kitio.aiCanary Mail vs Shortwave
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Canary Mail has the lower starting price: about $3 a month, against $30 for Shortwave.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- AI copilot
- Thread summaries
- Natural-language search
- PGP encryption
- Unified inbox
- AI email search
- Reply drafting
- Bundles and reminders
- Team inboxes
- Agent tasks
| Feature | Canary Mail | Shortwave |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Privacy-focused email app with an AI copilot for writing and triage | AI-first email client for Gmail with search and agent features |
| Category | Productivity | Productivity |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Free trial |
| Starting price | $36/yr | $30/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | No, 14-day trial |
| Made by | Canary Mail | Shortwave |
| Based in | – | United States |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
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Pricing compared
Canary Mail has the lower starting price: about $3 a month, against $30 for Shortwave.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
3 plans
Free
Free
- Unified inbox
- Read receipts (lite)
- Snooze, pin and templates
Growth
$36/yr
- AI Copilot
- Read receipts and send later
- Calendar and scheduling
- Inbox cleaner
Pro+
$100/yr
- Everything in Growth
- PGP and SecureSend encryption
- Phishing and impersonation detection
- Priority support
3 plans
Business
$30/mo
- Per seat
- Standard intelligence
- 5 years AI search history
- 3 AI-powered filters
Premier
$45/mo
- Per seat
- Advanced intelligence, 2x AI usage
- Unlimited AI search history
- 10 AI-powered filters
Max
$120/mo
- Per seat
- Expert intelligence, 6x AI usage
- 50 AI-powered filters
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Canary Mail
- Works with many providers
- Encryption support
- Affordable plans
- Less polished than top rivals
- Some features Apple-first
Shortwave
- Excellent AI search over email
- Clean, fast interface
- Strong team features
- Gmail only
- No permanent free plan
Which one should you choose?
Choose Canary Mail if you want:
- Works with many providers
- Encryption support
- Affordable plans
Watch out: less polished than top rivals.
Choose Shortwave if you want:
- Excellent AI search over email
- Clean, fast interface
- Strong team features
Watch out: gmail only.
Canary Mail vs Shortwave FAQ
What is the difference between Canary Mail and Shortwave?
Canary Mail: Privacy-focused email app with an AI copilot for writing and triage. Shortwave: AI-first email client for Gmail with search and agent features. Both are productivity tools.
Is Canary Mail or Shortwave cheaper?
Canary Mail has the lower starting price: about $3 a month, against $30 for Shortwave.
Do Canary Mail and Shortwave have free plans?
Canary Mail: Yes. Shortwave: No, 14-day trial.
Who makes Canary Mail?
Canary Mail is made by Canary Mail.
Who makes Shortwave?
Shortwave is made by Shortwave, based in United States.
Which should I choose, Canary Mail or Shortwave?
Choose Canary Mail if you value works with many providers and encryption support. Choose Shortwave if you value excellent ai search over email and clean, fast interface.