Lowtide vs alfred_: two assistants that keep track of what needs you
Updated
Short answer: Both keep a list of what needs you and draft replies that wait for you to send. For Mac users on Gmail, Lowtide is the better choice: Slack messages, meeting promises, pull request reviews and coding-agent approvals land in the same short list without being asked for, and it’s free during early access. alfred_ is the better fit if you use Outlook or iCloud, or want your assistant on your iPhone or by text message.
At a glance
| Lowtide | alfred_ | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A Mac menu bar app that keeps one list of what you owe people across your tools | An AI executive assistant with a Needs you list and a daily brief |
| Works with | Gmail and Google Calendar (several accounts), Slack, Granola, GitHub, Linear, Claude Code and Codex | Gmail, Outlook, iCloud or any IMAP mailbox (up to six), their calendars, Slack and Teams |
| Runs on | Mac (macOS 26 or later) | Web, iPhone, text messages, Slack, Teams, and inside Claude and ChatGPT |
| Price | Free during early access | From $25 a month billed annually (from $29.99 monthly); Pro $37.50 a month billed annually; 7-day trial with a card |
| Emails that need a reply | Yes: emails and Slack messages that need you, ranked, each with the reason it’s there | Yes: a Needs you list of requests waiting on your answer |
| Emails nobody answered | Yes: questions you asked by email or Slack that nobody answered come back with a nudge drafted | Yes: what you’re waiting on is in your morning brief |
| Promises from meetings | Yes: what you promised, read from Granola notes or the recap Zoom, Google Meet, Fathom, Fireflies or Otter emails you | Reads your Granola notes when you ask; doesn’t add their action items to its list on its own |
| Slack | Yes: messages that need your reply, and questions you asked that nobody answered | Sees the channels and DMs you’re in, and answers who’s waiting on you when you ask |
| Drafts in your voice | Yes: learns from your sent mail and from the changes you make | Yes: from the thread and your past messages to that person |
| Sends on its own | Never on its own; every send has an 8-second Undo | No: every draft waits for you |
What’s the difference between Lowtide and alfred_?
They’re the closest of any two tools here: both read your mail, keep a short list of what needs you, remember who you’re waiting on, and write drafts you approve. The difference is how you work with them. alfred_ is an assistant you talk to, on the web, on your iPhone, by text message, in Slack or Teams, or inside ChatGPT and Claude, and it runs routines on your mail. Lowtide is a quiet list in your Mac’s menu bar that brings things to you as they come up, across email, Slack, your meetings and your development tools.
Which is better for Slack?
alfred_ can see the channels and DMs you’re in, and you can ask it whether anyone is waiting on you there. Lowtide puts the Slack messages that need your reply in the same list as your email, without being asked, each with a reply drafted, and brings back questions you asked in Slack that nobody answered after a day.
What about meetings?
alfred_ reads your Granola notes and transcripts when you ask it about a meeting. Lowtide reads them on its own once a meeting ends, turns what you promised into cards with due dates that stay until you deliver, tracks what others promised you, and offers a recap email to everyone who was there.
How much do they cost?
alfred_ starts at $25 a month billed annually, or $29.99 month to month, with a 7-day trial that takes a card; Pro is $37.50 a month billed annually, and larger plans add credits and custom workflows. Lowtide is free while it’s in early access.
Can you use both?
They don’t conflict, since both read your Gmail. You’d get two sets of drafts for the same emails, though, so most people will want one.
Choose Lowtide if
- You work on a Mac with Gmail, and much of what you owe is in Slack.
- You want promises from your meeting notes tracked until they’re done, without asking.
- You review pull requests, work in Linear, or run Claude Code or Codex.
- You want something free to try today.
Choose alfred_ if
- You use Outlook, iCloud or another IMAP mailbox.
- You want your assistant on your iPhone, or to text it.
- You like asking questions in Slack, ChatGPT or Claude and getting answers from your mail and calendar.
- You want routines that sort mail on a schedule.
Questions people ask
Is Lowtide an alfred_ alternative?
Yes, for Gmail users on a Mac. Both keep a list of what needs you and draft in your voice; Lowtide adds Slack, meeting promises and development work to the same list, while alfred_ adds Outlook, iCloud, an iPhone app and texting.
Does either one send emails on its own?
No. Both write drafts and wait for you. In Lowtide, every send also waits eight seconds with Undo.
Does Lowtide have an iPhone app?
Not yet. Lowtide is a Mac app, in the menu bar and in a window.
Sources
What this page says about alfred_ comes from its own site, checked on October 20, 2026. Products change; if something here is out of date, tell us through the form on our home page and we’ll fix it.