TL;DR
Unboxd is an AI email secretary that reads your emails, extracts action items with deadlines, summarizes and categorizes every email, and filters out the noise — so you spend 10x less time on email. Superhuman is a premium email client designed for speed, with keyboard shortcuts, split inbox, and AI writing assistance. If you want to stop reading email entirely, choose Unboxd. If you want the fastest possible email reading and replying experience, choose Superhuman. Unboxd starts at $7.50/mo; Superhuman Mail requires the Business plan at $33/mo (bundled with Grammarly and Coda after the 2025 Grammarly acquisition).
Superhuman is one of the most well-known email tools on the market. Acquired by Grammarly in July 2025 (the combined company rebranded to "Superhuman" in October 2025), it has built a reputation as the fastest email client available, with keyboard-driven workflows, instant search, and a polished interface. Unboxd takes a fundamentally different approach: instead of making you faster at reading email, it eliminates the need to read email at all.
This is not a "which is better" comparison. These tools solve different problems. This guide helps you understand which problem you actually have.
Quick comparison at a glance
| Feature | Unboxd | Superhuman |
|---|---|---|
| Core approach | AI reads emails for you | Faster email client |
| Product type | AI email secretary + app | Email client (replaces Gmail/Outlook UI) |
| Action item extraction | Yes, with deadlines | No automatic extraction |
| Daily briefing | Yes | No |
| AI writing assistance | No | Yes (draft, edit, autocomplete) |
| AI email summaries | Yes (in briefing) | Yes (per email/thread) |
| Keyboard shortcuts | Not applicable | Extensive, Vim-inspired |
| Split inbox | Yes (AI auto-categorization: bookings, finances, conversations, etc.) | Yes |
| Noise filtering | Yes (newsletters, promos auto-separated) | Partial (Split inbox separates some) |
| Email summaries | Yes (TLDR per email + daily briefing) | Yes (per email/thread) |
| Read receipts | No | Yes |
| Scheduled send | No | Yes |
| Email providers | Gmail, Outlook, IMAP | Gmail, Outlook |
| Mobile app | iOS, Web | iOS, Android |
| Price | From $7.50/mo | From $33/mo (Business plan required) |
| Encryption | AES-256-GCM, per-user keys | Standard encryption |
| Privacy controls | Keyword + address blocking | Limited |
How each tool works
How Unboxd works
Unboxd connects to your email account and uses large language models to read and understand every incoming email. It extracts action items with specific deadlines, identifies highlights, and filters noise. Each day you receive a structured briefing that tells you exactly what needs your attention and by when. You open the Unboxd app instead of your inbox.
Unboxd is an AI email secretary. It does the reading work that a human assistant would do: scan everything, extract what matters, and present a summary.
How Superhuman works
Superhuman is a full email client that replaces the Gmail or Outlook web interface. It downloads and indexes your email, then provides a significantly faster experience for reading, triaging, and replying. Key features include:
- Keyboard shortcuts for every action (Vim-inspired, designed for speed)
- Split inbox that separates important messages from everything else
- Instant search across your entire email archive
- AI auto-drafts and instant replies generated from short phrases, using context from your inbox, calendar, and web
- Auto Summarize of email threads into one-line summaries that update in real time
- Auto Labels that classify emails (response needed, waiting on, meetings, marketing)
- Ask AI for natural language search across your inbox and calendar
- Read receipts that show when and on which device recipients open your emails
- Scheduled send, snooze, and auto follow-up reminders
- CRM integrations with HubSpot, Salesforce, and Pipedrive
Superhuman is designed for people who process high volumes of email and want to do it faster. It does not eliminate the need to read email; it makes the experience of reading and responding as efficient as possible.
Key differences
Eliminating email vs. speeding up email
This is the core philosophical difference. Unboxd's premise is that you should not have to read most emails. Only 12% of emails contain action items that require your attention. Unboxd finds that 12% and presents it in a briefing, saving you from reading the other 88%.
Superhuman's premise is that email is unavoidable, so you should be able to process it as fast as possible. If you get through your inbox in 20 minutes instead of 60 minutes, that is 40 minutes saved.
