Outlook vs Inbox Zero

If you're a larger enterprise, you're likely using Outlook instead of Gmail (Google Workspace) to manage your email and calendar for work.

That said, most startups and quickly growing companies use Google Workspace, so if you're looking into Gmail vs Outlook, we believe Gmail is the clear winner here. It just has a more user-friendly experience all-around, and has significantly more integrated tools ( most modern tools integrate with Gmail over Outlook).

If you're "stuck" with Outlook and want to make your email experience 10X better, using Outlook in addition to a platform like Superhuman email is the way to go.

• All-in-one email and calendar solution within Microsoft 365
• Tight integration with other Microsoft tools
• Familiar interface for long-time enterprise users
• Standard choice for companies already committed to Microsoft

• Clunkier user experience compared to modern email clients
• Fewer modern integrations compared to Google Workspace
• Limited “Sign in with Microsoft” support across newer SaaS tools
• Most modern startups and tools prioritize Google compatibility
• Rarely a proactive choice for small business owners

Outlook combines your inbox and calendar into a single interface. Giving you the ability to respond to your emails, check calendar availability, schedule a meeting, and send out invites, without switching tools.

For companies already using Microsoft 365, you know it works and that it’s functional. You also know it lacks that modern feel that places importance on speed and focus.

Outlook connects directly with the rest of the Microsoft ecosystem (Word, Excel, Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive). And that's great if 365 is what you're committed to, but when you're looking to create a tech stack outside of their system, it suddenly becomes a lot less compelling.

Large enterprises rely on the level of oversight that Microsoft provides. It provides strong security, compliance features, and centralized admin controls, but this is a great example of just because flagship companies are using it doesn't mean it's what's best for you and your team.

If your team is a smaller and fast-moving team, this level of complexity will probably feel like overkill.

Outlook itself is included with Microsoft 365, and pricing varies depending on features and region. Most Microsoft 365 plans start around:

• Business Basic: ~$6/user/month
• Business Standard: ~$12.50/user/month
• Business Premium: ~$22/user/month

Inbox Zero (not to be confused with what Superhuman Mail refers to getting through all your emails) is a layer atop your Gmail that helps you to easily unsubscribe from newsletters and automate label/forwarding flows all via AI.

The area that we use and love with Inbox Zero is where it helps us tame our email inbox, sort of like Mailman, but it focuses more on actually leveraging AI to automatically take action on your email (or unsubscribe if you're getting many newsletters but not reading any of them.

One thing to keep in mind with Inbox Zero (and how it differentiates from its competitors) is that it is an open source AI email assistant with thousands of stars on GitHub, so go and check out the code yourself if you'd like:

Inbox Zero Open-Source GitHub Rep

• Basic: $6/month on annual tier + $1.50/month for each additional email account
• Business: $12/month on annual tier + $3/month for each additional email account