Why do people leave HEY?

The most common reasons are the lack of IMAP/third-party client support, difficulty migrating email in or out, minimal integrations, and a $99/year price with no cheaper tier. HEY's opinionated workflow also isn't for everyone.

Is there a HEY alternative that keeps my Gmail?

Yes—Superhuman and Shortwave both run on top of Gmail (and Superhuman on Outlook too), giving you a modern, reimagined inbox without changing your email address or losing integrations.

What's the cheapest alternative to HEY?

Zoho Mail (from about $1/user/mo) and Tuta (with a free tier) are the most affordable. Shortwave also has a free plan, unlike HEY.

Does HEY support IMAP or other email clients?

No. HEY only works through its own apps and doesn't support IMAP, POP, or third-party clients—one of the biggest reasons people seek alternatives.

What's the best HEY alternative for privacy?

Proton for Business and Tuta Mail offer genuine end-to-end encryption, which HEY does not—HEY's focus is inbox workflow, not message security.

HEY Alternatives (2026): 8 Additional Options for a Modern Inbox

HEY, from the makers of Basecamp (37signals), rethinks email around opinionated workflows: a Screener that approves first-time senders, the Imbox for important mail, separate Feed and Paper Trail views, and a flat $99/year price. It's a favorite of people who feel buried by their inbox and want strong defaults instead of endless configuration.

But HEY's opinions are also its limits. There's no IMAP, POP, or third-party client support, so you're locked into HEY's own apps; migrating in or out is hard; integrations are minimal; and the workflow simply doesn't fit everyone. At $99/year per user (and $12/user/mo for HEY for Domains), teams often look for something more flexible or more collaborative.

TL;DR

If you love HEY's 'reinvented inbox' feel, Superhuman and Shortwave offer modern, opinionated experiences layered on top of Gmail or Outlook.
For the flexibility and integrations HEY lacks, Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 win on openness and collaboration.
Privacy seekers should look at Proton for Business or Tuta Mail instead of HEY's walled garden.
Unlike HEY, most alternatives support IMAP and standard clients, so you're never locked in.

Why look for a HEY alternative?

HEY doesn't support IMAP, POP, or third-party clients—you're locked into HEY's own apps with no way to use Apple Mail, Outlook, or Thunderbird.
Migrating email in and out of HEY is painful, and its opinionated workflow (Screener, Imbox, Feed) doesn't suit everyone.
Integrations and automation are minimal compared to mainstream suites.
Custom-domain use requires HEY for Domains at $12/user/mo, and there's no full office/collaboration suite.
At a flat $99/year with no cheaper tier, light users may find it hard to justify.

HEY alternatives at a glance

Tool	Starting price	Rating	Best for
Superhuman	$30/mo month-to-month, or about $25/mo billed annually.	—	Power users who want speed and strong defaults without abandoning Gmail or Outlook.
Shortwave	Free tier available; Pro from about $14/seat/mo billed annually.	—	Gmail users who want HEY-style rethinking plus modern AI features.
Google Workspace	$7/mo	★ 4.7	Teams that want an open, collaborative inbox with limitless integrations.
Microsoft 365	$7/mo	★ 4.6	Organizations that rely on Office apps and want a fully open, manageable mail platform.
Zoho Mail	$1/mo	★ 4.5	Budget-conscious teams that want open, custom-domain email that scales.
Proton for Business	$7.99/mo	★ 4.4	Privacy- and compliance-focused users who want encryption over opinionated triage.
Tuta Mail	$6/mo	★ 4.6	Individuals who prioritize default encryption over inbox reinvention.
Neo	$2.49/mo	★ 4.5	Solopreneurs who want an affordable branded inbox and don't already own a domain.

1. Superhuman

Best for a blazing-fast, opinionated inbox

$30/mo month-to-month, or about $25/mo billed annually.

What it does better than HEY

Superhuman delivers the same 'reimagined email' ambition as HEY but works on top of your existing Gmail or Outlook account—so you keep your address, IMAP-based data, and integrations while gaining keyboard-first speed, AI triage, split inbox, and follow-up reminders. You're never locked into a proprietary system the way HEY requires.

Where HEY still wins

Superhuman is a client, not a provider—it needs an underlying Gmail/Outlook account—and at $30/month it's far pricier than HEY's $99/year.

Best for: Power users who want speed and strong defaults without abandoning Gmail or Outlook.

2. Shortwave

Best for an AI-powered inbox on top of Gmail

Free tier available; Pro from about $14/seat/mo billed annually.

What it does better than HEY

Shortwave layers a bundled, AI-first inbox—smart summaries, natural-language search, and assistant-drafted replies—directly onto Gmail. Like HEY it reorganizes how you read mail, but it keeps your existing Google account, integrations, and a genuinely free tier HEY doesn't offer.

Where HEY still wins

Shortwave is built for Gmail/Google Workspace accounts, so it isn't a standalone provider or a fit for non-Google mail, and heavy AI use requires a paid plan.

Best for: Gmail users who want HEY-style rethinking plus modern AI features.

3. Google Workspace

Best for flexible, collaborative email

★ 4.7· Capterra$7/mo

What it does better than HEY

Google Workspace gives you the open, integrated inbox HEY refuses to be: full IMAP/POP, works in any client, and connects to Docs, Meet, Drive, and thousands of apps. Search and spam filtering are best-in-class, and you're never locked in.

Where HEY still wins

Gmail's default inbox lacks HEY's strong opinions—no built-in Screener or Feed—so you'll add extensions or rules to get similar structure. It's also ad-informed rather than privacy-first.

