Best Hey Email Alternatives in 2026

Hey Email launched in 2020 with a strong opinion: your inbox should not be a to-do list that other people write for you. The Imbox, the Feed, the Paper Trail, the Screener – it was a genuine rethink of how email could work. A lot of people loved it. And a lot of people have since moved on.

The reasons are familiar by now. $99 per year for a service that requires a new @hey.com address. No IMAP, no way to use Hey’s tools on your existing Gmail or Outlook account. Limited integrations. A calendar product that shipped separately at extra cost. And in 2026, the AI email market caught up to the philosophy that Hey pioneered – sorting email by intent rather than arrival time – while letting you keep your own address.

If you are reading this, you probably liked what Hey was trying to do but ran into one of those walls. The good news is the alternatives are better than they have ever been. Below are the best Hey alternatives compared on platform support, pricing, what each tool does well, and where it falls short.

Key takeaways

• Dove is the closest spiritual successor to Hey’s philosophy if you want AI to sort your inbox by intent – Focus, Noise, and Done – without giving up your existing email address.

• Canary Mail is the best pick if Hey’s screening and privacy stance mattered to you and you want PGP encryption on top.

• Fastmail is the strongest option if you want Hey’s independence from Big Tech but with standard protocols, custom domains, and IMAP.

• Superhuman and Mimestream are better fits if you valued Hey’s speed and opinionated design but want a client for your existing accounts.

• Apple Mail and the new Outlook are both free and solid if you want to stop paying for email entirely.

Why people are looking for Hey Email alternatives

Hey earned its early adopters by being the first mainstream email service to say “not every email deserves your attention” and build the entire product around that idea. Three things have changed since 2020:

1. The locked address problem. Hey requires an @hey.com address. You cannot use it as a client for your existing Gmail, Outlook, or work email. For most people, that means running two inboxes or migrating contacts to a new address, neither of which scales well.

2. AI triage is now the baseline. Dove, Canary Mail, Superhuman, and the new Outlook all ship AI features that sort, summarize, and draft for you on top of your existing accounts. Hey’s Imbox was the pioneer, but the category moved past manual screening.

3. Price relative to what you get. $99 per year (or $149 for Hey for Work per user) is a meaningful subscription when competitors offer similar opinionated inbox sorting for less, or for free on top of accounts you already pay for.

If your reason for leaving Hey is any of those, you have good options. Pick the one whose strengths line up with the part of Hey you actually valued.

The best Hey Email alternatives at a glance

1. Dove, best for AI-native inbox sorting on your existing accounts

Dove, from Cartasec in Singapore, is the closest thing to what Hey was trying to build – an inbox that thinks before you do – but without requiring a new email address. Where Hey sorted mail into the Imbox, the Feed, and the Paper Trail, Dove’s ambient AI watches every incoming message and routes it into three streams automatically:

• Focus is the small set of messages that actually need you – the equivalent of Hey’s Imbox.

• Noise is everything that does not: newsletters, receipts, social pings, and anything Dove flags as risky. Think of it as the Feed and the Paper Trail combined, but with phishing detection layered on top.

• Done is the archive of handled threads, ready to search but out of the way.

The critical difference from Hey is that Dove works on top of your existing Gmail, Microsoft 365, or IMAP accounts. You install Dove, sign in with the address you already have, and your inbox starts sorting itself. No migration. No @hey.com lock-in.

Where Hey used a manual Screener to decide which new senders get in, Dove uses AI risk scoring on every message. Phishing attempts, impersonation, and suspicious senders end up in Noise rather than competing for attention next to a real client email. There is also a daily tasks view that pulls action items, replies you owe, and meetings you have not confirmed into one short list each morning.

Platform support. Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows. Synced across all of them.

Pricing. One plan, $20 per month, with a 7-day free trial. Every feature is included, no credit caps on AI, and your data is never used to train models. See Dove pricing for details.

What it does well.

• AI triage into Focus, Noise, and Done means sorting happens before you open the inbox, not while you are drowning in it. This is what Hey promised with the Imbox, but automated.

• Risk scoring on every email catches phishing and impersonation that a normal spam filter misses.

• Daily tasks surface replies you owe, action items, and meetings into one short list.

• Wingman thread intelligence catches asks and risks buried deep in long threads.

• Works on your existing email accounts – no new address, no migration.

• One unified flat $20 per month with no AI credit caps.

