Best AI email assistant for Gmail, Outlook and Mac

The best AI email assistant for a Mac is Alrighty if you want the AI you already use, such as Claude or ChatGPT, to read and work in your iCloud, Gmail and Outlook mail, with nothing sent until you click Send. Gemini in Gmail is the free pick for Gmail. Copilot in Outlook suits people who already pay for Microsoft 365. Superhuman and Shortwave are full AI mail apps for Gmail users. Fyxer, Inbox Zero and Lindy add an assistant to Gmail or Outlook without a new app.

Most lists of AI email assistants compare writing features. Three plainer questions matter more, because the assistant reads your mail: which AI company gets your email, is the AI on before you ask for it, and can it send a message without you. This page answers all three for each tool. If you want one job done well, see the best AI email writers or the best AI email triage tools.

How we checked

We read each vendor's own pricing, help, security and privacy pages on November 3, 2026, and every fact links to its source. Where a vendor's page does not answer a question, we say "not stated" and do not guess. We did not test the tools. Alrighty is our app, and it's listed first.

The AI email assistants at a glance

Tool	Price from	Accounts	Which AI reads your mail	On by default	Sends without you
Alrighty	14-day trial, then Free or Pro	iCloud, Gmail, Outlook	The AI you connect; built-in features use OpenAI, plus others for sorting	Your own AI: off until you connect it. Reply drafts: start when you open a reply	No, you click Send
Gemini in Gmail	Free for some features (US)	Gmail	Google	Not stated	Not stated; it drafts
Copilot in Outlook	Microsoft 365 Personal, $9.99/mo	Accounts in Outlook, with a license	Microsoft	Not stated	Not stated
Apple Intelligence in Mail	Comes with macOS	Accounts in Apple Mail	Apple	Summaries show by default	Not stated; it suggests replies
Superhuman	$25/member/mo, billed yearly	Gmail, Microsoft 365	Not named	Not stated	Yes, "if you want"
Shortwave	$30/seat/mo	Gmail	Claude models, plus its own	Not stated	Not stated
Spark	Plus $99/yr	iCloud, Gmail, Outlook, IMAP	Azure OpenAI	Not stated	Not stated
Canary Mail	Growth $36/yr	iCloud, Gmail, Outlook, IMAP	OpenAI, Anthropic, Cohere, Google, others	Not stated	Not stated
Fyxer	Free; Pro $37/mo yearly	Gmail, Outlook	Not named	Not stated	No, "you decide what gets sent"
Inbox Zero	$18/mo yearly	Gmail, Outlook	Not named on pages read	Not stated	Not stated
Lindy	Free credits; $49.99/mo	Gmail	Anthropic, OpenAI and others	Not stated	Writes and sends "can wait for your approval"

"Not stated" means the vendor's pages we read don't say. It does not mean the answer is bad.

Alrighty: best AI email assistant for Mac, with the AI you already use

Alrighty is a desktop mail app for Mac, Windows and Linux that puts iCloud, Gmail and Outlook in one inbox. Its AI is built on one idea: most people already write email with an AI. They copy a message into a chat, work on a reply there, and paste it back. Alrighty removes those steps.

• Your own AI reads your mail. A local MCP server on your computer lets Claude (the desktop app and Claude Code), ChatGPT's desktop app, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, OpenCode, Antigravity or a local model list, search and read your mail across every account. Ask "What's still open with my accountant?" and it answers from your real inbox. The setup guide has the settings for each one, and our guide to letting Claude read your email walks through Claude.
• It works in a window you watch. That AI can open Alrighty in a window of its own and do the work there: open mail, write replies, file messages. You see each step and can take over. Nothing sends until you click Send.
• Suggested replies in your voice. Alrighty can write a draft under a message, based on what you sent that person before. It is always a draft. You send it.
• Answers from your mail. Ask a question and get the answer with the emails it came from.

Which AI reads your mail. With MCP, it's the assistant you connect, so a local model keeps everything on your computer. Alrighty's own AI features (answers, suggested replies, sorting into groups) send only the emails they need to Alrighty's server, which passes them to an AI model (OpenAI's for answers and replies).

On by default. Partly. Your own AI is off until you connect it with Connect AI. When you're signed in, opening a reply starts a suggested draft by itself, and Clean up sorts senders in the background.

Sends without you. No. Every send waits for your click.

Also. Stop mail ends a sender's mail in one click, and Clean up lists the senders you probably don't want so you can stop them all at once. Search runs on your computer and matches meaning as well as words.

Price. A 14-day trial with no card, then a Free plan or Pro. Free has a small monthly AI allowance.

What it can't do. There's no iPhone or web app. It takes iCloud, Gmail and Outlook accounts only, so no Yahoo, Fastmail or other IMAP. It's a new app with no long track record yet.

Pick it if you already use Claude, ChatGPT or another assistant and want it in your mail on your computer, under your eye.

