Nobody wants to spend hours reading emails. Yet, the average full-time worker in the US takes at least 2.6 hours per day going through their email inbox.
If you want to make your workday more productive, you can use Gmail add-ons. These tools will help you reduce the time you spend going through your email messages. Read on to learn more about the most useful add-ons for 2024!
Gmail add-ons are email automation tools that you can connect to your account. These tools eliminate some repetitive tasks and processes, potentially saving you hours of extra work.
Note that a Gmail add-on is different from a Gmail extension. The former is connected to your email platform, which you can access through any web browser, as well as iOS/Android apps. Meanwhile, Gmail extensions are only available on Google Chrome.
What Makes A Great Gmail Add-on?
Before you add several add-ons to your account, you should first carefully consider if it’s worth installing. Here are some factors that make a great add-on for email:
Productivity-enhancing features: The add-on should reduce the time you spend on emails every day. Choose ones with features that allow you to schedule emails, organize your inbox, and remove unwanted emails.
Integrations: It’s ideal to choose a Gmail add-on that can connect with your other productivity tools. That way, when you make changes on one platform, others also get updated automatically.
What Are The Benefits Of Using Add-ons For Gmail?
Using add-ons can boost your productivity in a multitude of ways. Here are the main benefits of using Gmail email extensions:
Turn emails into tasks or calendar events: Some add-ons allow you to create calendar events from emails in a couple of clicks. They can also turn emails into task tickets that you can add to your to-do list.
Compose responses with ease: Some Gmail add-ons give you access to well-made email templates. That way, you don’t have to type each response one by one.
Get real-time notifications: Never miss an important email again! Some add-ons send real-time alerts every time you get a message.
Share files without fail: Large email attachments can clog up your inbox and consume your allotted Gmail bandwidth. Some add-ons allow you to add download links to large files through the cloud.
Out of the thousands of add-ons available on the Google Workspace, you may find it hard to choose the right one. Here are some factors you should consider when choosing a Gmail add-on:
User-friendly features: A great Gmail add-on shouldn’t require hours of training. They should be intuitive and ready to use once installed.
Security: Every Gmail add-on you connect to your account should maintain your privacy and keep your data safe. They should only be able to view and send emails with your permission – and only when they’re activated.
Pricing: Comparing pricing plans will help you see which add-on is best for you. Some widgets have the same functionalities at wildly different price points, so it’s good to choose the ones that come at more affordable rates.
How We Evaluated The Best Add-ons
To evaluate the best add-ons, we compared their features and pricing plans. We also made sure that they come from reputable and trustworthy developers.
Our Top Picks For The Best Gmail Add-ons For 2024
Here are some of the best email add-ons you can find on the Google Workspace Marketplace:
Box For Gmail allows you to attach and download files through the cloud without leaving the Gmail interface. It also boasts several integrations through Integrately. Some of its amazing features include:
Top-class security: Every file sent through Box is protected by enterprise-grade security.
Manage permissions: Edit the permissions of a shared file to ensure that files are only accessible by the right people.
Easy setup: Attach links to the email in just a few clicks.
Plans & Pricing
Paid plans for Box start at $25/month per user (up to 15GB).
Trello For Gmail allows you to create tasks from emails easily. To unlock its full potential, you can also connect the add-on to Integrately. Here’s a quick look at its amazing features:
Create cards easily: This simple Gmail add-on automatically generates Trello cards using info from emails. Subject lines become card titles and the email body is added to the description.
Easy email tracking: Trello’s project management features allow you to easily track sales leads and customer feedback from email messages.
Plans & Pricing
Trello’s basic plan is available for free. Paid plans start at $5/month per user.
Zoom for Gmail allows you to escalate any email thread into a video conference. It also boasts multiple integrations through Integrately. Here are some reasons to install it:
Meet with email recipients: Start or schedule an instant meeting with email recipients. The add-on also allows you to instantly send a meeting summary once the discussions are completed.
Schedule meetings seamlessly: Schedule upcoming meetings from the Gmail platform.
Plans & Pricing
The Zoom Basic account is available for free. Paid plans start at $19.99/month per user.
Mailstrom is the secret to achieving inbox zero. Here are its main features:
No more email marketing campaigns: Delete unnecessary emails and unsubscribe to newsletters in just a few clicks.