Both approaches have merit, but they suit different workflows. If you can delegate most email to AI and only act on extracted action items, Unboxd saves more total time. If you need to personally read and respond to a high percentage of your emails, Superhuman's speed advantage matters more.
Action items vs. email management
Unboxd automatically extracts structured action items: "Review the contract and send feedback to Sarah by Friday." These appear in your briefing with deadlines, creating an automatic task list from your email. You do not need to read the original email unless you choose to.
Superhuman helps you manage email efficiently but does not extract action items. You still read each email, identify tasks, and track deadlines yourself. The AI features help with writing responses faster and summarizing long threads, but the cognitive work of triaging stays with you.
Price
Unboxd's Plus plan starts at $7.50/month (yearly billing), with the Pro plan at $12.50/month. Since the Grammarly acquisition, Superhuman Mail is only available on the Business plan at $33/month (annually) or $40/month (monthly). It comes bundled with Grammarly, Coda, and Superhuman Go — you cannot buy Superhuman Mail standalone. For individuals, Unboxd is approximately 77% less expensive. For teams, the cost difference compounds significantly.
Email provider support
Unboxd supports Gmail, Outlook, and any IMAP provider (Yahoo, ProtonMail, company servers, custom domains). Superhuman supports Gmail and Outlook. If you use a non-Gmail, non-Outlook email provider, Superhuman is not an option while Unboxd works.
Can you use both together?
Yes. Unboxd is not an email client, so it does not conflict with Superhuman. You could use Superhuman as your email client for reading and replying, and Unboxd for daily briefings and action item tracking. However, most Unboxd users find they check their email client far less once they have a reliable daily briefing.
Who should choose Unboxd?
- You want to stop reading email. Your goal is to see only action items and highlights, not individual messages.
- You need automatic action item extraction. Deadlines and tasks pulled from email without manual effort.
- Budget matters. At $7.50-12.50/mo, Unboxd costs a fraction of Superhuman.
- You use IMAP email. Company email, Yahoo, ProtonMail, or custom domains that Superhuman does not support.
- Privacy is critical. Zero-access AES-256-GCM encryption with per-user keys and granular blocking controls.
Who should choose Superhuman?
- You need to read and reply to most of your emails. Your role requires personal responses to a high volume of messages.
- Speed is everything. Keyboard-driven workflow and instant search matter for how you work.
- You want AI writing assistance. Draft generation and autocomplete for faster replies.
- You need read receipts and scheduling. Features like knowing when someone reads your email and timing your sends.
- You want a complete email client replacement. One tool for reading, writing, searching, and managing all email.
The Verdict
- Choose Unboxd if you want to spend less time on email by having AI do the reading for you. It costs less, supports more email providers, and delivers action items without requiring you to open your inbox.
- Choose Superhuman if you want to spend the same amount of time on email but get through it faster. It is the best email client available for speed and efficiency, but you still read every email yourself.
- The question is: do you want to read email faster or not read email at all?
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Unboxd and Superhuman?
Unboxd is an AI email secretary that reads your emails, extracts action items with deadlines, summarizes and categorizes every email, and filters out the noise — so you spend 10x less time on email. Superhuman is a premium email client designed for speed, with keyboard shortcuts, split inbox, and AI features like email summaries and draft assistance. Unboxd replaces the act of reading email; Superhuman makes reading email faster.
Is Unboxd cheaper than Superhuman?
Yes. Unboxd starts at $7.50/month with yearly billing. After the 2025 Grammarly acquisition, Superhuman Mail requires the Business plan at $33/month (yearly). Unboxd is approximately 77% less expensive at the entry level while providing AI action item extraction that Superhuman does not offer.
Does Superhuman extract action items from emails?
Superhuman has AI features including email summaries and writing assistance, but it does not automatically extract action items with deadlines from your emails the way Unboxd does. With Superhuman, you still read each email and identify action items yourself.
Can I use Unboxd and Superhuman together?
Yes. Unboxd is not an email client, so it works alongside any email client including Superhuman. You could use Superhuman for reading and replying, and Unboxd for daily briefings and action item tracking.
