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Otto Mail vs Shortwave
Compare Shortwave's Gmail-focused bundles, AI and delivery schedules with Otto's Gmail and Outlook workspace and reviewable assistant work.
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Which one fits you
Pick Otto if
You work across Gmail and Outlook and want the same assistant, calendar and task workflow for both.
Stay with Shortwave if
Your mail is in Gmail and Shortwave's bundles, delivery schedules and integrations fit the way you work.
At a glance
Prices in USD where listed, as of Sept 2026 unless a row gives a later date. — means not verified here, not that a feature is absent. Confirm current offers and billing intervals before subscribing.
| Compare | Otto Mail | Shortwave |
|---|---|---|
| Price (USD where listed, checked Sept–Oct 2026) | Free; Plus $6.99/month or $55.99/year; Pro $19.99/month or $159.99/year | Business $30; Premier $45; Max $120 per seat/month (October 2026) |
| Platforms | Web, iOS | Web, desktop and mobile; check current platform details |
| Gmail + Outlook | Both supported; one account on Free | Gmail and Google Workspace |
| Approval model | Review AI actions; chosen senders may auto-reply under an explicit rule; check the recorded result afterward. | AI actions and Tasklet integration have their own controls |
| Free tier | One connected Gmail or Outlook account with core mail, calendar and tasks, plus an AI allowance. | A free option is documented; paid business plans and a trial also exist |
| Calendar / tasks | Calendar plus Google Tasks or Microsoft To Do for the selected account | Calendar actions, todos and delivery schedules |
Price (USD where listed, checked Sept–Oct 2026)
- Otto Mail
- Free; Plus $6.99/month or $55.99/year; Pro $19.99/month or $159.99/year
- Shortwave
- Business $30; Premier $45; Max $120 per seat/month (October 2026)
Platforms
- Otto Mail
- Web, iOS
- Shortwave
- Web, desktop and mobile; check current platform details
Gmail + Outlook
- Otto Mail
- Both supported; one account on Free
- Shortwave
- Gmail and Google Workspace
Approval model
- Otto Mail
- Review AI actions; chosen senders may auto-reply under an explicit rule; check the recorded result afterward.
- Shortwave
- AI actions and Tasklet integration have their own controls
Free tier
- Otto Mail
- One connected Gmail or Outlook account with core mail, calendar and tasks, plus an AI allowance.
- Shortwave
- A free option is documented; paid business plans and a trial also exist
Calendar / tasks
- Otto Mail
- Calendar plus Google Tasks or Microsoft To Do for the selected account
- Shortwave
- Calendar actions, todos and delivery schedules
Where each app fits
Shortwave has a strong Gmail workflow: bundles, delivery schedules, todos, calendar actions and AI inside the inbox. Its pricing page also describes integrations and Tasklet. Otto serves people who connect Gmail and Outlook and want mail, calendar, tasks and approved assistant work under the selected account.
The overlap is real
Both products help cut through repetitive mail. Otto's sender decisions, newsletter bundles and scheduled focus delivery are available on eligible plans. They organize what you see in Otto; they do not delay delivery to your email account. Otto can also use an owned bundle in a saved routine. See Otto’s automation guide.
Price and fit
Shortwave lists Business at $30, Premier at $45 and Max at $120 per seat each month, with a 14-day trial, as checked in October 2026. Otto Plus is $6.99 a month on monthly billing, against $30 for Shortwave's lowest business seat. Its billing guide also describes a free option, so a business-plan table is not the whole pricing story. Choose Shortwave for a Gmail-centered workflow; choose Otto when Outlook is part of the same day.
Weighing more than two options? See the Shortwave alternatives.
Questions, answered
Does Shortwave have a free option?
Yes. Its billing guide documents a free option alongside paid plans and a trial. Confirm current limits on Shortwave's own plan page.
Can Otto connect Outlook as well as Gmail?
Yes. Otto works with connected Gmail and Outlook accounts; the selected account controls which mailbox, calendar and tasks are in use.
Try your next step in Otto
Core mail, calendar and tasks are free. AI has an allowance.
Open Otto