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January 21, 2026

12 MINUTES

Central vs Superhuman: Executive Assistant Comparison

Compare Central AI and Superhuman on AI executive assistant capabilities, setup, pricing approach, and call handling. See which platform fits your business workflow best.

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Written by

Emma Houlihan

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Looking for Superhuman Alternatives?

Executive Assistant Comparison

Service Model: Out of the Box Solutions vs Keyboard Shortcut Configurations

The Scope: All-in-One Productivity vs Email Focused

Action Flow: Orchestrated vs Assisted

Pricing Tiers: Features-Based vs Licensing

The Human Touch: Reviewer vs Operator

Data Security & Compliance

Final Thoughts: Workflow Help vs Inbox Organization

Key Points

Central AI shows your day in one view, with email, meetings, and tasks together, so you can spot what matters without bouncing between places.

If you want one request to trigger multiple steps, Ask Central can run actions across connected tools, while Superhuman keeps most actions inside email and calendar shortcuts.

Superhuman organizes the inbox with split inbox rules and auto labels, while Central adds cold email blocking and bulk cleanup so you spend less time sifting through noise to get to what is important.

Key Points

Central AI shows your day in one view, with email, meetings, and tasks together, so you can spot what matters without bouncing between places.

If you want one request to trigger multiple steps, Ask Central can run actions across connected tools, while Superhuman keeps most actions inside email and calendar shortcuts.

Looking for Superhuman Alternatives?

Central AI coordinates scheduling, follow-ups, and inbox tasks across one workspace, while Superhuman focuses on making email management faster. That means fewer handoffs, less inbox babysitting, and real assistant coverage without constant approval loops.

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Executive Assistant Comparison

Does your inbox keep pulling you away from work that actually matters? If you are trying to cut interruptions and stop important threads from slipping by, you are probably weighing a few different tools. This comparison looks at Central AI and Superhuman to clarify the differences and help you choose what fits best.

Service Model: Out of the Box Solutions vs Keyboard Shortcut Configurations

Central AI and Superhuman differ in how much work they actually take on versus how much they help you move faster. Compared to other Superhuman competitors, the split shows up in system design, automation scope, and integration depth

Central AI functions as an always-on AI Executive Assistant that coordinates email, scheduling, tasks, and daily priorities in one place. It is built to carry work forward on its own, so fewer decisions and follow-ups fall back on you.

Superhuman email assistant is built to make email faster and more controlled, with strong drafting, triage, and calendar tools inside the inbox. It shines when you want speed and precision, but execution still depends on active user review and direction.

Central vs Superhuman: Service Comparison

Category	Central AI	Superhuman
Model	Subscription AI executive assistant	Per-user SaaS subscription with tiered plans for email workflows
Setup	Connect email, internal documents for context, and start using fast	Connect Gmail or Microsoft 365, learn shortcuts, and tune inbox splits
Support	The product includes guidance and in-app help, including CRM at enterprise level	Email and in-app support plus concierge onboarding for enterprise teams
Best-fit	People who want one workspace for everything	Power email users

TL;DR: Central AI keeps e-mail, calendar, and task follow-through connected while Superhuman helps users move faster inside the inbox itself.

The Scope: All-in-One Productivity vs Email Focused

Both services use AI to manage email and calendar workflows, but only one is built to extend beyond the inbox and keep those productivity tools working together as part of the same flow.

What Is Central?

Central AI is a suite of AI solutions built to help businesses manage daily work across communication and coordination. Its AI executive assistant is one product in the suite, designed to keep email, tasks, and the workday connected in one place.

It is built for small business owners and startup founders dealing with busy inboxes, constant context switching, and never-ending follow-ups. These are people doing the work while also trying to stay on top of everything around it.

With Central AI, work shifts from reactive sorting to clearer priorities, with follow-ups tracked and fewer loose ends during the day. The result is less time spent managing the inbox and more confidence that important work is not slipping through.

What Central’s Executive Assistant Can Do for You

Central AI helps manage inbox workload and daily tasks so owners can stay focused on the work that actually drives the business.

Central handles:

Unifies your day in one view: inbox, meetings, and tasks side by side
Turns messages into next steps: email action items become clean tasks
Schedules focused work: turn those email action items into blocked calendar time

As work volume increases, Central AI keeps follow-through steady without adding new tools or more manual coordination.

What Is Superhuman?

Superhuman email is an AI-powered client focused on helping people move through their inbox faster. It primarily supports email and calendar work, centering on triage, drafting, and scheduling inside Gmail and Microsoft 365.

