Quick Answer
Last verified:

Shortwave pricing varies by team size and features, ranging from $0 to $100 per user/month in 2026. Your actual cost depends on the tier you choose, contract length, and negotiated discounts.

Use the interactive pricing calculator to estimate your exact cost based on team size and requirements.

  • Free tier: No free tier available
  • Billing: Monthly and annual (save 15-20%)
  • Hidden costs: Add ~35% for implementation, support, and training
Last verified: January 2026 | Sources: 4 pricing pages and reviews
+40-60% above list price

Hidden Costs Breakdown

1

AI usage daily limits - Shortwave meters AI usage by daily requests (~150-300 on Business). Power users who rely heavily on AI search, summaries, and writing assistance can hit daily caps, forcing them to upgrade from Business ($24/month) to Premier ($36/month) or Max ($100/month) for more AI headroom

2

Mandatory 'Sent with Shortwave' signature on free plan - The free tier appends a mandatory 'Sent with Shortwave' branding signature to every outgoing email that cannot be removed. This is unprofessional for business use and effectively forces business users to upgrade to a paid plan

3

90-day search limit on free plan - Free users can only search the last 90 days of email history with AI. For anyone with important older emails, this severely limits the utility of Shortwave's AI features and pushes users toward the Business plan ($24/month) for 5-year history or Premier ($36/month) for unlimited history

4

Monthly billing premium of ~25-29% - Monthly billing costs significantly more than annual. Business is $30/month vs $24/month annual; Premier is $45/month vs $36/month annual. This adds $72-$108/year per seat for users who prefer monthly flexibility

5

AI intelligence tiers create feature stratification - Shortwave's AI quality differs by plan: Standard intelligence on Business, Advanced on Premier, Expert on Max. Users on lower tiers may find AI responses less accurate or capable, creating pressure to upgrade for better AI output quality rather than just more usage

Example: True Cost for 25 Users

License (25 × $24 × 12) $7,200/yr
Implementation (one-time) +$15,000–$50,000
Premium Support (20%) +$1,440/yr
Training (25 × $500) +$12,500
Admin (part-time) +$15,000–$25,000/yr
Year 1 Total $35,800–$71,520
That's 1.8–2.5× the advertised license price.

Frequently Asked Questions

01 What hidden costs should I budget for with Shortwave?

Beyond the license fee, budget for implementation ($5K-$100K+), training ($500-$2K per user), premium support (15-20% of license), and admin costs. Most companies see 40-60% higher total cost than the listed price.

02 Does Shortwave charge for implementation?

Shortwave doesn't include implementation in the license cost. Implementation is typically done by partners and costs range from $5,000 for basic setup to $100,000+ for enterprise deployments with customization.

03 How much does Shortwave support cost?

Basic support is included, but premium support (faster response times, 24/7 availability) typically adds 15-20% to your annual contract. This can be thousands of dollars per year for larger deployments.

04 Are there storage costs with Shortwave?

Most Shortwave plans include limited storage. Once you exceed the included amount, you'll pay overage fees which can range from $50-$500+ per month depending on data volume.

05 What add-ons cost extra with Shortwave?

Many features marketed as part of Shortwave are actually add-ons: advanced reporting, API access, integrations, and specialized modules. Each can add $10-$100+ per user per month.

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