Aeralis vs Shortwave in 2026: Gmail Add-on vs AI Email Client

TL;DR: This really comes down to one question: are you willing to leave Gmail? Shortwave is a genuinely nice AI-first email client, but using it means changing clients entirely — new interface, new shortcuts, new mobile apps. Aeralis is a Gmail add-on, so you keep everything and layer AI on top. Shortwave is $9/month with real AI features. Aeralis is $14/month Pro with a free tier, plus style learning and multiple profiles Shortwave doesn't have. The choice is less about features and more about lifestyle.

Aeralis vs Shortwave: at a glance

	Aeralis	Shortwave
Starting price	Free (15 emails/mo)	Free (limited AI)
Paid starting tier	$14/month (Pro)	$9/month (Personal)
Business tier	$29/month	$40/month
Replaces Gmail?	No, runs inside	Yes, full client
Style learning	Yes, forward 3 sent emails	Limited
Multiple profiles	Up to 10	No
AI drafts	Yes	Yes
AI search	No (uses Gmail search)	Yes, semantic
AI summaries	No	Yes
Grounding tools	Context URLs, Search, Maps, Files	No
Outlook support	Yes	No
Real-time processing	Yes (not stored)	No (server-side)

The client question

Shortwave is a full email client. It connects to your Gmail, but you stop using the Gmail interface and start using Shortwave's. New shortcuts. New mobile apps (iOS and Android). New muscle memory.

If you love Gmail's interface — the keyboard shortcuts, the labels, the way search works — that's a real cost. If you've been frustrated with Gmail for years and always meant to try something better, Shortwave is a great excuse to switch.

Aeralis doesn't touch your client. It installs as a Workspace Add-on, which just means it shows up as a sidebar icon inside Gmail. Everything else stays exactly as it was.

For most people, "do I need to change clients?" is the biggest factor in this decision. Everything below is details.

What Shortwave does that Aeralis doesn't

Shortwave has two AI features that are genuinely impressive and don't have obvious Gmail-native equivalents:

Semantic search. You ask something like "what did we decide about the Acme pricing" and Shortwave surfaces the thread without needing exact keywords. This is one of those features that feels magical once you've used it enough.

Thread summaries. Long back-and-forth conversations get condensed into a few bullets. Useful after vacation or for catching up on a project thread you haven't looked at in a week.

Aeralis doesn't offer either. It uses Gmail's native search (which is fast but keyword-based) and doesn't produce standalone summaries. If these features are the reason you're considering Shortwave, Aeralis won't replace them.

What Aeralis does that Shortwave doesn't

Style learning. Shortwave's AI adapts somewhat to your writing over time, but there's no explicit training. Aeralis has a profile-specific inbound address — forward three sent emails and the AI starts picking up your voice.

Multiple profiles. Aeralis lets you run up to ten profiles with separate styles, separate grounding, separate contexts. Shortwave has one voice per account.

Grounding on your own data. Context URLs, Google Search, Google Maps, document uploads — Aeralis can cite your actual sources in drafts. Shortwave's AI uses inbox context, but can't pull in external documents or URLs the way Aeralis can.

Real-time processing. Aeralis doesn't store your emails. Shortwave stores your inbox server-side to power semantic search and summaries. That's a design decision Shortwave is transparent about, but if privacy is a hard requirement for your work, it matters.

Pricing

Shortwave Personal is $9/month. Aeralis Pro is $14/month. For personal use, Shortwave is cheaper.

At the business tier, it flips. Shortwave Business is $40/month, Aeralis Business is $29/month. Over a year on a 10-person team, that's a $1,320 difference.

Both have free tiers, but Aeralis's is more generous for daily use (15 emails/month, no credit card). Shortwave's free tier gates most of its AI features.

Outlook

Aeralis supports Outlook through an Azure AD add-in. Shortwave is Gmail only.

If any part of your team is on Outlook, this eliminates Shortwave.

Who should pick Shortwave

You've been wanting to leave Gmail. Semantic search and AI summaries are the reason you're switching. You're OK with server-side processing. You don't particularly need multi-profile writing. Personal use at $9/month fits your budget.

Who should pick Aeralis

You like Gmail (or at least don't want to change clients). You want drafts that sound like you. You handle multiple audiences and want separate profiles. You need grounding in specific data. Privacy matters. Anyone on your team uses Outlook.

Can you use both?

Technically yes — both connect to Gmail. In practice, most people pick one, because each assumes you live in its primary interface.

The closest thing to a useful hybrid: use Shortwave as your main client and forward specific voice-critical emails to a separate Gmail tab where Aeralis lives. It's a weird workflow but some users do it.

Trying each

Shortwave: sign up, connect Gmail, download the mobile apps. You'll need a few hours to adapt to the new interface.

Aeralis: install the Workspace Add-on, create a profile, forward three sent emails. Total time is under 10 minutes and nothing about your existing setup changes.

Bottom line

Shortwave is the right call if you're genuinely ready to change email clients and want an AI-first experience. The semantic search alone makes it worth considering.

Aeralis is the right call if you're staying in Gmail and want better writing in your own voice. It's cheaper at the business tier, has a more generous free tier, and supports Outlook.

The features matter, but the client question matters more. Answer that first.

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• 7 Best Shortwave Alternatives in 2026
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