Setup relies on connecting an existing Gmail or Microsoft 365 account through OAuth. Users configure inbox splits, shortcuts, and preferences, with optional guided onboarding and higher touch support for teams.

The Superhuman email client is best suited for executives, founders, and power email users who spend much of their day in the inbox. Its scope stays intentionally email-centric, with tasks and follow-ups handled through inbox-based workflows rather than a separate task system.

What Superhuman Can Do for You

Superhuman productivity primarily helps users manage high volumes of email and scheduling work inside the inbox. It focuses on improving how messages are read, written, organized, and acted on within email.

It handles:

Email triage: routes, labels, and surfaces messages using rules
Email drafting: writes replies and edits in the user’s tone
Scheduling support: finds times and creates calendar events from email

Overall, Superhuman email automation improves inbox flow while leaving most task ownership with the user.

Action Flow: Orchestrated vs Assisted

Central AI and Superhuman both keep humans in the loop for messages and meetings, but differ in how workflow responsibility is shared between the system and user.

How Central AI’s My Day Works

Central AI’s Executive Assistant runs inside the platform My Day, working across email, calendar, and tasks, bringing them into one place. It is built to turn common incoming requests into drafts, scheduled time, and next steps.

In My Day, the EA uses your setup choices and added knowledge to understand what matters as work comes in. It drafts replies, shapes tasks, and keeps follow-ups visible, reflecting your preferences and writing voice where supported.

With Ask Central, you can request multi-step actions that move work forward across connected tools. When something needs confirmation, the system pauses for review before completing the action.

Superhuman’s Operating Model

The Superhuman inbox management works as a dedicated email client where productivity happens inside the inbox and connected calendar. It produces drafts, summaries, routing, and scheduling actions, while final decisions and execution stay user-driven.

The Superhuman login process leads users into inbox configuration, including splits, shortcuts, and workflow preferences. Its scope remains centered on email and calendar, with tasks handled through inbox behaviors rather than a separate system.

Central vs Superhuman: Side-by-Side Comparison

This table compares how work moves through inboxes, calendars, and tasks, from intake through handling and review, for Central AI and Superhuman.

Component	Central AI	Superhuman
Workspace	Single-day view with email calendar tasks together	Dedicated email client with separate calendar view
Action points	Identifies actions and creates tasks inside the workspace	Relies on user-driven task handling
Automation	Structures follow-ups and scheduling	Automates drafts and triage
Integration	Connects email, calendar, and tasks in one command layer	Integrates with email and Calendar
Behaviour	Command-based actions with review when needed	Inbox first actions driven by shortcuts and commands

TL;DR: Central AI centralizes responsibility for day-level follow-through, while Superhuman supports inbox actions with the user driving completion.

Pricing Tiers: Features-Based vs Licensing

Central AI and Superhuman use different plan structures, and while both offer tiers, only one is designed to scale smoothly as workload and usage patterns change.

Central Pricing

Central AI pricing is structured around tiered plans for its AI executive assistant, with options for monthly or annual billing. Plans are usage-based, with both tiers including a 10-day free trial.

● Free: 10 Day Free Trial
● Starter: $29/month (or $25/month billed annually)
● Standard: $49/month (or $45/month billed annually)

Starter is positioned for individuals testing the core automation, including cold email blocking, pre-drafted replies in your style, automatic sorting, scheduling, and follow-ups. Higher tiers adds a meeting notetaker, CRM autosync, plus support for multiple inboxes and calendars.

Central’s executive assistant can be bundled with other Central AI tools, allowing teams to extend coverage across workflows within the same platform.

Superhuman Pricing

Superhuman plans are per-user subscription pricing with tiered plans. It is positioned for power email users and teams who want an AI-enhanced email client with calendar support. Key plans differ by whether Superhuman Mail is included.

Pro: $12 per user per month (charged annually), partner-focused tier.
Business: $33 per user per month (charged annually), includes Superhuman Mail and AI.
Enterprise: custom pricing, adds admin and security controls.

Superhuman Mail is only included on Business and Enterprise, and monthly billing is available at higher rates. Minimum seat requirements are not disclosed.

Pricing based on publicly available information as of Jan 2026, as per the Superhuman website

Central vs Superhuman: Which Offers Better Value?

Central AI is the better overall value for owners who want less inbox noise and more reliable follow-through. In My Day, cold email blocking and cleanup tools pair with Ask Central commands, with review when something needs approval.

