Ellie

Ellie is an AI email assistant for people who want replies drafted around the conversation and their own writing habits. It is most compelling for Gmail or Outlook users who handle varied email and want reference material or separate tones to shape drafts. Its appeal is personalized, review-first drafting; daily quotas and connected-account limits make plan choice important.

Overview

Ellie uses email-thread context to draft replies, and can learn tone, sign-offs, and writing patterns from sent mail. On its Business plan, it can also categorise incoming messages and save draft replies automatically. Every message remains a draft until the user reviews and sends it, a sensible safeguard for anyone who wants AI assistance without delegating the final communication.

Users can add website URLs and upload PDF, TXT, DOCX, PPTX, or MD files as factual context. Roles combine different personas, knowledge bases, and tones for different email types; tone controls and custom instructions provide further direction. This is useful when replies need to reflect different responsibilities or draw on reference material, though it rewards some initial setup.

Ellie connects to Gmail or Outlook and supports on-demand drafting in Gmail Web and Outlook Web. Its optional Google Calendar integration is read-only and cannot change events or send invitations. When Google Tasks is enabled, Ellie can create follow-up tasks in a list named Ellie. Ellie says data is encrypted in transit and at rest, email content is processed by OpenAI and/or Azure OpenAI, and email data is not used to train general models. It also says it completed a Google CASA Tier 2 security review and runs regular automated vulnerability scans.

Key features

Thread-aware replies: Drafts use the surrounding email conversation, rather than asking users to supply the whole context themselves.

Voice learning: Sent mail helps Ellie learn a user's tone, sign-offs, and writing patterns. Casual includes up to 200 sent-email training examples.

Auto-drafting and categorisation: Business adds automatic incoming-email categorisation and saved reply drafts, while keeping the user responsible for sending.

Knowledge and roles: URLs and common document formats can supply factual context; roles let users keep distinct personas, reference material, and tones for different email types.

Connected email and extensions: Ellie supports Gmail and Outlook accounts, browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge, and a native Outlook desktop add-in through Microsoft AppSource.

Task and calendar support: Google Tasks can receive follow-up tasks; Google Calendar access is limited to reading.

Pricing

Ellie has a free plan and a 7-day trial. The free plan costs nothing and allows 10 draft replies per day, one connected email account, and one team seat. It has no auto-drafts, so it is best for trying on-demand replies rather than automating incoming mail.

Casual: $19 a month (billed $ 19 /monthly). It permits 25 replies per day, one connected account, browser-extension use, and 200 sent-email training examples. This suits an individual who wants more daily capacity and voice learning but does not need auto-drafts.

Business: $39 a month (billed $ 39 /monthly). It raises the quota to 100 replies per day and adds auto-drafting, auto-categorisation, and three included seats. Each user is limited to one connected account. It is the practical step up for a small team that wants incoming mail triaged and drafted.

Professional: $79 a month (billed $ 79 /monthly). It offers unlimited replies per day, up to three connected accounts per user, and custom team seats. It fits heavier users or teams that need more account flexibility; the quota and seat terms are the distinction from lower tiers.

The free plan's daily cap and single seat constrain regular use, while Casual still limits users to one connected account and lacks the stated Business automation. Business adds seats but not multiple accounts per user. Professional is the only tier with unlimited daily replies and up to three accounts per user.

Platforms

Ellie is available as an extension, a web service, and on Windows. Browser extensions cover Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge; Outlook users can also install the native desktop add-in. The email workflow centres on connected Gmail or Outlook accounts and drafting in their web clients.

Who it's for

Ellie is a strong fit for people who write many replies in Gmail or Outlook and want drafts adapted to their own voice, with the option to ground them in reference material. Business is more appropriate than Casual when automatic categorisation, saved drafts, or multiple team seats matter. It is a weaker fit for anyone expecting email to be sent automatically, needing Calendar changes, or requiring more than one connected account per user without Professional.

Pros and cons

Pro: Thread context and learning from sent mail target the two things that make routine replies feel personal rather than generic.

Pro: Roles and uploaded reference material give users a way to separate tone and factual context across email types.

Pro: Human review stays in the loop, and the optional integrations have clear boundaries: Calendar is read-only while Tasks can accept follow-ups.

Con: The free tier allows only 10 drafts per day and has no auto-drafts, limiting its value for people seeking an automated inbox workflow.

Con: Casual and Business each restrict users to one connected account, which may rule them out for people managing several mailboxes.

Con: Business includes three seats but still only one connected account per user; the broader account allowance requires Professional.

Alternatives

For a wider comparison, browse the AI Email Writing Tools directory. Consider these alternatives when their platform reach, pricing, or stated limits better match your workflow:

WriteMail.ai is worth considering if you want Android or iOS support and prefer plans priced by monthly email volume; its listed tiers range from 50 AI emails/month at $6.95 a month to 500 at $19.95 a month.

ForthWrite has a free plan with 10 drafts per week and supports Gmail and Outlook on the web; consider it if that weekly allowance suits you.

WPS AI Email Writer offers a free, unlimited AI Email Writer with no signup required and no ads, making it an option for users who prioritise those terms.

AI Perfect Assistant may fit users who want Microsoft 365, Chrome, and Telegram integrations on its free plan, which allows 10 tokens per month.

Lavender offers a free plan with five email analyses and five personalizations per month; consider it if that limited monthly allowance is enough.

Jetwriter AI includes 15 regular-model responses per month on its free plan, along with a browser extension and web app, for users who want those access options.

Kerna offers a free 30,000-token trial volume and supports macOS, web, and Windows; consider it if a token-based allowance suits you.

MailMaestro has a free tier limiting Compose, Reply, and Improve to three uses per week, alongside magic templates and AI knowledge; it is an alternative if that cadence meets your needs.

Verdict

Choose Ellie if you want thread-aware replies shaped by your writing style, with optional reference material and a firm review-before-send boundary. Business is the most balanced choice for a small team that needs auto-drafts and categorisation, while individual users can start with the free tier or Casual depending on daily volume. Look elsewhere if you need multiple connected accounts on a lower-priced tier, automatic sending, or more than read-only Calendar access.