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Indie alternatives to Google Inbox

3 products made by independent developers and small teams that do what Google Inbox does, 2 of them with a free plan. Free and open-source options come first.

At a glance

Product	Price	Open source	Self-host	Platforms
Shortwave	Free plan	–	–	Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android
Spark	Free plan	–	–	Mac, Windows, iOS, Android
Superhuman	Paid	–	–	Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android

The alternatives

1. Shortwave

AI-powered email client for Gmail

An email client for Gmail with an AI assistant that searches, summarizes and drafts emails, plus bundles and to-do style inbox management.

Free plan · Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android · Website ↗

2. Spark

Smart email client for individuals and teams

An email app from Readdle with a smart inbox, snooze, send later, shared drafts and AI writing tools, working with any email provider.

Free plan · Mac, Windows, iOS, Android · Website ↗

3. Superhuman

Fast, keyboard-driven email client with AI

A premium email client for Gmail and Outlook built for speed with keyboard shortcuts, split inbox, reminders and AI writing.

Paid · Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android · Website ↗

Questions

Is there a free alternative to Google Inbox?

Yes. 2 of the 3 indie alternatives listed here have a free plan or are free: Shortwave and Spark.

What makes these alternatives to Google Inbox “indie”?

They are built by independent developers or small teams rather than large companies. Each one is listed because it does the same core job as Google Inbox.

Ask your AI instead

Add Indie Alternatives to ChatGPT, Claude or Cursor and ask “a cheaper Google Inbox alternative that works on my Mac” in your own words, with your budget and platform. Set it up

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