Gemini in Gmail: best free AI email assistant for Gmail

Gemini is built into Gmail, so there's nothing to install. For personal Gmail accounts with no paid plan, Google lists Help me write and Suggested Replies (both US only) and conversation summaries (global) (Google). Google says "availability is currently limited to the US for users with personal Gmail accounts without a paid plan," except for summaries.

AI Inbox, AI Overview in Gmail search, Proofread and Help me schedule need a Google AI Plus, Pro or Ultra plan, or an eligible Google Workspace plan (same page).

Which AI reads your mail. Google's Gemini. Your mail is already with Google, so no other company is added. Google's Gmail AI page says it uses "automated tools to remove personally identifiable information (PII) from data subsets used to train Gemini." It does not say your data is never used for training.

What it can't do. It works in Gmail only. Several features are limited by plan, country and language.

Pick it if all your mail is Gmail and you want AI help at no extra cost.

Copilot in Outlook: best if you already pay for Microsoft 365

Copilot is built into Outlook. It "drafts emails and summarizes lengthy email threads" (Microsoft). For home users it comes with Microsoft 365 Personal at $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year, and Premium at $19.99 or $199.99 (Microsoft).

Microsoft says that once Outlook is signed in with a licensed account, Copilot works for every connected account, including Outlook.com, work and school accounts, and Gmail, Yahoo and iCloud. It runs in Outlook for Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android and the web, as long as Connected Experiences is on (Microsoft).

Which AI reads your mail. Microsoft.

What it can't do. It needs a paid Microsoft 365 plan. On Family, Copilot is "available only to the subscription owner," so other members don't get it.

Pick it if you already pay for Microsoft 365 and live in Outlook.

Apple Intelligence in Apple Mail: best built into the Mac

Apple Mail comes with macOS. With Apple Intelligence, "a short summary automatically appears under each unread email in your inbox," and "Apple Intelligence can suggest replies to emails you receive" (Apple). Writing Tools can summarize selected text.

On by default. Summaries show on their own once Apple Intelligence is on. Apple says "You can turn off summaries and choose to see the first lines of the most recent message instead."

Which AI reads your mail. Apple.

What it can't do. "Apple Intelligence on macOS 27 is not available in all languages or regions." Mail search depends on Spotlight and can miss mail; see our Apple Mail search guide.

Pick it if you want light AI help with no new app and no new company.

Superhuman: best AI mail app for Gmail and Microsoft 365 teams

Superhuman is a mail app on Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android, "Built for teams that use Gmail or Outlook" (Superhuman). Starter is $25 per member per month, billed yearly, with Superhuman AI. Business is $33 and adds Auto Drafts, Ask AI, custom AI labels and the Superhuman Mail MCP (plans). Its Mail MCP "connects your inbox and calendar to Claude, ChatGPT, and other AI assistants," and says "Sensitive actions, such as sending an email, require your approval before anything goes out."

Sends without you. Its own assistant can. Superhuman's mail page says it can draft and, "if you want," send "fully written emails on your behalf."

Which AI reads your mail. Superhuman's pages we read don't name the model vendor.

What it can't do. No iCloud, Yahoo or other IMAP. Superhuman says it "is only able to support Google or Microsoft 365-hosted accounts as of now" (Superhuman). If that rules it out, see our Superhuman alternatives.

Pick it if your mail is Gmail or Microsoft 365 and your team will pay for speed and AI.

Shortwave: best AI search for Gmail

Shortwave is a Gmail app with AI search, summaries and replies that learn "your unique voice and style from the emails you send" (Shortwave). Business is $30 per seat per month, Premier $45 and Max $120, with a 14-day free trial (pricing).

Which AI reads your mail. Shortwave is the most open on this list. Its plans run on Claude Sonnet 4.6 and Claude Opus 4.6. Its security page says "besides Google Cloud, we only use OpenAI, Anthropic, and Pinecone," that "The vast majority of our AI workloads use open source models that run on hardware we control," and that "Your email content is never used to train third-party AI models." Mail is stored in Shortwave's Google Cloud.

What it can't do. It's built for Gmail. Microsoft 365 and Exchange are "not supported at this time," and Outlook.com works by forwarding only (Shortwave). There's no unified inbox.

Pick it if you're on Gmail and want strong AI search.

Spark: best AI mail app across devices

Spark runs on Mac, iPhone, Windows and Android, and takes iCloud, Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo and IMAP (Spark). Its AI is "available as a part of the Spark paid plans" (Spark). Plus is $10 a month or $99 a year, and Pro is $20 or $199 (pricing).

Which AI reads your mail. Azure OpenAI. Spark says Azure OpenAI "will not retain the data for more than 30 days," "does not use this data to train models," and "Spark does not store this data" (Spark).

On by default. Spark's Personalization "is off by default" (Spark). Its pages don't say whether the rest of its AI is.

What to know. Some Spark features "require our server-side email processing to work" (Spark). Our Spark alternatives page covers this.

Pick it if you want AI in one mail app on every device.

Canary Mail: lowest-cost AI mail app

Canary runs on Mac, iPhone, iPad, Windows and Android and takes iCloud, Gmail, Outlook and IMAP. Its AI Copilot, for writing and summaries, starts on the Growth plan at $36 a year (pricing).

