Available on the web, and through mobile apps for Android and iOS, Inbox by Gmail aimed to improve email productivity and organization through several key features.

Bundles gathered emails on the same topic together; highlighted surface key details from messages, reminders and assists; and a "snooze" functionality enabled users to control when specific information would appear.

At its launch, it was called "minimalist and lovely, full of layers and easy to navigate",[3] with features deemed helpful in finding the right messages—one reviewer noted that the service felt "a lot like the future of email".

For example, flight tickets, car rentals, and hotel reservations were grouped under "Travel", giving the user an easier overview of emails.

Inbox could retrieve updated information from the Internet, including the real-time status of flights and package deliveries.

[18] Inbox by Gmail was announced on a limited invitation-only basis on October 22, 2014, available on the web, and through the Android and iOS mobile operating systems.

[21][22][23] David Pierce of The Verge praised the service, writing that it was "minimalist and lovely, full of layers and easy to navigate.

She added that users must "give up the control" to organize their email, and that it "won't vibe with everyone", but admitted that "if you're willing ... the app will reward you with a smarter and cleaner inbox."

Mitroff noted that, initially, users had to coach the app about which bundle was appropriate for certain emails, writing, "It's a tedious process at first, by [sic] in just a few days Inbox starts to get it right."