What it does poorly.

• Dove is not a PGP client. If you need end-to-end encryption, pair it with Canary Mail or use ProtonMail for those threads.

• It is the newest tool on this list, so the third-party integration ecosystem is smaller than older clients.

If Hey’s “email should sort itself” philosophy resonated but the locked address killed it for you, start a Dove trial and see how Focus, Noise, and Done compares to the Imbox. For a wider view of where Dove sits in the market, see our roundup of the best email apps of 2026 and the best AI email apps in 2026.

2. Canary Mail, best for privacy-first users who want screening and encryption

Canary Mail, also from Cartasec, is the right pick if what you valued most about Hey was the privacy stance and the Screener. Canary is the only modern, full-featured email client that bundles PGP end-to-end encryption with on-device AI, so the AI never sends your email content to a server.

Where Hey’s Screener let you manually approve or reject new senders, Canary’s AI-powered inbox handles triage automatically while keeping everything on-device. SecureSend lets you send encrypted messages to anyone, even recipients who do not use PGP themselves, and the feature is HIPAA compliant.

Like Dove, Canary works on top of your existing email accounts. No new address required.

Platform support. macOS, iOS, Android, Windows.

Pricing. Free tier with the core email experience. Growth at $36 per year unlocks AI Copilot and advanced productivity. Pro+ at $100 per year adds SecureSend and advanced security. Lifetime purchase options are available periodically.

What it does well.

• PGP encryption built into a polished, modern interface that feels like a 2026 client.

• SecureSend for HIPAA-compliant encrypted messaging to non-PGP recipients.

• AI Copilot processes on-device, so your email content never leaves your phone or computer.

• Power-user toolkit: read receipts, snooze, pin, bulk cleaner, templates, 1-click unsubscribe.

• Works with Gmail, Outlook, iCloud, and any IMAP account.

What it does poorly.

• No web client. You need the native app on each device.

• No Linux build.

• Some advanced security features require the Pro+ tier.

For Hey users who cared about keeping Big Tech out of their email, Canary offers real encryption rather than just a privacy promise.

3. Fastmail, best independent email provider with open standards

Fastmail is the closest alternative if you liked Hey’s independence from Google and Microsoft but wished Hey used standard protocols. Fastmail is an independent, Australia-based email provider that supports IMAP, JMAP, CalDAV, and CardDAV. Custom domains, aliases, catch-all addresses, server-side filtering, and a built-in calendar and contacts suite all come included.

Where Hey locked you into @hey.com and a proprietary system, Fastmail lets you bring your own domain, use any email client alongside their web app, and export your data at any time. No lock-in by design.

Platform support. Web, iOS, Android. No native desktop app, but IMAP support means any desktop client works.

Pricing. 30-day free trial. Standard at $5 per month. Premium at $9 per month for more storage, custom domains, and advanced features.

What it does well.

• Open standards and full IMAP support, the opposite of Hey’s walled garden.

• Custom domains with catch-all addresses and masked email aliases.

• Server-side rules and filters that run without a client installed.

• Australian jurisdiction with a strong privacy track record and no ad-based business model.

• Calendar and contacts integrated without needing a separate product.

What it does poorly.

• No AI-powered triage or smart inbox sorting. You build your own rules.

• The web interface is functional but not as opinionated or design-forward as Hey.

• No native desktop app, though IMAP access fills the gap.

If you valued Hey’s “we are not Google” independence but hated the proprietary lock-in, Fastmail is the mature, open-standards answer.

4. Superhuman, best for speed and opinionated keyboard-driven workflow

Superhuman is the comparison that Hey users reach for when what they really wanted was a fast, opinionated client on top of their existing accounts. It is keyboard-driven, aggressive about shortcuts, and ships with split inbox, snooze, send-later, read statuses, and AI Auto Drafts that mirror your tone.

Where Hey prioritized philosophy, Superhuman prioritizes velocity. Every action is one keystroke away. AI is included in every plan rather than locked behind an add-on.

Platform support. macOS, iOS, Android, Windows, Web.

Pricing. 30-day free trial. Starter at $25 per month. Business at $30 per month. AI features included.

What it does well.

• Best-in-class speed and keyboard shortcuts.

• AI Auto Drafts learn your tone and write convincing replies.

• Split inbox, snooze, follow-up reminders, and send-later are all polished.

• Cross-platform with full feature parity.

What it does poorly.

