What this isAn assistant that sits on one Gmail or Outlook inbox. It sorts what comes in and drafts replies in your voice, plus meeting notes. It is an inbox assistant, not a shared team mailbox.
When I’d use itWhen the only problem is volume (too much email, answered too slowly) and one person owns that inbox. Not when two people already answer the same mail; this is not a shared queue.
The catchOne inbox on the cheap plan, $22.50 billed yearly. Not a shared team queue. If two people answer the same mail, this is the wrong one.
What this isA shared queue for email, texts, and social, so two or three people can work the same mailbox without stepping on each other. The cheap plan is that queue. The assistant that drafts replies sits on the higher tiers.
When I’d use itWhen two or three people already share a mailbox and the job is not losing messages between them. Not when you are one person who wants drafts; the cheap plan does not buy that.
The catch$24 and $36 above, billed yearly. The AI is on the higher tiers, so the $14 is the queue, not the assistant.
What this isA faster inbox for someone who lives in email all day: keyboard shortcuts, split inboxes, drafts. It makes you faster at the mail you already do. It does not work the inbox while you are out.
When I’d use itWhen you personally are the bottleneck: you live in email and want to get through it faster. Not when the job is mail getting answered while you are with a client, on a job, or off.
The catchBilled annually. $33 for the business tier.
What this isA replacement front end for Gmail. Same mailbox, different app: search, filters, and drafts on top of the mail you already have. It is not an assistant, and it is not a shared team queue.
When I’d use itWhen you want to stay in your Gmail account but search and filter it like a different product. Not when you need something working the inbox, or a shared queue for a team.
The catch$45 and $120 above the entry plan. Older articles still quote $14–24. That price is gone. The live page is what is above.
What this isA shared inbox that stays inside Gmail. Labels, assignment, sequences. The team works the same mailbox without leaving the app they already know.
When I’d use itWhen the team needs a shared inbox and nobody is going to learn a new app. Not when you want to leave Gmail, and not when the job is an assistant drafting while you are out.
The catch$25 and $40 above, billed yearly. Monthly is $21, $33 and $50.
What this isA chat box. You paste a messy note in, it drafts or rewrites, you copy a reply out. It cannot see your mailbox, your calendar, or your customers unless you paste them in.
When I’d use itWhen you just need drafts (a better version of a paragraph you would have written anyway) and you are willing to copy them back into email yourself. Not when the job is the inbox working without you. Somebody has to wire it before it can do that.
The catchIt cannot see your mailbox. That is the whole job unless somebody wires it.
What this isGmail, Docs, Calendar, and the assistant that summarises and drafts inside them. If you already pay for business Gmail, this is the suite that bill is for.
When I’d use itWhen you already pay for Gmail and the job is summaries and drafts in mail and docs. Start here before buying a second reasoning bill. Not when the work has to reach Square, Instagram, or a phone line. Workspace will not.
The catchIt will not reach across to Square or Instagram.
Pick one reasoning bill, not three. Most shops are already paying for Workspace and do not know the AI is included.