# Shortwave vs eM Client

The clearest difference is rating: Shortwave at 4.7 against eM Client's 3.7. Shortwave also leads on review sentiment (65% vs 48%) and ratings volume (751 vs 49). eM Client's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Shortwave holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shortwave has 751 ratings behind it against 49, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of Shortwave's written reviews are positive against 48% of eM Client's.

Shortwave ships an update every 3 weeks, eM Client every 10 days. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shortwave | eM Client |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (751 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shortwave-ai-email/id1559784681/reviews)** | [3.7 (49 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/em-client/id1561166404/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **751** | 49 |
| Positive reviews | **65.4% of reviews** | 48.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 26 MB | 179 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shortwave Communications, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1502603969) | [eM Client](https://appshunter.io/developer/1561166526) |

## What reviewers say

### Shortwave

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shortwave-ai-email/id1559784681)

This AI-powered email client streamlines your inbox with intelligent organization, writing assistance, and team collaboration tools. It helps you manage emails, schedule meetings, and turn messages into actionable tasks, all while learning your unique style.

**Highlights:** AI-powered email writing and drafting, Intelligent inbox organization and clutter removal, Real-time team collaboration and email assignment, AI-assisted meeting scheduling, Email to-do list conversion, Customizable AI prompts and automations, Management of multiple Gmail accounts

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent email management
- 👍 Clean and intuitive interface
- 🚀 Efficient email processing
- 💡 Innovative AI features
- 👍 Helpful email bundling and scheduling

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent mobile app experience
- 🔒 Privacy concerns around data collection
- 🔍 Limited search and filtering options
- 💻 Lack of support for non-Gmail accounts
- 🔧 Missing key features like delete and landscape mode

**Reported bugs**

- Unreliable email bundling and threading
- Inconsistent performance and stability issues
- Bugs with email forwarding and attachment handling

**Requested features**

- Add support for more email providers
- Improve iPad and tablet optimization
- Enhance customization options for labels and actions
- Integrate with more productivity apps and services
- Provide better transparency around data usage and privacy


### eM Client

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/em-client/id1561166404)

Manage emails, calendars, tasks, contacts, and notes efficiently in one application. Features AI assistance for drafting and replying, robust security with PGP and S/MIME encryption, and instant message translation. Offers advanced privacy options and seamless integration with cloud storage and online meetings.

**Highlights:** Unified inbox for emails, calendars, tasks, contacts, and notes, AI-powered email drafting and reply assistance, PGP and S/MIME encryption for secure communication, Instant message translation, Advanced privacy and mail-tracking pixel detection, Integration with cloud storage and online meetings

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Reliable and customizable
- 🔒 Great privacy and security features
- 👍 Clean and intuitive interface
- 🚀 Smooth and fast performance
- 👍 Seamless sync between desktop and mobile

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Slow email sync and loading issues
- 🐛 Unreliable push notifications and badge counts
- 🐛 Inconsistent behavior compared to other email apps
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches, especially in the initial release
- 🔋 High battery consumption

**Reported bugs**

- Emails not sending immediately
- Drafts not visible or editable
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between folders
- Trouble signing in to multiple Google accounts

**Requested features**

- Calendar integration
- Improved background refresh and sync
- Custom notification sounds
- Ability to sort emails by sender
- More customization options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shortwave free?

Shortwave is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is eM Client free?

eM Client is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Shortwave or eM Client?

Shortwave is rated higher. Shortwave averages 4.7 out of 5 from 751 ratings, while eM Client averages 3.7 from 49 ratings.

### Do Shortwave or eM Client have ads?

Neither Shortwave nor eM Client shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shortwave or eM Client?

Shortwave ships an update every 3 weeks, and eM Client every 10 days. Most recently, Shortwave was updated on October 30, 2026 and eM Client on October 30, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*