Best for: Teams that want an open, collaborative inbox with limitless integrations.

Visit Google Workspace Full review

4. Microsoft 365

Best for Outlook and Office users

★ 4.6· Capterra$7/mo

What it does better than HEY

Microsoft 365 pairs Outlook—with Focused Inbox, rules, and Sweep for taming clutter—with the full Office suite, Teams, and 1 TB OneDrive. It supports every standard protocol and integrates with enterprise identity, none of which HEY offers.

Where HEY still wins

It's far more complex to set up and administer than HEY's zero-config approach, and its inbox isn't as opinionated out of the box.

Best for: Organizations that rely on Office apps and want a fully open, manageable mail platform.

Visit Microsoft 365 Full review

5. Zoho Mail

Best for affordable, open business email

★ 4.5· Capterra$1/mo

What it does better than HEY

Zoho Mail is ad-free, standards-based (IMAP/POP/ActiveSync), and starts around $1/user/mo—far cheaper than HEY—while adding Streams for collaboration and access to Zoho's app ecosystem. You keep full client freedom and custom domains without a premium add-on.

Where HEY still wins

Zoho's inbox is conventional; it doesn't reinvent triage the way HEY's Screener and Imbox do, and its interface is busier.

Best for: Budget-conscious teams that want open, custom-domain email that scales.

Visit Zoho Mail Full review

6. Proton for Business

Best for privacy instead of a walled garden

★ 4.4· G2$7.99/mo

What it does better than HEY

Proton for Business offers end-to-end encrypted, Swiss-jurisdiction email plus encrypted Calendar, Drive, and VPN—real privacy, where HEY's pitch is workflow, not security. Open-source, audited apps and IMAP Bridge support give you both privacy and client flexibility.

Where HEY still wins

Proton doesn't reimagine inbox triage like HEY, and full IMAP access requires the desktop Bridge app rather than working everywhere natively.

Best for: Privacy- and compliance-focused users who want encryption over opinionated triage.

Visit Proton for Business Full review

7. Tuta Mail

Best for fully encrypted personal email

★ 4.6· G2$6/mo

What it does better than HEY

Tuta encrypts your entire mailbox by default on green German infrastructure and is fully open source, giving you privacy HEY never promises—at a lower price with a free tier available.

Where HEY still wins

Tuta uses proprietary encryption with no IMAP/PGP interoperability, and its inbox is a straightforward secure client, not a reimagined workflow like HEY's.

Best for: Individuals who prioritize default encryption over inbox reinvention.

Visit Tuta Mail Full review

8. Neo

Best for solopreneurs needing a domain

★ 4.5· Trustpilot$2.49/mo

What it does better than HEY

Neo gives solopreneurs a business inbox with a free domain, read receipts, email templates, and even a one-page site—practical features HEY lacks—at a lower entry price. It supports custom domains without a separate premium tier.

Where HEY still wins

Neo is a more conventional inbox without HEY's distinctive Screener/Imbox philosophy, and it's a younger, smaller product.

Best for: Solopreneurs who want an affordable branded inbox and don't already own a domain.

Visit Neo Full review

How to choose the right HEY alternative

Choose Superhuman if you want HEY-level speed and opinionated defaults while keeping your existing Gmail or Outlook account.
Choose Shortwave if you're on Gmail and want an AI-first reimagined inbox with a free tier.
Choose Google Workspace if you need an open, collaborative inbox with full client freedom and integrations.
Choose Microsoft 365 if your work revolves around Outlook and the desktop Office apps.
Choose Zoho Mail if you want cheap, ad-free, standards-based email with custom domains.
Choose Proton for Business if privacy and end-to-end encryption matter more than inbox reinvention.
Choose Tuta Mail if you want a fully encrypted mailbox by default at a low price.
Choose Neo if you're a solopreneur who needs a branded inbox and a free domain.

How we evaluated

Feature mapping — we compare each alternative's capabilities against the tool it's replacing, job for job.
Real pricing — starting prices come from each vendor's public pricing page, labeled by tier.
User sentiment — ratings and review counts are aggregated from third-party platforms (Capterra, G2) and shown with their source.
Right-sizing — we weigh which team size, budget, and technical comfort each option actually fits.
Independence — we don't sell a competing product, and affiliate relationships never change our picks.

Frequently asked questions

Why do people leave HEY?: The most common reasons are the lack of IMAP/third-party client support, difficulty migrating email in or out, minimal integrations, and a $99/year price with no cheaper tier. HEY's opinionated workflow also isn't for everyone.
Is there a HEY alternative that keeps my Gmail?: Yes—Superhuman and Shortwave both run on top of Gmail (and Superhuman on Outlook too), giving you a modern, reimagined inbox without changing your email address or losing integrations.
What's the cheapest alternative to HEY?: Zoho Mail (from about $1/user/mo) and Tuta (with a free tier) are the most affordable. Shortwave also has a free plan, unlike HEY.
Does HEY support IMAP or other email clients?: No. HEY only works through its own apps and doesn't support IMAP, POP, or third-party clients—one of the biggest reasons people seek alternatives.
What's the best HEY alternative for privacy?: Proton for Business and Tuta Mail offer genuine end-to-end encryption, which HEY does not—HEY's focus is inbox workflow, not message security.

Still weighing your options?

Answer a few quick questions and we'll recommend the right tools for your business, budget, and team.

Build your stack HEY review