In a world where the world’s most powerful email service (Gmail) is free, the very idea of a $30 per month email client sounds absurd. It’s a price that inspires either immediate dismissal or intense curiosity. There is no in-between.
Superhuman has cultivated an almost mythical reputation in the productivity space. It’s not just an app; it’s a statement. It promises a faster, smarter, and more focused email experience, a tool so meticulously crafted it can help you achieve the fabled state of “Inbox Zero.”
But is it just hype? Is it a justifiable business expense or an overpriced luxury for the tech elite? We decided to find out. We paid the subscription, went through the exclusive onboarding, and lived in Superhuman for months. This is our brutally honest review, designed to give you a clear signal on whether this premium tool is worth your hard-earned money.
Table of Contents
What is Superhuman, Exactly?
First, let’s be clear: Superhuman is not a new email provider. It’s a premium, high-speed software layer—a client—that sits on top of your existing Gmail or Outlook account. Its entire philosophy is built on three pillars: speed, a keyboard-first workflow, and treating your inbox like a to-do list.
The journey begins not with a download, but with a mandatory 30-minute, one-on-one video call with a Superhuman specialist. They walk you through the entire workflow, teach you the core shortcuts, and help you configure the app to your specific needs. This white-glove onboarding is your first indication that Superhuman is selling an experience, not just a utility.
The Deep Dive: The Features That Justify the Price
After the onboarding, you’re left to confront the app itself. Here are the core features we found that make a genuine difference.
1. Blazing, Uncompromising Speed
Superhuman is built around the “100ms rule”—every action, from opening an email to sending a reply, should happen in 100 milliseconds or less. And it delivers. There is no lag, no loading spinners, no waiting. This may sound trivial, but over hundreds of email interactions a day, the removal of this micro-friction creates a feeling of flow and control that is genuinely transformative.
2. The Command Palette (Cmd/Ctrl+K)
This is the heart of Superhuman. By hitting Cmd+K (on Mac) or Ctrl+K (on Windows), you open a search bar that allows you to do anything instantly. You can jump to a folder, snooze an email, apply a label, create a calendar event, or unsubscribe from a newsletter, all without ever touching your mouse.
3. A Keyboard-First Workflow
Superhuman is designed to be used almost exclusively with your keyboard. Every common action has a single-key shortcut. E archives an email (gets it “Done”). H snoozes it for later (“Hold”). R is for reply. Retraining your muscle memory to stop reaching for the mouse takes about a week of conscious effort, but once it clicks, you will process your inbox at a speed you didn’t think was possible.
4. Triage and the “Split Inbox”
This is arguably Superhuman’s killer feature. Instead of one monolithic inbox, you can create multiple, prioritized streams. The app can automatically split incoming mail into different inboxes like “VIP” (for important contacts), “Team Updates,” and “Newsletters.” This allows you to process your email in focused batches, dealing with what’s important first and leaving the rest for later. It turns a cluttered, anxiety-inducing inbox into a series of calm, manageable lists.
5. Built-in AI and Productivity Tools
Superhuman has seamlessly integrated AI to summarize long threads, rewrite your emails in a different tone, and help you draft replies. It also includes powerful built-in tools that normally require third-party extensions:
- Snippets: Create templates for emails you send often.
- Reminders: Set a reminder to follow up if you don’t get a reply by a certain date.
- Read Statuses: See when a recipient has opened your email.
The Honest Flaws: Where Superhuman Falls Short
No tool is perfect, and an honest review must acknowledge the downsides.
- The Price: Let’s not mince words. $30 a month is a significant expense for an email client.
- The Commitment: Superhuman is not a casual tool. It demands that you adopt its methodology. If you don’t commit to the keyboard-first workflow, you are simply using a very expensive version of Gmail.
- Limited Providers: It only works with Gmail and Outlook accounts. If you use another provider, you’re out of luck.
The Final Signal: So, Is It Really Worth $30 a Month?
After months of use, our verdict is nuanced. Superhuman is a masterfully crafted piece of software, but its value is directly proportional to the volume and importance of your email.
Superhuman is WORTH IT if:
- You are a founder, executive, salesperson, or anyone who lives in their inbox and treats email as a critical part of their job (50+ important messages per day).
- You believe that saving seconds on every action adds up to hours of reclaimed focus and productivity each month.
- You are fully committed to adopting a disciplined, keyboard-centric workflow to maximize your efficiency.
- You can comfortably justify the $30 fee as a professional development or business productivity expense.
Superhuman is NOT WORTH IT if:
- You are a casual email user who checks their inbox a few times a day.
- You are perfectly happy with the speed and functionality of the free Gmail or Outlook web clients.
- You are on a tight budget. The productivity gains are real, but they are not worth going into debt for.
- You prefer a mouse-driven workflow and have no desire to learn a new system of shortcuts.
In the end, Superhuman is less of an app and more of an investment in a specific work philosophy. For the right user, it’s a game-changer that delivers on its promise of a faster, more focused email experience. For everyone else, it remains a beautiful, overpriced luxury.