RelayMail vs SharedInbox: two ways to answer email in Slack
SharedInbox and RelayMail solve the same problem: an email arrives, it shows up as a Slack thread, and someone replies from that thread. The main difference is how they get your email.
SharedInbox connects to your Gmail, Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 account. RelayMail never touches your account; you set up a forwarding rule and it relays what you forward.
Account access vs forwarding
Connecting the mailbox directly means a tool can see what is in it. That can be handy: your sent folder stays in sync without any setup. It also means granting a third party access to the account, which some companies and IT teams will not allow.
Forwarding is narrower. RelayMail only receives the messages you forward to it and never has a login for your mailbox. The trade-off is a few minutes of setup in your mail provider, and on your own domain a few DNS records if you want replies to come from your address.
When SharedInbox is the better pick
- –You want an annual plan; SharedInbox lists one at $150/year per account.
- –You are fine connecting your Google or Microsoft account and want to skip forwarding setup.
When RelayMail is the better pick
- ✓Your mail is not on Gmail or Microsoft 365, or your IT policy rules out connecting the mailbox.
- ✓You want the tool to see only the mail you forward to it.
Questions
Do both let teammates reply without their own email seat?
Yes. Neither charges per teammate. Anyone in the Slack channel can reply, and both price per inbox or account.
Try RelayMail on your real inbox for 14 days
$0 today, then $15/month per inbox. Cancel before the trial ends and you pay nothing.
See plans and start the trialUpdated 2026-10-07. Sources: