§ Comparison · Updated May 2026

Gong vs Shortwave.

Gong and Shortwave are frequently shortlisted together. Both compete in the productivity space, so the right pick comes down to pricing model, ecosystem, and the specific features you'll lean on. This page lays out the spec sheet, an editor verdict, and answers to the questions people search before choosing.

§ Verdict

Highest rated

Gong

Editor score 4.6/5 — leads on overall quality across our evaluation.

Best value

Shortwave

freemium with paid tiers pricing — the lowest-friction option of the group.

Broadest feature set

Gong

5 headline features — the most all-in-one option.

§ Spec sheet

Rating

Gong

4.6

Shortwave

4.2

Pricing

Gong

Paid

Shortwave

Freemium

Category

Gong

Productivity

Shortwave

Productivity

Features

Gong

• Call recording and transcription
• Deal intelligence
• Coaching and scorecards
• CRM integrations
• Pipeline analytics

Shortwave

• AI email summaries
• AI search
• Drafting assistance
• Inbox bundles
• Team inbox workflows

Pros

Gong

+ Deep sales analytics beyond basic meeting notes
+ Strong ROI for mature sales orgs

Shortwave

+ Strong Gmail-native productivity layer
+ AI search is useful for buried context

Cons

Gong

− Expensive for small teams
− Overkill if you only need transcripts

Shortwave

− Gmail-focused
− Advanced AI and history features require paid plans

Use Cases

Gong

Sales coachingForecast reviewWin-loss analysisEnablement programs

Shortwave

Email searchThread summariesInbox organizationDrafting replies

Visit

Gong

Shortwave

	Gong Revenue intelligence platform that analyzes sales calls, deals, and coaching at scale.	Shortwave AI email app for summarizing, searching, drafting, and organizing Gmail-heavy workflows.
Rating	4.6	4.2
Pricing	Paid	Freemium
Category	Productivity	Productivity
Features	• Call recording and transcription • Deal intelligence • Coaching and scorecards • CRM integrations • Pipeline analytics	• AI email summaries • AI search • Drafting assistance • Inbox bundles • Team inbox workflows
Pros	+ Deep sales analytics beyond basic meeting notes + Strong ROI for mature sales orgs	+ Strong Gmail-native productivity layer + AI search is useful for buried context
Cons	− Expensive for small teams − Overkill if you only need transcripts	− Gmail-focused − Advanced AI and history features require paid plans
Use Cases	Sales coachingForecast reviewWin-loss analysisEnablement programs	Email searchThread summariesInbox organizationDrafting replies
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§ Best for

Pick Gong for

Sales leaders who need sales coaching.

Read full review →

Pick Shortwave for

Gmail power users who need email search.

Read full review →

§ Common questions

Gong vs Shortwave — which is better?

It depends on what you're optimizing for. Gong edges Shortwave on our editor rating (4.6 vs 4.2), but ratings are a coarse signal. The verdict above breaks down which one wins for budget, feature breadth, and self-hosting.

Which of these is free?

Shortwave is the no-cost option in this comparison (freemium with paid tiers). The rest charge per seat, per token, or by usage.

When should I pick Gong over Shortwave?

Pick Gong when sales coaching matters more than Shortwave's strengths in email search. The "best for" callouts above translate this into concrete personas.

Are there other tools to consider?

Yes — every tool in this comparison has its own alternatives page that ranks the closest competitors. Click any tool name to drill into its full review and alternatives list.

Editorial verdicts, not algorithmicDisagree? Tell us →