The short answer
The best Front alternative for a Gmail team that mainly handles email is Tutti: one shared inbox across every Gmail account, AI labels and drafts on every thread, and approval before each send on one flat plan. Missive is the budget pick for small teams that want chat and SMS, Hiver suits support teams that want AI agents, and the Google Groups collaborative inbox is the free fallback.
On this page
Why teams look for Front alternatives
Front is a capable customer operations platform, and many teams outgrow it in the other direction: they want less. The most common reasons people search for a Front alternative are:
- Per-seat pricing that climbs quickly. Front lists Starter at $25, Professional at $65, and Enterprise at $105 per seat per month, and Copilot is a $20 per seat add-on below Enterprise.
- More platform than the job needs. Teams that mostly answer email do not need SMS, WhatsApp, voice, and QA scoring in the same tool.
- AI that is not on by default. On lower tiers, AI compose features have usage limits and the full Copilot costs extra.
- Moving work out of Gmail. Some teams would rather keep Gmail as the system of record.
What to look for in a Front alternative
- Where your mail lives. If your team is on Gmail or Google Workspace, prefer a tool that connects your accounts directly.
- What AI does without being asked. Does it label every conversation and prepare a draft, or only help when someone clicks a button?
- Who presses send. For high-stakes email, a built-in approval step matters more than automation.
- How pricing scales. Per seat, per workspace, or per AI resolution changes the bill a lot as you grow.
Front alternatives at a glance
The best Front alternatives
Tutti
AI shared inbox for Gmail
Best for: Communications teams (press, partnerships, events, agencies) answering relationship email across Gmail accounts
Pricing: $250/month per workspace, up to 5 teammates, every feature included; 14-day free trial, no credit card
AI: Labels every conversation and drafts every reply from the full thread; unknowns left as [placeholders]; zero-data-retention providers
Strengths
- AI triage and a drafted reply on every thread, with no per-seat AI add-on
- Built-in approval queue: nothing sends without a person
- Keeps Gmail as the system of record; only label-matched mail is stored
Keep in mind
- Gmail and Google Workspace only
- Email only, no chat, SMS, or help center
Missive
Collaborative team inbox
Best for: Small teams that want email, chat, and tasks in one affordable app
Pricing: $14 to $36 per user/month billed annually ($18 to $45 monthly)
AI: AI drafting and AI rules on paid plans, with several model providers
Strengths
- Low per-seat price
- Internal chat in every thread, plus SMS and social channels
Keep in mind
- AI is a tool you invoke, not a default on every thread
- No dedicated approval queue
Hiver
Customer service platform that started in Gmail
Best for: Customer service and operations teams that want AI agents and SLAs
Pricing: $25 to $85 per user/month billed annually ($35 to $95 monthly)
AI: AI Copilot drafts replies; AI Agents can resolve requests end to end
Strengths
- Available inside Gmail or as a standalone platform
- Support analytics, SLAs, and CSAT
Keep in mind
- Built around support tickets rather than relationship email
- Per-user pricing
Gmelius
Collaboration layer inside Gmail
Best for: Teams that want boards, sequences, and shared inboxes without leaving the Gmail interface
Pricing: $19 to $40 per user/month billed annually ($21 to $50 monthly)
AI: AI assistant drafts replies, classifies mail, and automates follow-ups
Strengths
- Works inside Gmail through an extension
- Kanban boards, sequences, and SLA rules
Keep in mind
- Collaboration via notes and mentions rather than an approval queue
- Per-user pricing
Help Scout
Help desk for customer support
Best for: Customer support teams that also want a knowledge base and chat widget
Pricing: Free plan; $25 to $75 per user/month; AI Answers $0.75 per resolution
AI: AI Assist on all plans; AI Drafts and Summarize from Plus ($45/user)
Strengths
- Friendly help desk with Docs and Beacon chat
- Free plan for very small teams
Keep in mind
- Mailboxes usually fed by forwarding rather than your Gmail itself
- Support-first workflow
Google Groups collaborative inbox
Free Google Workspace feature
Best for: Low-volume teams sharing one group address
Pricing: Included with Google Workspace where Groups is enabled
AI: No AI drafting or classification described in Google's documentation
Strengths
- No extra cost
- Assign conversations and mark them resolved
Keep in mind
- One group address per inbox, in the Groups interface
- No AI and no approvals
How to choose
If your team handles relationship email in Gmail, such as press, partnerships, and events, start with Tutti. It is the only option here that labels and drafts every conversation by default and requires a person to approve every send, for $250 per month per workspace with up to 5 teammates.
If you want the lowest price per seat and internal chat, try Missive. If you run customer support and want AI agents that resolve requests, look at Hiver. If volume is low and budget is zero, the Google Groups collaborative inbox is already part of Google Workspace.
For a wider view, see the best shared inbox for Gmail roundup.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Front alternative for Gmail?
For communications teams on Gmail, Tutti. It keeps your Gmail accounts, labels and drafts every conversation with AI, and requires approval before sending, for $250 per month per workspace for up to 5 teammates, with a 14-day free trial.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Front?
Yes. Missive costs less per seat, and the Google Groups collaborative inbox is included with Google Workspace. Tutti is often cheaper than Front once Copilot is added for a whole team, because AI is included on its single plan.
Which Front alternative includes AI drafts without an add-on?
Tutti includes AI labeling and AI reply drafts on its only plan. Help Scout includes AI Drafts from its Plus plan, and Hiver lists AI Copilot on all tiers.