Is there a better alternative to Gmail Smart Compose?
The short version: If Smart Compose feels generic, Opsis is built for that gap. Opsis writes your next line wherever you type: Slack, Gmail, Outlook, Teams, Notion, Google Docs and AI chats like Claude and ChatGPT. Press Tab to keep it. It can also draft a whole reply from a few notes, using facts from your own work: what's on your screen, the apps you connect (Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Slack, Notion, GitHub, Linear, Outlook) and your history. In Gmail it offers the next line as you type, and it can draft a full reply from a few notes.
Smart Compose has been in Gmail since 2018 and suggests common phrases. It works inside Google products. Opsis works in Gmail too, and also in Slack, Outlook, Teams, Notion, Google Docs and AI chats, with the same Tab to keep. The difference you will notice most is facts: Opsis can use the calendar invite or the doc behind the email.
How it compares.
Gmail writing help compared, as of November 2026
| Tool | What it does in Gmail | Beyond Gmail | Uses facts from your work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opsis | Finishes your next line (Tab to keep) and drafts replies from notes. | Slack, Outlook, Teams, Notion, Google Docs, AI chats. Mac and Windows. | Yes, from the screen, connected apps and history. |
| Gmail Smart Compose | Suggests the next words or phrase as you type. Launched in 2018. | Google products where Google has built it in. | Limited. Early reviewers noted it leans on common phrasing. |
| Compose AI | Browser extension for autocomplete in Gmail and Google Docs. | Browser only. | Its own site claims it picks up details from calendar invites. We haven't tested that. |
| Grammarly | Edits and suggests changes to what you wrote, including in Gmail. | Mac, Windows, browser, mobile. | Depends on the product and plan. |
Swipe the table to compare
Figures and shutdown dates come from the sources at the bottom, or from this site's own product copy. We don't invent competitor features.
Who it's for.
People who send a lot of email, find Smart Compose too generic, and also write in Slack or other apps all day.
Your data.
Opsis only follows the apps you share. Private windows and password managers are never recorded. When assistance is on, the text it needs is processed in the cloud with your consent, encrypted in transit and at rest, with zero data retention at our AI providers. Opsis isn't a screen recorder. You can pause, disconnect an app or delete your history whenever you like. Read the privacy policy · How Opsis handles data.
Smart Compose is not bad, it is narrow
Smart Compose is free, built in and fast. If your email is mostly short and routine, it may be all you need. Opsis is for the point where you are still typing the same long reply, or still switching tabs to check a date before you answer.
Using both
You can run both. If that gets noisy, turn Smart Compose off in Gmail settings or pause Opsis from its menu.
FAQ
Is Opsis better than Gmail Smart Compose?
For email that depends on facts from your calendar, docs or earlier messages, it is built to be. For short routine email, Smart Compose is free and often enough. Try Opsis free and compare on your own inbox.
Does Opsis work in the Gmail web app?
Yes, in the browser on Mac and Windows, as long as the browser is an app you share.
Will Opsis send my email?
No. It writes text into the compose box. You review and press send.