Can I start using Shortwave for free?

Updated

Yes. Shortwave's homepage invites you to "Get started for free" and states "No credit card required," so you can create an account and begin using the AI email assistant without paying upfront or entering payment details. The site also links to a Pricing page, which is where you'd check what paid plans exist and what they include before committing to anything.

What the free entry point actually covers

The "Get started for free" call to action sits directly under the product's core pitch: "Save hours each day with the Shortwave Agent — organize, schedule, write and search with just a prompt." That framing tells you what you're signing up to try, not a stripped-down demo. The features listed on the homepage include:

  • Inbox organization — identify important emails and todos with a single click, and sweep away the rest
  • AI filters — automatically label, star, or archive using scripts written in plain English
  • AI writing — drafts that learn your voice and style from emails you've sent
  • AI-powered search — find emails fast, or analyze a team's emails and attachments for answers
  • Scheduling — check availability, create calendar events, and write scheduling emails
  • Integrations — connect to Slack, Calendar, Notion, Asana, Hubspot, and more
  • Inbox productivity tools — split inbox, bundles for bulk triage, email-to-todo conversion, delivery schedules, read receipts, and keyboard shortcuts
  • Team collaboration — real-time collaboration features

The homepage does not state usage caps, seat limits, or which of these features are gated behind a paid plan. For that, the Pricing page is the authoritative source.

What "no credit card required" does and doesn't tell you

It confirms one thing clearly: you won't be asked for payment details to start. It does not mean every feature is free forever, and it does not mean the product is free in general — the existence of a Pricing link signals that paid tiers exist. Treat "free to start" and "free forever" as different claims, and verify the second one on the Pricing page if it matters to you.

Where you can use it

Shortwave is available on iOS, Android, Mac, and Windows, so the free start isn't tied to a single platform. You can begin on whichever device you already use for email.

A practical way to decide

  1. Sign up through the "Get started for free" link — no card needed.
  2. Test the features you actually care about first: if inbox triage is your pain point, try AI filters and bundles; if writing is, try the AI drafts and see whether the voice matching works for you.
  3. Check the Pricing page to see which plan covers the features you found useful, and what the limits are on the free tier.
  4. Only then decide whether to upgrade.

If your goal is simply to find out whether an AI email assistant fits your workflow, the no-card entry point removes the main barrier to trying it. If your goal is to run a team on it long-term, the Pricing page — not the homepage — is where that decision gets made.