kitio.aiSpark Mail vs Shortwave
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Spark Mail has the lower starting price: about $10 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
- Smart inbox
- Spark +AI writing
- Email summaries
- Gatekeeper for new senders
- Shared threads
- AI email search
- Reply drafting
- Bundles and reminders
- Team inboxes
- Agent tasks
| Feature | Spark Mail | Shortwave |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Smart email client with AI writing, summaries and team sharing | AI-first email client for Gmail with search and agent features |
| Category | Productivity | Productivity |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Free trial |
| Starting price | $10/mo | $30/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | No, 14-day trial |
| Made by | Readdle | Shortwave |
| Based in | Ukraine | United States |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
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Pricing compared
Spark Mail has the lower starting price: about $10 a month, against $30 for Shortwave.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
4 plans
Free
Free
- Smart Inbox
- Unlimited email accounts
- Calendar
- 5 AI meeting notes (lifetime)
Plus
$10/mo
- Per user
- Spark +AI assistant
- 40 AI meeting notes/month
- Advanced productivity
Pro
$20/mo
- Per user
- Unlimited AI meeting notes
- Autopilot and auto-drafts
- Read statuses
Enterprise
Contact sales
- Security and controls
- Dedicated success manager
- 1:1 productivity coaching
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
Spark Mail
- Works with any email provider
- Free plan for individuals
- Good team collaboration
- Mail passes through Spark servers
- Best AI features are paid
Shortwave
- Excellent AI search over email
- Clean, fast interface
- Strong team features
- Gmail only
- No permanent free plan
Which one should you choose?
Choose Spark Mail if you want:
- Works with any email provider
- Free plan for individuals
- Good team collaboration
Watch out: mail passes through spark servers.
Choose Shortwave if you want:
- Excellent AI search over email
- Clean, fast interface
- Strong team features
Watch out: gmail only.
Spark Mail vs Shortwave FAQ
What is the difference between Spark Mail and Shortwave?
Spark Mail: Smart email client with AI writing, summaries and team sharing. Shortwave: AI-first email client for Gmail with search and agent features. Both are productivity tools.
Is Spark Mail or Shortwave cheaper?
Spark Mail has the lower starting price: about $10 a month, against $30 for Shortwave.
Do Spark Mail and Shortwave have free plans?
Spark Mail: Yes. Shortwave: No, 14-day trial.
Who makes Spark Mail?
Spark Mail is made by Readdle, based in Ukraine.
Who makes Shortwave?
Shortwave is made by Shortwave, based in United States.
Which should I choose, Spark Mail or Shortwave?
Choose Spark Mail if you value works with any email provider and free plan for individuals. Choose Shortwave if you value excellent ai search over email and clean, fast interface.