Mailbird
Mailbird is a desktop email client for Windows that consolidates multiple email accounts, calendars, and task management apps into a single, customizable interface to streamline your daily digital communication.
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 | Mailbird | Shortwave |
|---|---|---|
| Website | mailbird.com | shortwave.com |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Freemium |
| Starting Price | $3.25/month | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 3 days free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✘ No product demo | ✘ No product demo |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2012 | 2020 |
| Headquarters | Aalborg, Denmark | San Francisco, USA |
Overview
Mailbird
Mailbird is a desktop-based email client designed to help you regain control over your inbox. Instead of jumping between browser tabs, you can manage all your accounts—including Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo—from one unified interface. You can customize the layout to match your workflow, choosing from various themes and organizational views that make processing high volumes of mail feel effortless.
Beyond just email, you can integrate your favorite productivity apps like WhatsApp, Slack, and Google Calendar directly into the sidebars. This allows you to chat with teammates or check your schedule without ever leaving your inbox. It is built specifically for Windows users who need a centralized hub for professional communication and personal task management, offering both personal and business-focused licenses.
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
Mailbird Features
- Unified Inbox Manage all your email accounts in one place with a single view that combines every incoming message for faster processing.
- App Integrations Connect tools like WhatsApp, Slack, and Dropbox directly to your sidebar to handle all your communications in one window.
- Customizable Layouts Adjust the interface to your liking with various color themes and layout options that fit your specific visual preferences.
- Speed Reader Power through your emails in record time by viewing text one word at a time at your preferred reading speed.
- Attachment Search Find any document or image instantly with a dedicated attachment search tool that scans across all your connected accounts.
- Snooze Emails Hide non-urgent messages and set them to reappear in your inbox exactly when you are ready to deal with them.
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
Mailbird Pricing
- Unlimited email accounts
- Unified inbox
- Basic app integrations
- Email snoozing
- Customizable themes
- Standard support
- Everything in Standard, plus:
- Priority support
- Advanced app integrations
- Speed reader tool
- Attachment search
- Commercial use license
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
Mailbird
Pros
- Clean and modern interface is easy to navigate
- Unified inbox simplifies managing multiple accounts
- Sidebar integrations reduce the need for browser tabs
- Setup process is quick and mostly automated
Cons
- Only available for Windows users currently
- Free trial period is very short
- Search functionality can be slow with large inboxes
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