AI-powered email sorting tool: Mailstrom uses AI to guess important emails and bundle up related emails. That way, you can get through hundreds or thousands of emails at once.
Plans & Pricing
Mailstrom offers a free trial for up to one email address. The basic paid plan starts at $9/month per user.
Todoist for Gmail makes it easy for you to update your to-do list from your email account. You can also connect it to Integrately to automate even more repetitive tasks. Use Todoist for Gmail to achieve the following:
Add emails to your to-do list: This add-on allows you to create tasks from emails so you can take action on them later.
Track emails: Don’t let emails get lost in your inbox. With this add-on, you can set due dates, get follow-up reminders, and prioritize important tasks.
Plans & Pricing
The basic version of Todoist is available for free. Premium plans start at $4/month per user.
Checker Plus for Gmail is a Chrome extension that enables you to check emails on the go. Its best features include:
Read and listen to emails on the go: Get pop-up previews of emails that you can easily check, read, or delete. You can also ask the extension to read the email out loud.
Push notifications: Get desktop sound or voice notifications for incoming emails.
Clearbit Connect is a Gmail widget that allows you to organize and update your email contacts easily. You can also connect it to Integrately to unlock its full potential. Its main features include:
Connect to company databases: By installing this widget, you can gain access to millions of company databases and email the exact person you need for your project.
Search for people: Search for email addresses by name, job title, or role to find the best person to contact.
Plans & Pricing
Getting a basic Clearbit account is available for free. Pricing for business plans is based on the packages and add-ons chosen.
Sortd is an all-in-one sales and service task manager. Try this add-on for the following:
Turn emails into workflows: Manage sales queries and orders through the Gmail platform. This widget also allows you to share emails with your entire sales team.
Set automatic follow-ups: Use the tool to follow up with customers automatically.
Plans & Pricing
The starter plan is available for free. Paid plans start at $8/month per user.
Fyle for Gmail enables users to track and submit expense e-receipts right from their inbox with the click of a button.
Easy expense tracking: The add-on scans the email, extracts relevant information accurately, and auto-fills the expense form; thus, saving users time and manual effort.
Pre-submission policy checks: Fyle also seamlessly enforces compliance by automating pre-submission checks. By checking every expense against company policy at the source of its creation, it ensures that only compliant expenses get through.
Plans & Pricing:
Fyle’s standard plan starts from $4.99 per active user/month, billed annually.
What Are The Best Add-ons For You?
The best add-ons for most people will be add-ons that improve your email workflow and allow you to finish sorting your emails within minutes. Refer to our list above for some of the most powerful, tried-and-tested add-ons out there. You can also connect these Gmail add-ons to Integrately so you can manage all your tools in one platform.
If you’re new to using Gmail add-ons, you probably have several questions about using them. Here are answers to some of the most common questions on these tools:
FAQs about Gmail Add-ons
How do I get add-ons for Gmail?
You can get add-ons for your Gmail account by simply accessing the main page of your email account and clicking the Plus (+) button to download more add-ons through the Google Workspace Marketplace.
If you don't see the sidebar containing the (+) button, it might be hidden. Check the bottom right corner for an arrow, and click it to unhide the add-ons.
Where are my add-ons?
All Gmail add-ons can be viewed by checking the icons on the right side of your browser. By default, you should see Google Calendar, Keep, and Tasks.
How do I remove a Gmail add-on?
To remove a Gmail add-on, follow these steps:
Click “Settings” at the top right of the main page.
In the "Installed add-ons" section, click “Manage”.
Click "More" and then "Remove".
Are Gmail add-ons safe?
Most Gmail add-ons are safe, but third-party add-ons may pose certain risks. Make sure that you don't grant unnecessary permissions to add-ons to protect your data.
In general, it's best to only use Gmail add-ons and extensions from established companies. That way, you can protect your privacy and ensure that no one gets unauthorized access to your emails.
Author - Abhishek A Agrawal
Abhishek is the founder of Integrately, CompanyHub, and Dreamwares. He is passionate about technology and entrepreneurship. He is always looking to leverage technology for the growth of the business. He has a deep understanding of how businesses work and uses this knowledge to build products that help entrepreneurs grow their businesses.