Microsoft 365 vs Shortwave Comparison: Reviews, Features, Pricing & Alternatives in 2026

Detailed side-by-side comparison to help you choose the right solution for your team

Updated Apr 2026 8 min read

Microsoft 365

0.0 (0 reviews)

Microsoft 365 is a cloud-based subscription service that brings together premium Office apps, intelligent cloud services, and advanced security to help you achieve more across your professional and personal life.

Starting at $6/mo
Free Trial 30 days
VS

Shortwave

0.0 (0 reviews)

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.

Starting at Free
Free Trial NO FREE TRIAL

Quick Comparison

Feature Microsoft 365 Shortwave
Website microsoft.com shortwave.com
Pricing Model Subscription Freemium
Starting Price $6/month Free
FREE Trial ✓ 30 days free trial ✘ No free trial
Free Plan ✘ No free plan ✓ Has free plan
Product Demo ✓ Request demo here ✘ No product demo
Deployment saas mobile desktop cloud mobile desktop
Integrations Salesforce Adobe Creative Cloud Slack Zoom DocuSign GitHub ServiceNow Trello Dropbox Zapier Gmail Google Workspace Google Calendar Slack
Target Users small-business mid-market enterprise freelancer solopreneur small-business mid-market
Target Industries
Customer Count 0 0
Founded Year 1975 2020
Headquarters Redmond, USA San Francisco, USA

Overview

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Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365 provides you with a complete suite of productivity tools designed to help you create, communicate, and collaborate from anywhere. You get access to familiar applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, enhanced with real-time co-authoring and AI-powered features. Whether you are writing a report, analyzing data, or building a presentation, you can work across your desktop, tablet, and mobile devices with files that stay synced automatically.

Beyond document creation, the platform serves as your central hub for teamwork through Microsoft Teams and secure cloud storage via OneDrive. You can host video meetings, chat with colleagues, and share files securely with internal and external partners. It solves the problem of fragmented workflows by consolidating your email, calendar, and project files into a single, secure ecosystem that protects your data with enterprise-grade security features.

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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

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Microsoft 365 Features

  • Real-Time Co-authoring Work on the same document simultaneously with your teammates and see their changes happen instantly in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
  • Intelligent Cloud Storage Store your files in OneDrive to access them from any device and share them securely with anyone inside or outside your organization.
  • Unified Communication Host high-definition video calls, instant message your team, and manage group projects all within the Microsoft Teams interface.
  • Advanced Security Protect your business data across all devices with built-in malware protection, encryption, and multi-factor authentication to prevent unauthorized access.
  • AI-Powered Assistance Improve your writing, design better slides, and analyze complex data faster with intelligent suggestions built directly into your favorite apps.
  • Cross-Device Syncing Start a project on your office desktop and finish it on your mobile phone with apps that remember exactly where you left off.
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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

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Microsoft 365 Pricing

Microsoft 365 Business Basic
$6
  • Web and mobile versions of Office apps
  • 1 TB of cloud storage per user
  • Business-class email (50 GB mailbox)
  • Microsoft Teams for up to 300 users
  • Standard security and support
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Shortwave Pricing

Free
$0
  • 90-day search history
  • Limited AI credits
  • Standard email features
  • Smart bundling
  • Mobile and desktop apps

Pros & Cons

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Microsoft 365

Pros

  • Industry-standard tools ensure compatibility with clients and partners
  • Massive cloud storage included with every paid seat
  • Seamless integration between email, calendar, and file storage
  • Regular feature updates and security patches included automatically

Cons

  • Desktop applications can be resource-heavy on older computers
  • Initial setup and admin portal have a learning curve
  • Offline syncing occasionally experiences conflicts during heavy collaboration
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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
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