Shortwave is the most AI-heavy inbox you can buy, running large cloud models over your Gmail. Dusk does the everyday AI jobs on your Mac, for a one-time price.
The short answerIf you want the most capable AI assistant in your inbox and don't mind a cloud model reading your mail, Shortwave is very strong. If sorting, summaries and quick replies are what you need, Dusk does them on your Mac for $49 once.
At a glance
| Dusk | Shortwave |
|---|
| AI stays on your Mac | ✓ Yes, always | ✗ No, cloud |
|---|
| AI included in the price | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes, in the subscription |
|---|
| Pay once, no subscription | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
|---|
| Gmail and iCloud in one inbox | ✓ Yes | ✗ No iCloud |
|---|
| Cost over 3 years | $49 | $1,080 or more |
|---|
Why people choose Dusk over Shortwave
- Your mail stays on your Mac. Nothing is sent to a cloud model.
- Price. Shortwave starts at $30 a person a month. Dusk is $49 once.
- iCloud. Dusk supports iCloud Mail as well as Gmail and Google Workspace.
- A native Mac app. Written in Swift for the Mac, small and quick.
Private and quick by design
- 12 MB
- download
- 0.46 s
- to open
- 65 MB
- of memory
- 0.9 s
- to sort and sum up an email
- No Dusk server between you and your mail. Dusk talks to Google and iCloud directly from your Mac, and there's no analytics.
- AI with no cloud fallback. Sorting, summaries and drafts use only Apple's on-device model, and still work offline.
- Tracking blocked. Emails are shown with scripts off and every remote image and tracker blocked, so senders can't see when you open them.
- Phishing set aside. A stranger's urgent email linking to a different site goes to Screened, not your inbox.
- Safe sending. Undo send, reply all only when you choose it, and a failed send is never resent blindly.
- Your keys stay yours. Sign-ins are stored in the macOS Keychain, and your licence is checked on your Mac.
Measured on a pre-release build on a MacBook Pro with M3 Max: zipped universal download, warm launch, idle memory with example mail, and triage of one email. Older Macs are slower.
Every detail, side by side
| Shortwave | Dusk |
|---|
| Price | Business $30, Premier $45, Max $120 per person a month | $49 once (launch price) |
|---|
| Free plan | 14-day trial | No |
|---|
| Where the AI runs | In the cloud (Anthropic's Claude models) | On your Mac only (Apple's on-device model) |
|---|
| AI features | AI assistant, AI search, AI filters | Sorting, summaries, thread digests, reply suggestions, Ask |
|---|
| Accounts | Gmail, Google Workspace | Gmail, Google Workspace, iCloud |
|---|
| Platforms | Web, desktop, iPhone, Android | Mac (iPhone planned) |
|---|
| Requires | Browser or desktop app | macOS 26 on a Mac that supports Apple Intelligence |
|---|
Is Dusk right for you?
- ✓ You use Gmail, Google Workspace or iCloud Mail
- ✓ Your Mac has Apple silicon and runs macOS 26 or later
- ✓ You want to get through email fast, from the keyboard
- ✓ You would rather your mail never went to a cloud AI
If that sounds like you, Dusk is built for you. If you need something else, Shortwave may fit you better.
Switching from Shortwave takes a minute
Your mail stays with Google or iCloud, so nothing needs moving. Add the same account to Dusk and your inbox arrives already sorted. Keep Shortwave for a week alongside it if you like. Most people don't open it again.
Questions
- Is Dusk's AI as powerful as Shortwave's?
- No. Shortwave uses much larger cloud models. Dusk's on-device model handles sorting, summaries and short replies well, and it's private and included in the price.
- Which works offline?
- Dusk's summaries and drafts work offline for mail already downloaded. Cloud AI needs a connection.
Sources
Checked September 2026. Prices change, so check each maker's site before you buy.
Fast, private email for $49 once
Pre-orders are open at the launch price. One payment covers the Mac app and the AI, and the iPhone app when it arrives.
Pre-order Dusk