HEY Email vs Poke (Interaction Co.)
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, and ratings
At a glance
| Dimension | HEY Email | Poke (Interaction Co.) |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $99/yr (standard); $999/yr (business domain 5 users); $199/yr (family) | Free; Pro $19/mo; Ultra $199/mo |
| Best For | Privacy-focused email users tired of spam and tracking, wanting a rethought inbox | Individuals wanting an AI assistant in chat apps to manage email, calendar, and automations |
| Core Function | Email client with Screener, Imbox, Paper Trail, Feed, and integrated calendar | AI chatbot in Apple Messages, WhatsApp, Telegram that manages email, calendar, tasks, and automations |
| Platforms | Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android | Apple Messages, WhatsApp, Telegram, RCS |
| Unique Feature | Screener that forces first-time senders to be approved; spy pixel blocking | First AI verified on Apple Messages with rich actions; proactive Pro/Ultra automations |
| Latest News | No recent news captured | June 2026: @poke.com email addresses; Apple Messages verification |
Poke and HEY serve fundamentally different needs. Choose Poke if you want an AI assistant that manages your email, calendar, and tasks from inside your messaging apps, with proactive automations on higher tiers. Choose HEY if you want a radical reimagining of email itself — focused inbox, spam control, and privacy by design — without AI or chat interfaces. They overlap only on email management, but their approaches are opposite: Poke uses a conversational AI, HEY uses a fixed workflow. For email-centric productivity, HEY is more polished; for cross-app automation via chat, Poke is unique.
AI personal assistant that lives in your texts — Apple Messages, WhatsApp, Telegram, and RCS
Visit WebsiteWhat real users say: HEY Email vs Poke (Interaction Co.)
Not marketing copy and not our opinion — a structured sweep of public discussion (reviews, forums, communities and video comments), showing what people praise and what they complain about for each tool.
HEY Email
42 mentions across 3 sources · 52% positive — mixed
Hacker News, App Store, Lemmy
What users praise
- • Screener puts you in full control over who reaches your inbox
- • Imbox/Paper Trail/Feed triage eliminates spam without filters
- • Spy pixel blocking detects and blocks email trackers automatically
- • HEY Calendar Journal for daily notes and meeting summaries
What frustrates them
- • Drafts often vanish without warning, a years-old unfixed bug
- • Zero offline support—cannot read or write without internet
- • Search is barely functional according to multiple long-term users
- • Calendar fails to import iCal invites correctly
Researched Jul 3, 2026
Poke (Interaction Co.)
19 mentions across 1 sources · 7% positive — critical
YouTube
What users praise
- • Integrates directly into iMessage, WhatsApp, Telegram, and RCS.
- • Handles email, calendar, reminders, and web search from chat.
- • Verified source citations for web results increase trust.
- • Deep integrations with Notion, Oura, Gmail, Outlook, TripIt.
What frustrates them
- • No community feedback on Reddit, HN, or other major platforms.
- • Premium pricing at $19-$199/month may be steep.
- • Workflow setup (Poke Recipes) may confuse new users.
- • Edge-case file handling like spreadsheets is unproven.
Researched Jul 17, 2026
Who should pick which
- Solo founder who wants AI to handle scheduling, emails, and integrations from their phonePick: Poke (Interaction Co.)
Poke lets you manage Gmail/Outlook, calendar, Notion, and Oura via chat — perfect for a founder on the go. Pro tier's proactive automations can save hours weekly.
- Privacy-conscious professional tired of spam and email trackingPick: HEY Email
HEY's Screener, spy pixel blocking, and Paper Trail give you complete control over your inbox without AI or chat, ensuring no unwanted senders.
- Health enthusiast who tracks sleep with Oura and wants to automate remindersPick: Poke (Interaction Co.)
Poke's direct integration with Oura for sleep, readiness, and activity data, plus its AI-driven reminders, makes it ideal for health tracking without opening multiple apps.
- Family wanting shared email service with simple managementPick: HEY Email
HEY for Families at $199/yr covers up to 4 members with separate accounts, all under one bill. Poke has no multi-user family plan.
- Developer needing custom automations across many appsPick: Poke (Interaction Co.)
Poke offers Poke Kitchen for custom integrations and Recipes for automations. No other tool in this comparison provides that extendability.
Frequently Asked Questions
HEY Email vs Poke (Interaction Co.): which should you choose?
Poke and HEY serve fundamentally different needs. Choose Poke if you want an AI assistant that manages your email, calendar, and tasks from inside your messaging apps, with proactive automations on higher tiers. Choose HEY if you want a radical reimagining of email itself — focused inbox, spam control, and privacy by design — without AI or chat interfaces. They overlap only on email management, but their approaches are opposite: Poke uses a conversational AI, HEY uses a fixed workflow. For email-centric productivity, HEY is more polished; for cross-app automation via chat, Poke is unique.
Can Poke replace my email client entirely?
No. Poke manages Gmail and Outlook via chat, but it's not a full email client. You still need your email provider's interface for advanced folder management. HEY is a full email client.
Does HEY have any AI features?
No. HEY is a deliberately non-AI email experience focused on manual control. It does not offer automated scheduling, smart replies, or chat-based interaction.
Which is more affordable for a single user?
HEY Standard is $99/yr. Poke Free is $0, but limited. Poke Pro is $228/yr. For email-only, HEY is cheaper; for AI automation, Poke Free might suffice.
Does Poke work with Apple Messages?
Yes, as of June 2026, Poke is verified on Apple Messages with rich actions. It also works on WhatsApp, Telegram, and RCS.
Does HEY support custom domains?
Yes, with HEY for Domains at $999/yr for 5 users. Poke does not offer custom domain email natively, but you can connect your Gmail/Outlook.
Can I use Poke with my existing email (Gmail/Outlook)?
Yes, Poke integrates with Gmail and Microsoft Outlook for reading, searching, drafting, and sending emails. You don't need a new email address (though @poke.com is now available).
Does HEY have a mobile app?
Yes, HEY has native apps for iOS and Android. Poke lives inside messaging apps on mobile, so no separate app is needed.
Which is better for blocking spam?
HEY is purpose-built for spam control via its Screener and pixel blocking. Poke relies on your existing email's spam filters and doesn't add extra protection.
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Last reviewed: July 3, 2026