# Motion vs Shortwave

> Motion: AI work platform that plans your day, manages projects and automates tasks
> Shortwave: AI email client for Gmail that searches, organizes, drafts and schedules from plain-language prompts

- Motion profile: https://finderatlas.com/tools/motion
- Shortwave profile: https://finderatlas.com/tools/shortwave
- Comparison page: https://finderatlas.com/compare/motion-vs-shortwave
- Last reviewed: October 2026

## Verdict

Motion and Shortwave are both AI Assistants tools. Only Shortwave has a free plan or trial. Only Motion is available on Web and offers an API.

### Choose Motion if

- You want a tool built for automatically scheduling tasks around meetings, managing client projects and team capacity in one tool.
- Automatic scheduling rebuilds the daily plan around meetings and deadlines as they change.
- Tasks, projects, calendar, docs and meeting notes live in one app, replacing several separate tools.

### Choose Shortwave if

- You want a tool built for heavy Gmail users who want AI search, drafting and inbox triage inside the email client itself.
- AI search covers up to five years of email on Business and unlimited history on Premier and Max.
- Native apps on iOS, Android, Mac and Windows, with a 4.7 average rating on the App Store.

## Pricing

| | Motion | Shortwave |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pricing model | Free trial | Freemium |
| Free plan or trial | No | Yes |
| Starting price | $19 | $0 |

## Features

| Feature | Motion | Shortwave |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AI Auto-Scheduling Calendar | Yes | Not listed |
| AI Chat | Yes | Not listed |
| AI Project Manager | Yes | Not listed |
| AI Meeting Notetaker | Yes | Not listed |
| Docs, Wiki and Notes | Yes | Not listed |
| Dashboards and Reports | Yes | Not listed |
| Team Capacity Planning | Yes | Not listed |
| Booking Links and Calendar Sync | Yes | Not listed |
| Workflows and Integrations | Yes | Not listed |
| AI Assistant | Not listed | Yes |
| AI Search | Not listed | Yes |
| Write in Your Voice | Not listed | Yes |
| AI Filters | Not listed | Yes |
| Bundles and Split Inboxes | Not listed | Yes |
| AI Scheduling | Not listed | Yes |
| Team Collaboration | Not listed | Yes |
| Tracking and Reminders | Not listed | Yes |
| App Connections and MCP | Not listed | Yes |
| Privacy Controls | Not listed | Yes |

## Platforms

| Platform | Motion | Shortwave |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Web | Yes | No |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | No |
| Browser Extension | No | No |

## Motion strengths

- Automatic scheduling rebuilds the daily plan around meetings and deadlines as they change.
- Tasks, projects, calendar, docs and meeting notes live in one app, replacing several separate tools.
- Syncs with Google, Outlook and iCloud calendars.
- Public API plus integrations with Slack, Zoom, HubSpot, Salesforce and Zapier.
- Team features such as capacity planning, Gantt charts and time tracking are available on Business AI.

## Motion limitations

- No permanent free plan; both plans cost $19 or more per seat per month.
- The trial length is not stated on the pricing page.
- The developer describes the iOS app as a companion to the web and desktop apps rather than a standalone product, and App Store ratings are about 4.1 stars.
- Team capacity planning, Gantt charts, time tracking and permissions require the higher-priced Business AI plan.

## Shortwave strengths

- AI search covers up to five years of email on Business and unlimited history on Premier and Max.
- Native apps on iOS, Android, Mac and Windows, with a 4.7 average rating on the App Store.
- Team features such as shared threads, comments and assignments sit inside the inbox.
- AI connects to outside tools including Notion, HubSpot, GitHub and MCP servers.
- Per-plan model tiers let users pay for stronger models only when needed.

## Shortwave limitations

- Paid plans are priced per seat from $30 (Business) to $120 (Max), higher than many email clients.
- Built around Gmail; support for other providers is limited or unclear.
- AI usage is capped by plan, with Business allowing roughly 150-300 Standard requests per day.
- The free tier is not clearly documented on the official pricing page.

## FAQ

**Is Motion better than Shortwave?**

It depends on your workflow. Motion is built for automatically scheduling tasks around meetings, managing client projects and team capacity in one tool. Shortwave is built for heavy Gmail users who want AI search, drafting and inbox triage inside the email client itself.

**What are the key feature differences between Motion and Shortwave?**

Motion: AI work platform that plans your day, manages projects and automates tasks. Shortwave: AI email client for Gmail that searches, organizes, drafts and schedules from plain-language prompts.

**Does Motion or Shortwave have a free plan?**

Shortwave has a free plan or trial; Motion is paid only.

**Which is cheaper, Motion or Shortwave?**

Motion starts at $19 and Shortwave starts at $0. See the pricing table above for what each tier includes.