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Revo vs Shortwave: Which email AI is best?
Revo delivers 10x better emails by giving you the full picture across all your tools, ensuring every draft is powered by your team's collective knowledge rather than just your inbox history.
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What makes Revo the best alternative — a deep dive.
Pricing
Starter: $22.50/mo, Professional: $37.50/mo, Enterprise: Custom
Business: $24/mo, Premier: $36/mo, Max: $100/mo
Business Context
Pulls live data from CRM, Slack, meetings, and tools before drafting
AI limited to Gmail history
CRM-Aware Replies
Uses Salesforce and other CRM data inside replies
No CRM-informed drafting
Task Execution
Turns emails into actions and follow-ups automatically
No built-in task execution
Team Intelligence
Shared AI context across the organization
Individual-level AI only
Slack-Aware Drafting
Slack conversations inform responses
No Slack-based drafting context
Outlook Support
Native Gmail + Outlook support
Gmail-focused only
Automation Depth
Workflow-level email automation tied to business data
Primarily inbox organization and speed
Meeting Intelligence
Uses meeting outcomes to shape replies
No native meeting context
Ready to try Revo?
Free 7-day trial. Cancel anytime.
Growing teams outgrow inbox-only AI. Revo connects live business context to every email, so replies are accurate and tasks don’t slip through. It’s built for execution, not just organization.
Not every “smart inbox” feature actually helps your team get work done. Here’s where Shortwave hits limits.
Paywall-Gated Features
Some essential features, like read receipts, are only available on higher-tier plans.
Revo gives core intelligence across all plans.
Limited AI Customization
You can’t teach Shortwave to reflect your team’s tone or priorities.
Revo adapts to your business style automatically.
No Cross-Platform Workflow
Shortwave is Gmail-only, so switching between tools breaks your workflow.
Revo integrates across email, Slack, and project tools.
No Persistent Team Memory
AI forgets context outside recent threads.
Revo retains knowledge across projects, deals, and team conversations for smarter replies.
Email Automation That Actually Moves Your Business Forward
Shortwave speeds up replies, but Revo turns emails into tasks and actionable follow-ups across your team.
Start free trialSee the difference
Same email. Two AI tools. Watch what happens when one knows your business, and one doesn't.
Shortwave is handy for inbox speed but falls short on business context and team workflows.
What users like
- Clean, clutter-free inbox
- Smart email bundling
- Quick AI suggestions
- Fast search across Gmail
What Users Don’t Like
- Limited business context
- No task automation
- Gmail-only support
- Features locked behind paywall
Who founded Shortwave?
Founded 2020 by Andrew Lee (CEO), Jacob Wenger (CPO), and Jonny Dimond (CTO). All three were core developers at Firebase before Google's acquisition. Andrew Lee was Director of Engineering at Google post-acquisition.
Funding
- Series A (April 2020): $9 million
- Investors: Union Square Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Afore Capital
Revenue
$1.9M ARR (2025), 17 employees.
Pricing
- Free: 90-day history, "Sent with Shortwave" signature
- Business: $24/month (billed annually)
- Premier: $36/month (billed annually)
- Max: $100/month (billed annually)
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Andrew Lee has appeared on multiple podcasts discussing Shortwave's AI-first approach.
Podcast appearances
- Cognitive Revolution (March 2025): "Inbox Agents, Hyper-Growth & Hiring AI Managers"
- The Gradient Podcast: "How AI will Shape the Future of Email"
- AI Summer Podcast: "Running an AI-focused startup"
Press coverage
- TechCrunch: "Shortwave email client will show AI-powered summaries automatically"
- TechCrunch: "Shortwave gets $9M to bring back Google Inbox"
- The New Stack: "How Shortwave Wants To Reinvent Email With AI"
Choose Revo if you’re ready for more than an AI writing assistant.
Shortwave’s Core Limitations
- Gmail-only experience, no native Outlook support
- No deep integrations with tools like Jira, Slack, or Salesforce
- Limited automation beyond inbox-level actions
- No cross-functional visibility
Where Revo Wins
With Intelligence Modules, your inbox understands real team context across Slack, Jira, CRM, and meetings – not just a single thread.
FAQ
Got questions? We've got expert-backed answers to help you navigate every step of your journey.