Lowtide vs Shortwave: an AI email client, or a list across your tools?
Updated
Short answer: To stop dropping replies while keeping Gmail as it is, Lowtide is the better choice: one list in your Mac’s menu bar of what you owe people across email, Slack and your meeting notes, each with a draft in your voice, free during early access. Shortwave is the better fit if you want a new AI email app for Gmail on every device.
At a glance
| Lowtide | Shortwave | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A Mac menu bar app that keeps one list of what you owe people across your tools | An AI email client built on Gmail |
| Works with | Gmail and Google Calendar (several accounts), Slack, Granola, GitHub, Linear, Claude Code and Codex | Gmail and Google Workspace |
| Runs on | Mac (macOS 26 or later) | Mac, Windows, web, iPhone and Android |
| Price | Free during early access | Free plan; Pro $18 a month; Business plans from $30 per seat a month |
| Emails that need a reply | Yes: emails and Slack messages that need you, ranked, each with the reason it’s there | Partly: AI filters and splits, and its AI can pick out important emails and to-dos |
| Emails nobody answered | Yes: questions you asked by email or Slack that nobody answered come back with a nudge drafted | Yes: reminders when nobody replies |
| Promises from meetings | Yes: what you promised, read from Granola notes or the recap Zoom, Google Meet, Fathom, Fireflies or Otter emails you | No |
| Slack | Yes: messages that need your reply, and questions you asked that nobody answered | Its AI assistant can connect to Slack |
| Drafts in your voice | Yes: learns from your sent mail and from the changes you make | Yes: learns your voice from your sent mail |
| Sends on its own | Never on its own; every send has an 8-second Undo | Not stated on its site |
What’s the difference between Lowtide and Shortwave?
Shortwave is where you read and write your email: a Gmail client with AI search, AI filters that sort mail into splits, and drafts in your voice. Lowtide keeps Gmail as your email app and adds a list, in the menu bar, of what you owe people: the emails and Slack messages that need your reply, questions nobody answered, and what you promised in meetings.
Which is better for following up?
Shortwave reminds you when nobody replies to an email. Lowtide lists unanswered questions from email and Slack under what you’re waiting on, with the follow-up drafted, and waits until the day after any date you asked for.
How much do they cost?
Shortwave has a free plan; Pro is $18 a month and business plans start at $30 per seat a month. Lowtide is free while it’s in early access.
Can you use both?
Yes. Shortwave works on your Gmail account, so Lowtide sees the replies you send from Shortwave and closes those cards.
Choose Lowtide if
- You’d rather keep Gmail and add a list on top.
- Slack and meetings matter as much as email in what you owe.
- You want promises from your meeting notes tracked until they’re done.
Choose Shortwave if
- You want to replace Gmail’s interface with an AI-first email app.
- You want AI search across your whole mailbox.
- You want the same app on Windows, the web and your phone.
Questions people ask
Is Lowtide a Shortwave alternative?
If you looked at Shortwave to stop replies and follow-ups slipping, yes, without switching email apps. If you want a new email client, compare Shortwave with Superhuman and Spark instead.
Does Lowtide work with Google Workspace accounts?
Yes, and with personal Gmail accounts, several side by side.
Sources
What this page says about Shortwave 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.