Productivity
Mercury Agent vs Shortwave
Both are listed in Productivity because they extend the same human capability: more of the right work, less of the mechanics. They are not interchangeable — the diff below is the reason this page exists, and it is computed from capabilities we could read from each maker's own page.
| Attribute | Mercury Agent | Shortwave |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 87/100 | 72/100 |
| Price we read | open source | free tier |
| Free tier | yes | yes |
| Type | software | software |
| Platforms | Android · macOS · Linux · API · CLI · Slack | iOS · Android · Slack · Notion |
| Launched | 20 Apr 2026 | not stated |
| Page status | page read | page read |
| Last checked | 30 Oct 2026 | 30 Oct 2026 |
Only in Mercury Agent
- Autonomous coding
- Sleep tracking
- API access
Only in Shortwave
- Summarisation
- Meeting capture
- Blood biomarkers
In both
- Note-taking
- Code completion
- Workflow automation
Our reading
Choose Mercury Agent when a searchable place for everything you write down. Choose Shortwave when reading the summary instead of the thread. If neither limitation is acceptable, the safest move is to open both official pages and re-check the two facts that matter to you — the ones above are dated 30 Oct 2026 and 30 Oct 2026.