Side by side
Roundcube vs Shortwave
Both stand on email clients. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan LinuxSelf-hostedWeb
Roundcube provides a customizable webmail interface for operators managing their own email infrastructure. It is not a standalone mail provider, and deployment requires the listed server components.
Visit Roundcube
Free plan AndroidiPhoneMac+2
Shortwave combines prompt-based email organization with team collaboration and broad app coverage. Its paid tiers mainly change AI search history, thread limits, and filter counts.
Visit ShortwaveThe facts
| Roundcube | Shortwave | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Self-hosted, Web | Android, iPhone, Mac, Web, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Business: $30 per seat a month |
| Plans published | 1 | 3 |
| Maker | Roundcube | Not published |
| Website | roundcube.net | shortwave.com |
| On email clients | #15 of 142 | #19 of 142 |
Roundcube: what it does well
- Supports MIME and HTML messages.
- Includes LDAP connectors and grouped contacts.
- Offers a plug-in API and custom skin templates.
- Lists PGP and OAuth/XOAuth support.
- Docker Compose and Kubernetes examples are available.
What to know first
- Requires PHP 8.1 or later.
- Needs SMTP and IMAP servers.
- Does not provide or recommend native mobile apps.
- Must be installed and managed on your server.
Shortwave: what it does well
- Free plan available
- AI-assisted search and summaries
- Shared threads and team comments
- Apps for web, desktop, and mobile
- Encrypted data and stated audit program
What to know first
- Paid plans start at $30/user/mo
- AI search and filter limits vary by plan
- Unified inbox is not available
- SOC 2 Type II or GDPR requests require contacting support
Alternatives to Roundcube Alternatives to Shortwave The whole list