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Technology · head to head

Notion vs Shortwave

Notion logo

Notion

Technology

All-in-one workspace for notes, tasks, wikis, and databases

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: Notion free plan limited to 1,000 blocks for 2+ member workspaces, restricting team usage; Shortwave per-seat pricing increases team costs compared to flat-rate email solutions
  • They diverge on capability: Notion covers Rich text editing with blocks, Shortwave covers AI Email Filtering.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Notion and Shortwave actually diverge.

Attributes where Notion and Shortwave differ
AttributeNotionShortwave
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidiOS, Android, macOS, Windows
CategoryTechnologyEmail Marketing
Founded2016Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), 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 Notion

  • Rich text editing with blocks
  • Customizable databases
  • Kanban boards and calendars
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Template library
  • File attachments
  • Web clipper
  • API access

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.

Notion

  • Project managementnot Shortwave
  • Knowledge base creationnot Shortwave
  • Note-taking and documentationnot Shortwave
  • Team collaborationnot Shortwave
  • Content planningnot Shortwave

Shortwave

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

Where each one falls short

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

Notion

  • Free plan limited to 1,000 blocks for 2+ member workspaces, restricting team usage
  • Free tier only includes trial AI capabilities; full Notion AI requires paid plan
  • Page history limited to 7 days on free plan
  • Per-member pricing increases costs for teams compared to flat-rate competitors
  • Limited automation capabilities compared to dedicated workflow platforms

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

Notion

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1000 block limit (2+ members)
    • 7-day page history
    • 5MB file upload cap
  • Plus$10/month
    • Unlimited blocks
    • 30-day page history
    • Unlimited file uploads
  • Business$20/month
    • All Plus features
    • Notion Agent
    • AI Meeting Notes
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • All Business features
    • Advanced controls
    • Audit logs

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 Notion if

  • You need rich text editing with blocks.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want customizable databases.
Notion 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 Notion or Shortwave better?
Neither clearly leads. Notion 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, Notion or Shortwave?
Notion starts at Free and Shortwave at Free.
Does Notion or Shortwave run on more platforms?
Notion runs on Web, iOS, Android. Shortwave runs on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Notion for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Notion best used for?
Notion is most often used for project management, knowledge base creation, note-taking and documentation, team collaboration. Of those, project management and knowledge base creation are not what Shortwave is typically brought in for.
What can Notion do that Shortwave cannot?
Notion covers Rich text editing with blocks, Customizable databases, Kanban boards and calendars, Real-time collaboration. Shortwave covers AI Email Filtering, Intelligent Autocomplete, Voice-Style Composition, Meeting Scheduling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Notion: What features are included in the free Notion plan?

The free plan ($0/member/month) includes trial AI capabilities, basic forms and sites, Notion Calendar access, unlimited databases, up to 10 external guests, and 7-day page history.

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
Notion: What is the difference between Plus and Business plans?

Plus ($10/member/month) adds custom forms, unlimited file uploads, and 30-day history. Business ($20/member/month) adds Notion Agent for autonomous tasks, AI Meeting Notes, and advanced security features.

Source
Shortwave: What platforms does Shortwave support?

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

Source
Notion: How does Notion calculate billing when team members join mid-month?

New members added mid-month incur prorated charges for the current billing period and are included in future billings.

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
Notion: What is the refund policy for Notion subscriptions?

New users receive a full refund within 3 days for monthly plans or 30 days for annual plans. EU/UK customers get a 14-day refund window per regional policy.

Source
Shortwave: What integrations does Shortwave support?

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

Source
Notion: What happens if a payment fails on my Notion account?

Failed payments are retried up to 8 times before the account automatically downgrades to the free plan.

Source
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