When weighing Superhuman cost, the tradeoff is speed and control inside email versus broader follow-through across tools.

The Human Touch: Reviewer vs Operator

If you are worried about an AI acting without you, both Central AI and Superhuman are designed around user control and confirmation steps when needed, however only one is designed to make sure managing your AI is not another daily chore.

How Central and Superhuman Maintain Quality

Central AI surfaces email, meetings, and tasks in My Day so drafts and next steps are easy to review. While the AI helper Ask Central can run actions across connected tools.

Superhuman lives in the inbox, auto-sorting mail and generating summaries and draft replies for you to edit and send. It can set up meeting options and events, but final steps stay user-driven.

In practice, one keeps work visible in a day view, while the other depends on inbox review to keep outputs on track as volume grows.

Side-by-Side Comparison

This table compares how work moves through inboxes, calendars, and tasks, from intake through handling and review, for Central AI and Superhuman.

Component	Central AI	Superhuman
Workspace	Day view with email, meetings, tasks together	Email client plus calendar, tasks via inbox flow
Action points	Turns emails into tasks and calendar blocks	Drafts and reminds, user decides next steps
Automation	Automates sorting, drafts, scheduling, and follow-ups	Automates triage and drafts, user confirms actions
Integration	Runs actions across connected tools from one request	Connects to Gmail or Microsoft 365, inbox-led
Behaviour	Command requests with review when clarification is needed	Shortcut-driven inbox, user approves sends

TL;DR: Both support messages and meetings, but responsibility shifts between system-led flow and user-led completion.

Data Security & Compliance

Central AI and Superhuman both address data protection and client confidentiality, but they rely on different platform controls, disclosures, and plan-level options.

Central documents GDPR compliance and SOC 2 compliance, and supports HIPAA-compliant workflows for regulated use cases. It also describes security measures like encryption, access controls, and privacy handling around the data it processes.

🛡️ Central supports HIPAA- and GDPR-compliant workflows and is SOC 2 Type I certified.

Superhuman discloses SOC 2 Type II and GDPR alignment, encryption in transit and at rest, and enterprise controls like SAML SSO, SCIM, and optional BYOK. Its materials also note that HIPAA is not broadly available for the Superhuman Mail product, and practices may vary by plan.

TL;DR: Central highlights regulated workflow readiness, while Superhuman publishes detailed SaaS controls but notes HIPAA limits for its mail product.

Final Thoughts: Workflow Help vs Inbox Organization

Central AI and Superhuman are both built to reduce the daily drag of email and meeting coordination, but they fit different operating styles. The right choice depends on how much control you want at each step and how much work you want the system to carry between reviews.

Choose Central AI if you want:

✅ A My Day view with emails, meetings, and tasks together
✅ Action items suggested from email, with control to review
✅ Drag an email or task into a calendar block with context
✅ Ask Central to run multi-step workflows across connected tools
✅ Inbox defense and cleanup, like cold email blocking and bulk unsubscribe

Choose Superhuman if you want:

✅ A dedicated email client built for Gmail and Microsoft 365
✅ AI drafts and summaries you edit before you hit send
✅ Shortcut-driven triage with split inbox rules and auto labels
✅ Scheduling from email, with the user confirming the final step

Superhuman can be suitable if most of your EA work lives in email and calendar, and you want tight, hands-on control in the inbox. If you want a Superhuman email alternative, Central AI is a better fit when you want more finished work flowing through connected tools, with clear review points inside My Day and Ask Central.

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FAQ

Central vs Superhuman: FAQ

How quickly can each service be set up and start handling calls?

Central AI setup starts by connecting your email and calendar, then using My Day to see drafts, tasks, and meeting needs in one place. Once connected, it can begin organizing incoming work as it arrives.

Superhuman sign-up involves connecting Gmail or Microsoft 365 through OAuth and configuring inbox splits, shortcuts, and preferences. Some capabilities depend on indexing, and there can be a learning curve for the workflow.

How quickly can the service be set up and start handling calls?

How quickly can each service be set up and start handling calls?

How much control do I have over how calls are handled?

Central AI can automatically sort emails and create tasks or follow-ups, depending on your plan. Drafts and next steps show up in My Day for review, and Ask Central pauses when it needs more detail before acting.

Superhuman can auto-route messages with split inbox rules and generate summaries and draft replies. You still approve sends and meeting actions, so the inbox stays user-driven even with automation.

How much control do I have over how calls are handled?

Superhuman can auto-route messages with split inbox rules and generate summaries and draft replies. You still approve sends and meeting actions, so the inbox stays user-driven even with automation.

