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Technology · head to head

Attio vs Shortwave

Attio logo

Attio

Technology

The CRM built for the next generation of companies

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Shortwave logo

Shortwave

Email Marketing

AI-powered email assistant for intelligent inbox management

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Attio the free plan stops at 3 seats and 50,000 records; Shortwave per-seat pricing increases team costs compared to flat-rate email solutions
  • They diverge on capability: Attio covers Custom data model, Shortwave covers AI Email Filtering.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Attio and Shortwave actually diverge.

Attributes where Attio and Shortwave differ
AttributeAttioShortwave
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiiOS, Android, macOS, Windows
CategoryTechnologyEmail Marketing
Founded2021Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Attio

  • Custom data model
  • Flexible views
  • Email integration
  • Calendar sync
  • Automations
  • Mobile app
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Templates

Only in Shortwave

  • AI Email Filtering
  • Intelligent Autocomplete
  • Voice-Style Composition
  • Meeting Scheduling
  • Email-to-Todo Conversion
  • AI-Powered Search
  • Team Collaboration
  • Email Summaries

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Attio

  • Sales pipelinenot Shortwave
  • Customer managementnot Shortwave
  • Deal trackingnot Shortwave
  • Investor relationsnot Shortwave
  • Partnership managementnot Shortwave

Shortwave

  • Reducing inbox overload through AI-powered organizationnot Attio
  • Drafting professional emails using natural languagenot Attio
  • Scheduling meetings without back-and-forth coordinationnot Attio
  • Searching email archives using conversational queriesnot Attio
  • Converting emails to tasks for team task trackingnot Attio

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Attio

  • The free plan stops at 3 seats and 50,000 records
  • Outbound email is capped at 200 messages a month on the free plan and 1,000 on Plus
  • Call Intelligence, sequences, advanced reporting and permission controls all require the Pro tier
  • Custom objects are capped at 3 on free, 5 on Plus and 12 on Pro, with unlimited objects reserved for Enterprise
  • File storage is capped at 50 GB on the free and Plus tiers

Shortwave

  • Per-seat pricing increases team costs compared to flat-rate email solutions
  • AI features may require higher tier plans, limiting value for smaller teams
  • Dependency on third-party integrations for full feature depth
  • Learning curve for effective use of AI-powered features
  • Limited customization for AI filter behavior compared to manual rules

Pricing, plan by plan

Attio

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 3 seats
    • 50000 records
    • 3 objects
  • Plus$44/month
    • Up to 10 seats
    • 250000 records
    • 5 objects
  • Pro$99/month
    • Unlimited seats
    • 1000000 records
    • 12 objects
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Custom pricing
    • Unlimited objects
    • Custom record limits

Shortwave

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Email search and organization
    • Basic inbox tools
    • Limited AI features
  • Business$30/month
    • Full standard search history
    • 5 years AI search history
    • Max 50 threads per AI search
  • Premier$45/month
    • Everything in Business
    • 2x more AI usage
    • Unlimited AI search history
  • Max$120/month
    • Everything in Premier
    • 6x more AI usage
    • Max 150 threads per AI search

Which should you pick?

Choose Attio if

  • You need custom data model.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want flexible views.
Attio review

Choose Shortwave if

  • You need ai email filtering.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want intelligent autocomplete.
Shortwave review

Questions people ask

Is Attio or Shortwave better?
Neither clearly leads. Attio starts at Free and Shortwave at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Attio or Shortwave?
Attio starts at Free and Shortwave at Free.
Does Attio or Shortwave run on more platforms?
Attio runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Shortwave runs on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Attio for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Attio best used for?
Attio is most often used for sales pipeline, customer management, deal tracking, investor relations. Of those, sales pipeline and customer management are not what Shortwave is typically brought in for.
What can Attio do that Shortwave cannot?
Attio covers Custom data model, Flexible views, Email integration, Calendar sync. Shortwave covers AI Email Filtering, Intelligent Autocomplete, Voice-Style Composition, Meeting Scheduling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Attio: How much does Attio cost per user?

Attio's Plus plan is $44/user/month (or $35/month annually with 20% discount). Pro is $99/user/month (or $79/month annually). The Free plan includes up to 3 seats at no cost.

Source
Shortwave: Is there a free trial for Shortwave?

Yes, Shortwave offers a 14-day free trial for all paid plans with no credit card required.

Source
Attio: What are Attio's seat and record limits for each plan?

Free plan includes up to 3 seats with 50,000 records. Plus supports up to 10 seats with 250,000 records. Pro offers unlimited seats with 1 million records. Enterprise has custom record limits.

Source
Shortwave: What platforms does Shortwave support?

Shortwave is available on iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows for full cross-platform email management.

Source
Attio: Are there additional costs for Attio beyond the per-user subscription?

Yes, workspace credits are available as add-ons ($70-$475/month depending on volume). Annual billing provides a 20% discount on the base per-user cost.

Source
Shortwave: How much AI usage do I get per plan?

Business plan includes 3 AI-powered filters and standard AI usage. Premier (2x more AI) and Max (6x more AI) plans provide increasing levels of AI feature access.

Source
Shortwave: What integrations does Shortwave support?

Shortwave integrates with Slack, Calendar, Notion, Asana, HubSpot, and 3,000+ apps via Tasklet.

Source
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