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, budget planning, cross-functional collaboration, and real-time visibility.

In this article, we’ll break down how Hiver works, where it falls short, and what might be a good 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 and are artificially limited by the number of shared inboxes or labels you can create. 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.

‍

Gmelius: Smart Email Collaboration, Still in Gmail

Gmelius is a 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 right from the comfort of your Gmail inbox. But that’s just the beginning.

Gmelius lets you:

• Create an unlimited number of shared inboxes and shared Gmail labels
• Turn emails into tasks.
• 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 and limited AI features billed as addons, 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

Like Hiver, 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

"Thanks to Gmelius, efficiency has increased dramatically because we can now allocate emails, make internal notes, and monitor work progress without leaving our inboxes" (source: G2 Reviews)

Hiver vs Gmelius

Hiver and Gmelius are both email collaboration tools for Gmail. They allow teams to manage shared inboxes, assign conversations, and automate workflows. While both offer core collaboration features, they differ in integrations, automation capabilities, and AI-powered tools.

Pricing

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 unlimited 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

Why Switch from Hiver to Gmelius?

While Hiver provides a basic shared inbox solution, Gmelius is designed for teams that want deeper automation, seamless collaboration, and data-driven insights, without leaving Gmail.

Here’s how they compare:

• Automation and AI: Gmelius automates up to 70% of repetitive email tasks with workflow rules, shared templates, and AI-assisted drafting. Hiver’s automation covers only basic tagging and assignments, with no AI drafting.
  
  
• Collaboration: Manage shared inboxes, track email status in Kanban boards, and collaborate via internal notes, all inside Gmail. Teams using Gmelius report responding to emails 40% faster than with Hiver.
  ‍
  
• Analytics: Gmelius delivers actionable insights that help teams improve response time and workflows, not just review past activity.
  

Choosing the Right Tool for Your Team

Hiver offers core features for managing shared inboxes, making it a suitable starting point for many teams. Its collaboration tools are basic, automation options are limited, and analytics focus primarily on past activity.

On the other hand, Gmelius provides a broader set of capabilities for teams working in Gmail, including advanced automation, AI assistants, collaborative features, and actionable analytics. It enables managers to both monitor activity and take action without leaving their inbox, supporting teams that want to streamline workflows and scale operations.

Ready to explore the difference? 👉 Start your free Gmelius trial today.