Best Email Client · head-to-head

Shortwave vs Spark Mail

A sourced, side-by-side comparison for email client. Shortwave has the lower entry price. Every figure links to the vendor's own page and the date we captured it.

Shortwave has the lower entry price — Shortwave starts at $0/mo, Spark Mail at $0/mo. Free tier: Shortwave Yes, Spark Mail Yes. HIPAA: Shortwave —, Spark Mail No.

As of 2026-06-18 · figures link to their source below

Side by side

Shortwave

$0/mo entry
Entry price$0/mo (Free)
Free tierYes
HIPAA (BAA)
SOC 2
GDPR
Best forGmail power users

Spark Mail

$0/mo entry
Entry price$0/mo (Free)
Free tierYes
HIPAA (BAA)No
SOC 2
GDPRYes
Best forindividuals and small teams

Sources — Shortwave: shortwave.com (verified 2026-06-18) · Spark Mail: sparkmailapp.com (verified 2026-06-18)

Key features

Shortwave: AI-native inbox with executive assistant; Multi-tiered AI search over full email history; AI-powered filters and thread summarization; Contextual AI autocomplete

Spark Mail: Cross-platform (iOS, Mac, Windows, Android); Spark +AI meeting notes and AI assistant; Smart Inbox with priority triage; Team collaboration and shared drafts

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