox using natural language to find exactly what you need.
- Smart Bundling. Automatically group related emails like newsletters and travel updates so you can archive or skip them with a single click.
- Integrated Calendar. View your schedule and join meetings directly from your inbox to manage your time without switching between different apps.
- Voice-to-Email. Dictate your thoughts and let the AI transform your spoken words into perfectly formatted, professional email drafts instantly.
- Thread Summaries. Get instant bulleted summaries of long email chains so you can catch up on complex discussions in seconds.
- Custom Delivery Schedules. Control when specific types of emails hit your inbox to minimize distractions and protect your deep work time.
Pricing Comparison
Hiver Pricing
- Up to 10 users
- 2 Shared Inboxes
- Shared Labels
- Email Notes
- Collision Detection
- Slack Integration
- Everything in Lite, plus:
- Unlimited users
- Unlimited Shared Inboxes
- WhatsApp & Chat channels
- Automations
- Detailed Analytics
- CSAT Surveys
Shortwave Pricing
- 90-day search history
- Limited AI credits
- Standard email features
- Smart bundling
- Mobile and desktop apps
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Unlimited search history
- Increased AI credits
- Custom delivery schedules
- Priority support
- Advanced AI drafting
Pros & Cons
Hiver
Pros
- Zero learning curve since it works entirely inside Gmail
- Eliminates duplicate replies with effective collision detection
- Internal notes keep team communication organized and private
- Setup is extremely fast compared to traditional help desks
Cons
- Requires a Google Workspace account to function
- Mobile app experience is more limited than desktop
- Can feel cluttered if managing many shared inboxes
- No forever-free tier for very small startups
Shortwave
Pros
- Intuitive bundling makes clearing your inbox much faster
- AI summaries accurately capture key points from long threads
- Clean interface reduces visual clutter and mental fatigue
- Seamless synchronization with your existing Gmail account
- Powerful search finds specific details using natural language
Cons
- Currently only supports Gmail and Google Workspace accounts
- Free version has a limited 90-day search history
- Learning curve for users used to traditional layouts