Softwr

Email Marketing · head to head

Flodesk vs Shortwave

Flodesk logo

Flodesk

Email Marketing

Email marketing built for creators and small business

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: Flodesk variable pricing per subscriber with no clear rate card; Shortwave per-seat pricing increases team costs compared to flat-rate email solutions
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Flodesk and Shortwave actually diverge.

Attributes where Flodesk and Shortwave differ
AttributeFlodeskShortwave
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
PlatformsWebiOS, Android, macOS, Windows

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

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 Flodesk

Nothing recorded that Shortwave does not also cover.

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.

Flodesk

  • Designers creating branded emails without external design softwarenot Shortwave
  • Content creators building automations with high form conversionnot Shortwave
  • Small entrepreneurs consolidating multiple email tool costsnot Shortwave
  • Membership businesses processing recurring payments through checkoutnot Shortwave

Shortwave

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

Where each one falls short

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

Flodesk

  • Variable pricing per subscriber with no clear rate card
  • Prices scale based on subscriber count and can vary significantly within each tier

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

Flodesk

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited active subscribers
    • Forms, landing pages, audience segmentation
    • Email sending with analytics
  • Lite$0.25/month
    • Up to 25,000 subscribers
    • Unlimited email sends
    • Email analytics
  • Pro$0.28/month
    • Up to 255,000 subscribers
    • Unlimited workflows
    • Advanced analytics
  • Everything$0.54/month
    • Up to 255,000 subscribers
    • Unlimited integrated checkouts
    • Sales pages, subscriptions, payment plans

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 Flodesk if

  • You want to start without paying.
Flodesk 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 Flodesk or Shortwave better?
Neither clearly leads. Flodesk 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, Flodesk or Shortwave?
Flodesk starts at Free and Shortwave at Free.
Does Flodesk or Shortwave run on more platforms?
Flodesk runs on Web. Shortwave runs on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Flodesk for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Flodesk best used for?
Flodesk is most often used for designers creating branded emails without external design software, content creators building automations with high form conversion, small entrepreneurs consolidating multiple email tool costs, membership businesses processing recurring payments through checkout. Of those, designers creating branded emails without external design software and content creators building automations with high form conversion are not what Shortwave is typically brought in for.
What can Flodesk do that Shortwave cannot?
Shortwave covers AI Email Filtering, Intelligent Autocomplete, Voice-Style Composition, Meeting Scheduling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Flodesk: How much does Flodesk cost?

Flodesk offers a free plan and four paid plans with variable pricing based on subscriber count. Lite ranges from $0.25 to $25 per month, Pro from $0.28 to $1,457 per month, and Everything from $0.54 to $1,766 per month for up to 255,000 subscribers.

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
Flodesk: Is there a free version of Flodesk?

Yes, Flodesk offers a free plan that includes forms, landing pages, audience segmentation, and unlimited email sending to unlimited active subscribers.

Source
Shortwave: What platforms does Shortwave support?

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

Source
Flodesk: Does Flodesk offer annual billing discounts?

Annual plans offer 1 month free compared to monthly billing, providing a discount for customers who commit to annual subscriptions.

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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