How much control do I have over how calls are handled?

Superhuman can auto-route messages with split inbox rules and generate summaries and draft replies. You still approve sends and meeting actions, so the inbox stays user-driven even with automation.

How does the service handle complex or unexpected requests?

Central AI brings email, meetings, and tasks into My Day so you can review what it surfaced and what it drafted in one daily view. Ask Central requests also show their outputs in that same workspace, tied to the related work.

Superhuman keeps visibility inside the inbox, where drafts, summaries, routing, and scheduling steps appear in the context of the email thread. That makes review straightforward for email-first work, but tasks outside the inbox are handled through inbox behaviors rather than a separate task view.

How does the service handle complex or unexpected requests?

What does pricing look like at a high level?

Central AI can surface the message as a task or follow-up in My Day and prompt for the missing context before moving forward. With Ask Central, the system can pause and ask for clarification, so the next step is based on your intent.

Superhuman is designed to keep the user in control, so unclear requests fall back to user-driven handling. Its Ask AI flow will ask for more information rather than guessing, and drafts remain editable before anything is sent.

What does pricing look like at a high level?

What systems or tools does it integrate with?

Central AI connects to your email and calendar, and Ask Central can work across linked productivity tools like messaging, spreadsheets, and CRMs. Integrations are used to turn requests into actions you can review in My Day.

Superhuman contact with Gmail or Microsoft 365 and uses those APIs to send email and create calendar events. It also supports inbox integrations like CRM access, but those updates are typically user-initiated inside the email workflow.

What systems or tools does it integrate with?

What types of calls or inquiries can it handle?

Central AI is built for daily executive workload across email, scheduling, and task follow-through in My Day. It can draft replies, surface action items, and use Ask Central to carry multi-step work across connected tools.

Superhuman supports day-to-day productivity inside email and calendar, including triage, summaries, draft replies, and scheduling from threads. It stays centered on inbox workflows, with the user driving completion and tasks handled through email-based behaviors.

What types of calls or inquiries can it handle?

How are changes or updates handled over time?

Central AI lets you adjust what gets surfaced in My Day and refine how tasks, follow-ups, and drafts are created as your day changes. You can also use Ask Central to steer actions with updated instructions when priorities shift.

Superhuman adjustments happen through inbox configuration, like changing split inbox rules, auto labels, shortcuts, and other settings. It supports quick iterative tweaks, but the approach stays centered on email and calendar workflows.

How are changes or updates handled over time?

What happens if something doesn't work as expected?

Central AI keeps work visible in My Day, so you can review drafts, tasks, and scheduled items and adjust what happens next. If an Ask Central request needs correction, you can revise the instruction and rerun the action with the right context.

Superhuman keeps the user in control of the final steps, so issues are usually handled by editing the draft, changing the rule, or retrying the action in the inbox. Support is available through email and in-app messaging, with enterprise options for higher-touch help.

What happens if something doesn't work as expected?

How does data security and privacy work?

Central AI supports HIPAA-compliant workflows and states it is GDPR compliant and SOC 2-compliant. It is designed for privacy-ready use when handling sensitive client work.

Superhuman reviews note SOC 2 type II and GDPR alignment, with encryption in transit and at rest, plus enterprise controls like SSO and SCIM. It also notes HIPAA is not broadly available for Superhuman Mail, and practices can vary by plan.

How does data security and privacy work?

Central AI supports HIPAA-compliant workflows and states it is GDPR compliant and SOC 2-compliant. It is designed for privacy-ready use when handling sensitive client work.

How does data security and privacy work?

Central AI supports HIPAA-compliant workflows and states it is GDPR compliant and SOC 2-compliant. It is designed for privacy-ready use when handling sensitive client work.

What does pricing look like at a high level?

Central AI uses tiered plans for its AI executive assistant, with monthly or annual billing and a 10-day free trial. Starter and Standard are priced tiers, with Standard adding items like multiple inboxes and CRM autosync.

The Superhuman app uses per user subscription tiers, with Free and Pro that do not include Superhuman Mail, and Business or Enterprise, where Mail is included. Monthly billing is available at higher rates, and some terms, like minimum seats, are not disclosed.

What does pricing look like at a high level?

"We were drowning in calls and website chats, missing about 40% of them during patient appointments. Central's Voice and Chat agents handle everything now. We've booked 60+ new patients in the last month alone, and our front desk can finally focus on the people actually in our office."

Dr. Sarah Chen, Founder, Riverside Family Medicine