MarginMail vs Shortwave: where should your mail’s AI run?
Short answer: Shortwave is a Gmail-only mail app built around a powerful cloud AI agent (Claude models on paid plans) that searches, drafts, schedules and organizes, from $30 per seat a month. MarginMail is a native Mac app for Gmail and Workspace where AI is optional and on your terms: Apple Intelligence on your Mac finds requests, and your own Claude writes drafts only when you click. There’s no MarginMail server. MarginMail is free during its beta.
Last checked: October 16, 2026. Prices in USD.
At a glance
| MarginMail | Shortwave | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free during the beta | Business $30, Premier $45, Max $120 per seat/mo; 14-day trial; a limited free individual plan is reported by third parties |
| Platforms | Native Mac (macOS 26+); iPhone companion later | Mac, Windows, web, iOS, Android |
| Accounts | Gmail and Google Workspace, several in one unified inbox | Gmail and Google Workspace; Microsoft 365 not supported |
| What needs you | Margin notes (Follow-ups, Meetings, Requests); the Margins stack | Bundles with delivery schedules, Splits, AI filters, todos from mail |
| Calendar | Built in: unanswered invites marked, A / M / D, find a time with holds | Built-in Google Calendar; the AI can check availability and create events |
| People | A page per person; companies by domain | HubSpot integration; no people view found |
| AI | Optional. Apple Intelligence on your Mac; your own Claude on click (Write it, What’s been decided) | Central. AI agent with search across up to 150 threads, drafts, AI filters, attachment analysis, web browsing, your own MCP servers |
| Models | Apple on-device; your Claude plan | Claude Haiku 4.5 / Sonnet 4.6 / Opus 4.6 by plan; self-hosted open models for much of the work |
| Where AI runs | Apple Intelligence on your Mac; your own Claude plan only if you opt in, on click (that conversation goes to Anthropic under your account). No MarginMail server. | Shortwave’s cloud (Google Cloud); sub-processors include OpenAI, Anthropic, Pinecone |
| AI sends mail | Never | Not documented either way |
| Read receipts | Never | Read statuses and link tracking |
| Security attestations | No server to attest; Mac ↔ Google | CASA Tier 2; SOC 2 not claimed |
| Works with AI off | Yes, fully | AI is the core of the product |
Where Shortwave is the better choice
- You want the most capable AI agent in an inbox today: answers across many threads, multi-step tasks, web browsing.
- You want to connect other tools (HubSpot, Notion, Slack, Asana, Linear, your own MCP servers).
- You need Windows, web or Android.
- Your team works in shared threads with comments.
Where MarginMail is the better choice
- You want AI that runs on your Mac or through your own Claude plan, not a vendor’s cloud.
- You want an app that’s calm and useful with AI off, then better with it on.
- You want people pages and live words that turn “Tuesday with Ava” into free times.
- You want to see every change AI made: Write it flags anything new (recipient, link, number) and never sends.
- You’d rather not pay $30–120 per seat to try something new.
Who should choose which
Shortwave if you want an AI to do as much of your email as possible and you’re comfortable with cloud processing. MarginMail if you want help at the right moment, on your terms, with your mail staying between you and Google.
FAQ
What AI does Shortwave use?
Shortwave’s pricing page names Claude Haiku 4.5, Sonnet 4.6 and Opus 4.6 by plan, and its security page says much of its AI work runs on open-source models on its own hardware. MarginMail uses Apple Intelligence on your Mac and, if you opt in, your own Claude plan, only when you click.
Is there a Shortwave alternative that keeps AI private?
MarginMail is designed for that: AI is optional, runs on your Mac first, and never goes through a MarginMail server. It also works fully with AI off.
Does Shortwave support Outlook?
Shortwave says Microsoft 365 and Exchange aren’t supported. MarginMail also supports Google accounts only today.
Can I use my own Claude with MarginMail?
Yes. MarginMail uses the Claude you already have signed in on your Mac, under your own plan; only the conversation you click on goes to Anthropic. It never sees your login and doesn’t use an API key.
How much does Shortwave cost compared with MarginMail?
Shortwave’s paid plans are $30, $45 and $120 per seat a month as of October 2026. MarginMail is free during its beta.
Sources
- Shortwave pricing: shortwave.com/pricing (read Oct 16, 2026)
- Shortwave security: shortwave.com/security (read Oct 16, 2026)
- Shortwave AI assistant guide: shortwave.com/docs/guides/ai-assistant
- Microsoft account support: shortwave.com/docs/how-tos/microsoft-outlook-exchange-oth…
- Free-plan details (third-party, verified Jul 11, 2026): costbench.com/software/ai-productivity/shortwave/free-plan/
Your AI, your Mac, your call.
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