Notion is pulling the plug on its email client — barely five months after launch — and the reason marks a significant shift in how the company sees productivity. The San Francisco-based software firm announced today that Notion Mail will be shut down on September 22, 2025, effectively killing the last remaining piece of the Skiff acquisition.
Why Notion is killing its email client
In a post on X, Notion said most of its users "don't use email clients anyway." Instead, the company argued, users are turning to AI agents to handle their electronic correspondence. The statement signals a strategic pivot away from traditional inbox management toward AI-powered automation within Notion's ecosystem.
The short, troubled life of Notion Mail
Notion Mail launched in April 2025 as a Gmail client built primarily by engineers who joined Notion through the Skiff acquisition in February 2024. Skiff was an encrypted email and productivity startup that promised privacy-first communication. Within a year of the acquisition, Notion shut down Skiff's standalone email service, taking @skiff.com email addresses with it. Notion Mail was supposed to be the resurrection — but it lasted only five months.
What this means for users who relied on Skiff email
For users who migrated to Notion Mail after Skiff's shutdown, this is a second blow. Anyone still using @skiff.com addresses or relying on Notion Mail as their primary inbox will lose access entirely on September 22. The company has not detailed a migration path or export tool for email data, leaving users in limbo.
Notion's official response
Notion's X post (first spotted by 9to5Mac) was brief: the company will shutter the "inbox across web, desktop, and iOS on September 22." The post claimed that most Notion users don't use email clients and instead rely on AI agents to handle their electronic correspondence. Notion did not immediately respond to requests for further comment on user data or migration options.
Why this matters beyond Notion
The decision reflects a broader industry debate about the future of email. While companies like Google and Microsoft continue to invest in traditional inboxes, a growing number of productivity startups are betting that AI agents — which can draft, sort, and even respond to emails autonomously — will replace the need for a dedicated email client. Notion's move suggests it believes that future is already here for its user base.
Confirmed facts vs what remains unclear
Confirmed: Notion Mail will shut down on September 22, 2025. The service was built by the Skiff acquisition team. Notion cited AI agent usage as the primary reason. Unclear: Whether users can export their email data before the shutdown. Whether Notion plans to integrate email functionality into its AI agent features instead. Whether the Skiff team members will be reassigned or laid off.
Notion's strategic bet on AI agents
Notion has been aggressively building AI features into its core platform, including AI-powered writing, summarization, and project management. The decision to kill Notion Mail suggests the company sees AI agents — not email clients — as the primary interface for communication and task management. This aligns with a broader industry trend where startups like Jasper, Copy.ai, and even Microsoft with Copilot are embedding AI agents directly into workflows rather than building standalone email tools.
Risks and balanced view
Critics argue that Notion's move may alienate users who prefer traditional email workflows. The company's claim that "most users don't use email clients" may not hold true for power users who rely on Notion Mail for daily communication. Additionally, AI agents are still prone to errors, privacy concerns, and lack of user control — issues that encrypted email services like Skiff were designed to address. Notion's pivot away from email could also signal that the Skiff acquisition ultimately failed to deliver the value Notion expected.
The wider pattern: Email's slow decline in the AI era
Notion is not alone in questioning email's relevance. AI-native startups like Superhuman and Spark have tried to reinvent email, while others like Motion and Akiflow are building all-in-one productivity platforms that minimize inbox time. However, Google and Microsoft — which dominate the email market — continue to invest heavily in traditional email infrastructure. Notion's decision represents a bet that the future belongs to AI agents, not inboxes.
What Notion Mail users should do now
If you are a Notion Mail user, back up your emails before September 22. Export any important conversations, contacts, or attachments. Consider migrating to a dedicated email client like Gmail, Outlook, or ProtonMail. Watch for any official migration tools Notion may release before the shutdown date.
What happens next
Notion has not announced any replacement email service. The company is expected to focus on expanding its AI agent capabilities within the core Notion platform. Whether the Skiff team members will continue to work on AI features or face layoffs remains unclear. The shutdown date of September 22 gives users roughly three months to transition.
Our Take
Notion's decision to kill Notion Mail is less about email and more about a fundamental shift in how the company views productivity. By betting on AI agents over inboxes, Notion is making a bold claim about the future of work — one that may prove premature for many users. The move also raises questions about the Skiff acquisition: what was the point of buying an encrypted email startup if the company was going to abandon email entirely within 18 months? For now, the message is clear: Notion wants to be an AI platform, not an email client.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will Notion Mail shut down?
Notion Mail will be shut down on September 22, 2025, across web, desktop, and iOS platforms.
Why is Notion shutting down its email app?
Notion says most users don't use email clients and instead rely on AI agents to handle their correspondence. The company is pivoting toward AI-powered productivity features.
What happened to Skiff email after the acquisition?
Skiff's standalone email service was shut down within a year of Notion's acquisition in February 2024. Notion Mail, built by the Skiff team, launched in April 2025 and will now also shut down.
Can I export my emails from Notion Mail before the shutdown?
Notion has not yet announced an export tool or migration path. Users should back up important emails manually before September 22.