• Most expensive option in this category at $25 to $30 per month.

• Gmail and Outlook accounts only, no IMAP or iCloud.

• The keyboard-first workflow has a real learning curve.

• Privacy posture is fine but not a focus.

If Hey’s opinionated design appealed to you but the lack of speed and integrations frustrated you, Superhuman is the premium speed benchmark.

5. Mimestream, best Gmail-only client for Mac

Mimestream is a quiet standout for Hey users on Mac who mostly use Gmail. Built by ex-Apple Mail engineers, it is a fully native macOS client that embraces Gmail’s labels, filters, and keyboard shortcuts rather than abstracting them away.

Where Hey abstracted email into the Imbox and the Feed, Mimestream gives you Gmail’s full power in a native Mac shell that feels faster than the web.

Platform support. macOS. iOS app is in active beta as of early 2026.

Pricing. 14-day free trial. $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year.

What it does well.

• Genuinely native macOS experience, fast and quiet, no Electron.

• Full Gmail support: labels, filters, send-as, multi-account, Google Workspace.

• Excellent keyboard shortcuts that mirror Gmail web.

• Privacy-respecting business model with no ads and no data resale.

What it does poorly.

• Gmail and Google Workspace only. No iCloud, IMAP, or Outlook accounts.

• macOS only today, iOS app still in beta.

• No AI triage or smart sorting.

If Hey felt too heavy and you mostly wanted “fast native email for Gmail on Mac,” Mimestream is the most refined option in 2026.

6. Apple Mail, best free option for Apple users

Apple Mail is worth a serious look if you switched to Hey partly to escape Google’s data collection and you live on Apple devices. Mail Privacy Protection blocks tracking pixels by default and hides your IP address from senders. Hide My Email generates random relay addresses so you never have to give out your real address – a feature that does what Hey’s email masking tried to do, built into the OS.

Platform support. macOS and iOS. No Windows, Android, or web.

Pricing. Free with any Apple device. iCloud+ starts at $0.99 per month for 50 GB and unlocks Hide My Email, Private Relay, and custom email domains.

What it does well.

• Pre-installed with zero setup on every Apple device.

• Mail Privacy Protection and Hide My Email are excellent privacy primitives.

• Deep integration with Focus modes, Siri, and the rest of the Apple ecosystem.

• Free if you already own a Mac or iPhone.

What it does poorly.

• Apple-only, useless on Windows, Android, or the web.

• No smart triage that compares to Hey’s Imbox or Dove’s Focus, Noise, and Done.

• No PGP without third-party plugins.

• Search and rules are functional but not best in class.

For Apple users who liked Hey’s privacy stance but not the price or lock-in, Apple Mail plus iCloud+ is a quietly great free option.

7. Outlook (new), best free option for Windows and Microsoft users

The new Outlook rolled out across Windows and macOS in 2024 and 2025 is a real improvement over the old desktop Outlook. It is free with a Microsoft account, supports Gmail and Yahoo accounts, and includes Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 users.

If you tried Hey partly because Outlook felt outdated, the new version is worth another look.

Platform support. Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web.

Pricing. Free for personal use. Microsoft 365 Personal at $6.99 per month unlocks Copilot in Outlook, premium calendar features, and 1 TB of OneDrive storage.

What it does well.

• Free and genuinely modern, especially for Gmail or Outlook.com users.

• Calendar, contacts, and tasks integration is best-in-class for Microsoft users.

• Copilot is useful for drafting and summarizing if you already pay for 365.

What it does poorly.

• Telemetry and data collection are heavier than privacy-first clients.

• AI features are gated behind a Microsoft 365 subscription.

• The interface still leans Microsoft-flavored, not minimal.

For Windows users who want a free, modern email client and do not mind Microsoft’s ecosystem, the new Outlook is the easiest move.

8. Tuta, best encrypted email provider for security-focused users

Tuta (formerly Tutanota) is the alternative for Hey users whose primary motivation was getting away from Google and protecting their privacy. Tuta offers end-to-end encrypted email, calendar, and contacts in a single package, and everything is encrypted at rest on their servers.

Where Hey offered a privacy promise, Tuta offers cryptographic guarantees. The trade-off is a smaller feature set and fewer integrations.

Platform support. Web, iOS, Android, Desktop (Electron).

Pricing. Free tier with 1 GB of storage. Revolutionary plan at $3.60 per month. Legend at $8.40 per month for more storage and custom domains.

