HEY Email is an opinionated email service from Basecamp (37signals) that reimagines email workflows with features like The Screener (which lets users approve or reject new senders), The Feed (for newsletters), and Paper Trail (for receipts and notifications). HEY eliminates traditional inbox management in favor of curated categories that separate important correspondence from noise.
HEY targets users frustrated with traditional email and willing to pay for a redesigned experience. It competes with privacy-focused email like Proton Mail and Fastmail, smart inbox tools like Edison Mail, and productivity email like Superhuman. Its opinionated design attracts devoted fans but limits appeal for users who want customizable workflows.
Long-standing independent email with powerful rules, calendars, and contacts. Less opinionated than HEY, letting users build their own workflows. Strong migration tools and custom domain support.
End-to-end encryption with Swiss privacy protections. Ecosystem bundling with VPN, Drive, and Calendar. Stronger security guarantees than HEY's non-encrypted approach.
Keyboard-shortcut-driven speed and AI triage features. Premium pricing ($30/month) targets power users. Works with existing Gmail/Outlook accounts rather than being a separate email service.
Dominant market share with deep Google Workspace integration. Free with 15 GB storage. Powerful search and filtering. Most users' default email that HEY must convince to switch.
HEY's curated categories (Imbox, Feed, Paper Trail) work brilliantly for users who align with its philosophy but frustrate those who want custom rules and folders. This polarization creates devoted fans but limits total market.
HEY is a complete email service, not just a client. Users must adopt a @hey.com address or bring a custom domain, creating high switching costs. Superhuman avoids this by working with existing email accounts.
Some users note that HEY's feature development has slowed. In a market where competitors continuously add AI features and integrations, perceived stagnation risks losing early adopters to more actively developed alternatives.
HEY Email costs $99/year for personal use. There is no free tier. This premium pricing reflects its position as an alternative for users willing to pay for a redesigned email experience. Fastmail offers similar independence at lower pricing.
HEY is a standalone email service, not a client. You get a @hey.com address or can use a custom domain. You cannot use HEY to access Gmail or other email accounts. Superhuman works with existing accounts if that is what you need.
HEY offers an opinionated redesigned email workflow; Fastmail provides a traditional but polished email service with powerful customization. Fastmail is more flexible; HEY is more innovative. Both prioritize user privacy over ad-based revenue.