Alternative to Hiver: Pros, Cons, and Pricing Analyzed

Hiver is a Gmail-based tool designed to help teams manage shared inboxes with features like email assignment, internal notes, and SLA tracking. For many small support teams, it offers a simple way to add structure to customer communication without leaving Gmail.

But simplicity has a ceiling.

As your team grows or your workflows become more complex, Hiver’s limitations begin to surface—particularly in automation, cross-functional collaboration, and real-time visibility. That’s where Gmelius comes in.

In this article, we’ll break down how Hiver works, where it falls short, and why Gmelius is the preferred alternative for teams that want scalable, automation-ready email collaboration—built directly into Gmail.

Hiver: Clean Interface, Limited Capabilities

Hiver is a Gmail-based help desk solution designed for small support teams. It turns your inbox into a shared workspace where emails can be assigned, tagged, and commented on internally.

At first glance, it covers the basics:

• Assign conversations to teammates
• Leave internal notes
  Apply email tags and statuses
• Track SLAs and response metrics
• Set simple automation rules
  
  

It's an email delegation tool with a help desk twist. You don’t need training, and it doesn’t force you into a new platform. But once your needs grow, Hiver doesn’t.

The automation feels limited. The collaboration features stop at notes. The analytics offer surface-level snapshots. And all the essential features—SLA tracking, advanced rules, workflow customization—are locked behind higher-tier plans.

You’ll find yourself stitching together workarounds. Or worse, relying on side channels (Slack, docs, spreadsheets) to do what your inbox software should already handle.

If you're feeling that ceiling, Gmelius is built to break through it.

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Gmelius: Smarter Email Collaboration, Still in Gmail

Gmelius isn’t a help desk add-on. It’s a complete Gmail-native platform for teams who communicate and collaborate over email—and want to do it without switching tools or sacrificing speed.

Unlike Hiver, Gmelius doesn’t just help you assign emails. It transforms how your team works inside Gmail.

Shared inboxes with real collaboration

Yes, you can assign, comment, and tag emails. But that’s just the beginning.

Gmelius lets you:

• Turn emails into tasks.
• Organize everything in Kanban boards—right inside Gmail.
• Visualize progress and accountability without switching tabs.
• Sync with Trello, Slack, and Google Workspace.
  
  

Four AI assistants built for your inbox

Where Hiver relies on manual rules, Gmelius brings automation to the next level—powered by AI.

• Sorting assistant: Automatically tags and classifies emails based on context.
• Reply assistant: Writes replies using past conversations—no prompt needed.
• Dispatching assistant: Routes messages to the right teammate based on rules or workload.
• Automation architect: Lets you build if-this-then-that workflows without touching code.
  
  

Shared drafts, not shared guesswork

Instead of forwarding draft emails or pasting notes in Slack, Gmelius lets teammates co-write responses in real-time. Shared drafts work like Google Docs, but in Gmail. You can:

• Edit collaboratively.
• Keep the full context in one thread.

Actionable analytics that drive improvement

Gmelius gives you team performance data that actually helps you improve:

• SLA tracking by label, teammate, and channel
• Response-time heatmaps
• Email load per user
• Follow-up rates and resolution metrics
  
  

A UI That Feels Native (Because It Is)

Everything in Gmelius works inside Gmail’s native interface. Not on top of it. Not around it. Within it.

• Assign a conversation directly from the email view
• Add a note, update a status, or switch to board view without opening new tabs
• Launch automation rules or manage SLA tags in the Gmail sidebar
  
  

Pricing: Gmelius Is More Flexible, Not Just Cheaper

Hiver offers a free plan with very limited features and paid plans pricing starts at $19/user/month. But core features—SLA rules, automations, analytics—are gated behind the $29 and $49 plans.

Gmelius includes full collaboration, Kanban boards, automation assistants, and advanced analytics starting at $24/user/month.

• Growth: $24/user/month
  
  
• Pro: $36/user/month
  
  
• Free trial available, no credit card required

Summary: Hiver Helps You Start. Gmelius Helps You Grow.

Hiver is a solid entry point. But it's not built to evolve with your team. The collaboration is basic. The automation is limited. And the analytics tell you what happened—but not how to get better.

Gmelius is different.

It’s for teams who live in Gmail and need more than delegation.
For managers who want visibility and action, not just empty metrics.
It’s for companies who want to automate, collaborate, and scale—without never having to leave their inbox.

Ready to level up your email workflows?
👉 Start your free Gmelius trial today.

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