What it does well.

• End-to-end encrypted email, calendar, and contacts by default.

• Based in Germany with strong privacy jurisdiction.

• No tracking, no ads, no data mining.

• Affordable compared to Hey’s $99 per year.

What it does poorly.

• No IMAP, so you cannot use Tuta with third-party email clients.

• Limited search capabilities due to encryption constraints.

• Smaller ecosystem and fewer integrations than mainstream providers.

• No AI features or smart triage.

If privacy was your primary reason for using Hey and you want real encryption rather than just a policy, Tuta is the stronger promise.

How to choose the right Hey alternative

Hey users fall into a few distinct camps. The right alternative depends on which camp you are in.

If you cannot decide between the top two, the rule of thumb is straightforward. If your main pain is inbox volume and you want AI to handle sorting, install Dove and let it triage your existing accounts. If your main pain is privacy and you want real encryption, install Canary Mail for PGP plus on-device AI. You can use both – Dove on the accounts where volume hurts and Canary on the accounts where privacy matters most.

For more context on where these tools sit in the broader market, see our full roundup of the best email apps of 2026, the best AI email apps in 2026, and the best email apps for privacy in 2026.

FAQ

What is Hey Email and why are people switching?

Hey Email is a paid email service from Basecamp (37signals) that launched in 2020 with an opinionated inbox design. The Imbox, Feed, Paper Trail, and Screener were built around the idea that not every email deserves equal attention. People switch because Hey requires a @hey.com address with no IMAP access, costs $99 per year, and does not work with existing email accounts. In 2026, AI-powered clients like Dove now automate the same kind of intent-based sorting on any email account.

Can I use Hey Email with my Gmail or Outlook account?

No. Hey requires an @hey.com address. You cannot connect your existing Gmail, Microsoft 365, or IMAP accounts to Hey. This is one of the most common reasons people look for alternatives. Dove, Canary Mail, Superhuman, and most other clients on this list work with your existing accounts.

Is Dove a free Hey Email alternative?

Dove offers a 7-day free trial, and the paid plan is $20 per month. There is no permanent free tier. The plan includes every feature – AI triage, daily tasks, risk scoring, and Wingman thread intelligence – with no credit caps on AI usage. For a free alternative, Apple Mail (on Apple devices) or the new Outlook (on Windows) are the strongest options.

What is the best Hey alternative for privacy?

For on-device AI with PGP encryption, Canary Mail is the strongest pick. For end-to-end encrypted email as a service, Tuta offers cryptographic guarantees. Fastmail is independently operated with a strong privacy track record and open standards. Apple Mail’s Mail Privacy Protection and Hide My Email are solid free privacy tools for Apple users.

What is the best Hey alternative that lets me use my own domain?

Fastmail is the best option for custom domains with full email hosting, aliases, and catch-all addresses. Tuta also supports custom domains on paid plans. If you want to use a custom domain with an email client rather than a provider, Dove and Canary Mail both work with any IMAP account, so you can pair them with whatever hosting you prefer.

Does Hey Email support IMAP?

No. Hey does not support IMAP, POP3, or any standard email protocol for third-party client access. Your email is only accessible through Hey’s own apps and web interface. Fastmail, by contrast, supports IMAP, JMAP, CalDAV, and CardDAV, and Canary Mail and Dove both connect to any IMAP provider.

Is Hey Email shutting down?

No. Hey Email is actively developed by 37signals as of 2026. HEY for You, HEY for Work, and HEY for Domains are all current products. The search for alternatives is driven by the locked address, pricing, and the maturation of AI-powered email clients – not by a shutdown.

Your inbox after Hey

Hey Email deserved credit for proving that an opinionated inbox could work. The Imbox was a real idea, not just a skin. But the @hey.com requirement, the lack of IMAP, and the $99 per year price tag made it a harder sell once the rest of the market caught up with AI-powered sorting on your existing accounts.

In 2026, you can keep that “email should sort itself” philosophy without the trade-offs. If volume is the problem, Dove triages Focus, Noise, and Done on the accounts you already have, and your data never trains a model. If privacy is the problem, Canary Mail puts PGP and on-device AI in a polished modern client. If independence from Big Tech is the problem, Fastmail gives you open standards and custom domains at a third of Hey’s price.

The one move that does not work is staying frustrated. Try one of these for a week. Your inbox will tell you which one fits.

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