Which AI reads your mail. Canary's privacy policy says Copilot "will leverage models offered by top-tier providers such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Cohere, Google and others," and "we have opted out of data sharing - your data will not be used to train or improve 3rd party models." It does not say which provider handles a given request.

What it can't do. The free plan lists no AI. Its pages don't say whether Copilot is on by default.

Pick it if you want an AI mail app with iCloud support for little money.

Fyxer: best for drafts and meeting notes

Fyxer adds an assistant to Gmail or Outlook: inbox sorting, replies in your tone, and meeting notes (Fyxer). Free has 400 credits a month and doesn't sort your inbox. Pro is $37 per person per month billed yearly, or $49 monthly, and there's a 14-day trial of the Team plan with no card (pricing).

Sends without you. No. Fyxer says it "drafts replies in your inbox, and you decide what gets sent."

Which AI reads your mail. Not named. Fyxer says "Your data is never used to train third-party AI models" (security).

What it can't do. Gmail and Outlook only. It's credit-based.

Pick it if you live in Gmail or Outlook and want drafts and meeting notes, not a new app. Our Fyxer alternatives compare cheaper and free options.

Inbox Zero: best open-source AI email assistant

Inbox Zero is open source (GitHub) and "built for Gmail and Outlook" (Inbox Zero). Starter sorts mail, drafts replies in your voice, blocks cold email and bulk-unsubscribes, for $20 a month or $18 a month billed yearly. AI comes with paid plans and a 7-day trial (pricing).

Where your mail goes. It reads email content and metadata, and says "We do NOT permanently store: Full email content (body text)" (privacy).

What it can't do. Gmail and Outlook only. The Plus plan, at $35 a month, lists "2 email accounts included per user."

Pick it if you want an open-source assistant you could host yourself.

Lindy: best for email inside wider automations

Lindy is an AI agent that works across Slack, iMessage, email and the browser, with a Chrome extension that puts it "inside Gmail" (Lindy). New users get $50 in credits, and Team is $49.99 a month for 5,000 credits (pricing).

Sends without you. Lindy says "actions that write or send can wait for your approval" and "Nothing irreversible happens without your approval."

Which AI reads your mail. Its privacy policy lists Anthropic, OpenAI, Perplexity AI, Exa Labs, ElevenLabs and Deepgram.

What it can't do. Its pages name Gmail, not Outlook or iCloud. Cost grows with use.

Pick it if email is one step in automations that also touch Slack or your calendar. Our Lindy alternatives compare other agents.

What about Claude or ChatGPT on their own?

You can also connect a chat assistant straight to one mail account, with no mail app.

• Claude has a Gmail connector "available for all users on Claude and Claude Desktop." It can search, read, draft and send, and "Claude asks for your approval before each of these actions" by default. It reads only "the Google account you've connected" (Anthropic).
• ChatGPT has Gmail and Outlook plugins that search, triage and draft replies, and it "waits for your approval before taking action." OpenAI says actions "depend on your plan and workspace settings" (OpenAI).

These work in the chat window, one connector per provider. Alrighty gives the same assistants iCloud, Gmail and Outlook together, and a mail window to work in.

How to choose

• Your own AI (Claude, ChatGPT, Codex, Cursor or a local model) in iCloud, Gmail and Outlook, nothing sent without you: Alrighty.
• Free, Gmail only: Gemini in Gmail.
• Already paying for Microsoft 365: Copilot in Outlook.
• No new app, no new company: Apple Intelligence in Apple Mail.
• A Gmail or Microsoft 365 team that wants speed: Superhuman.
• The best-documented AI vendor list: Shortwave.
• AI on your phone too, iPhone or Android: Spark or Canary.
• Drafts in Gmail or Outlook without switching apps: Fyxer or Inbox Zero.
• Email inside bigger automations: Lindy.

Questions

What is the best free AI email assistant?

Gemini in Gmail is free for personal Gmail accounts, though Help me write and Suggested Replies are US only. Apple Intelligence in Apple Mail costs nothing on a supported Mac. Fyxer has a free plan with 400 credits a month, and Alrighty has a Free plan with a small monthly AI allowance after its 14-day trial.

Can an AI email assistant send email without me?

Some can. Superhuman's assistant can send "if you want." Fyxer says "you decide what gets sent," and Claude's Gmail connector asks before each send by default. In Alrighty, nothing sends until you click Send.

Is it safe to let an AI read my email?

The AI company sees what the assistant reads, so check which one it is before you connect. Email is also written by other people, and a message can hide instructions aimed at an AI. That is why it matters whether the assistant can send on its own. A local model keeps your mail on your computer.

Which AI email assistant works with iCloud?

Alrighty, Spark and Canary take iCloud accounts directly. Copilot covers iCloud accounts added to Outlook if you have a Microsoft 365 license, and Apple Intelligence works with iCloud in Apple Mail. Superhuman, Shortwave, Fyxer and Inbox Zero don't list iCloud. Our list of the best email apps for iCloud Mail has more.