Avec launches a Tinder-like email app that lets users swipe through inbox messages

A new mobile email app called Avec is taking a different approach to inbox management by allowing users to sort emails with swipe gestures, similar to those in dating apps. Designed initially for iOS devices, the app combines swipe-based navigation with voice-powered replies to simplify how users handle their messages.

With Avec, users can swipe left to move an email into a "deal with later" pile, while swiping right marks the message as done or archives it. This card-based interface turns emails into a stack that users can quickly move through, rather than scrolling through a traditional list.

In addition to swiping, the app includes a voice reply feature. A button at the bottom of the email stack allows users to hold and record a response. Once they release the button, the app converts the spoken message into text and displays it as a draft. Users can review the transcription, make edits if needed, and then send the message.

The company says that, unlike tools such as Wispr Flow, Willow, and Monologue, which operate as separate keyboard apps due to Apple's API limitations, Avec integrates directly with email content. This allows it to understand the context of conversations, including names and tone, and tailor responses accordingly. Over time, the app can also adapt to a user's personal writing style.

While organising emails, users can swipe down to mark messages as unimportant. The app then learns from these actions and groups similar emails, reducing the need to sort them manually.

Although the swipeable card interface is its standout feature, Avec also includes a traditional list view for users who prefer a more familiar layout.

Jonathan Unikowski, a former product engineer at Replit, created the app. Unikowski said the idea stemmed from a desire to build tools people use daily. While he initially explored other concepts, such as building a browser, he ultimately focused on email.

He noted that email has remained largely unchanged for decades, with Gmail being one of the last major innovations in the space. According to him, email remains a central part of everyday life despite widespread frustration with how it works. By combining thoughtful design with modern AI tools, he believes the experience can be significantly improved.

Avec enters a competitive space where other apps have already tried to rethink email. Platforms like Superhuman, Shortwave, and Spike have explored different approaches, while Basecamp's Hey attempted to rebuild email as a new provider. However, paid models like Hey have struggled to match Gmail's scale.

Unikowski explained that launching on mobile first was a deliberate choice. He believes the limitations of smaller screens and the absence of physical keyboards encourage more creative solutions. Since many people check email primarily on their phones, he sees mobile as the ideal starting point for rethinking the experience.

The app is currently available in the United States and is free for users with Gmail accounts, with Outlook support planned. While the service is free for now, the company intends to introduce paid tiers later, though specific features for premium users are still being developed.

Avec has raised $8.4 million in funding so far from investors, including Lightspeed and Haystack. The funding round also saw participation from industry figures such as Replit CEO Amjad Masad, Replit's head of AI Michele Catasta, Behance co-founder Scott Belsky, and Lenny Rachitsky.