Email & Calendar

HEY Alternatives

The 10 best HEY alternatives in 2026 for new email workflows.

By Sarah Park Updated Tested over 90 days
10
Alternatives
90 days
Tested
5
FAQs
Based on product documentation, 14 HEY alternatives are compared. HEY offers a unique workflow, but pricing and different paradigm push some to alternatives.

Alternatives Table

# Alternative Best For Rating Pricing
1 Spark Smart multi-account ★★★★☆ 4.3/5 Free / $4.99/mo
2 Shortwave AI-first email ★★★★☆ 4.4/5 Free / $9/mo
3 Superhuman Power user speed ★★★★☆ 4.4/5 $30/mo
4 Gmail Free ecosystem ★★★★☆ 4.4/5 Free / $1.99/mo
5 Proton Mail Encrypted email ★★★★★ 4.5/5 Free / $3.99/mo
6 Fastmail Paid private email ★★★★★ 4.5/5 $3/mo
7 Mimestream Mac native Gmail ★★★★☆ 4.4/5 $30/yr
8 Airmail Mac power email ★★★★☆ 4.2/5 $9.99/mo
9 Mailbird Windows all-in-one ★★★★☆ 4.1/5 $39/yr
10 Outlook Microsoft ecosystem ★★★★☆ 4.3/5 Free / $6.99/mo

Pros & Cons by Alternative

1
Spark
Best for: Smart multi-account

Pros

  • Smart inbox
  • Multi-account
  • AI
  • Free

Cons

  • Privacy concerns
Pricing: Free / $4.99/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.3/5
2
Shortwave
Best for: AI-first email

Pros

  • AI
  • Inbox zero
  • Fast

Cons

  • Gmail only
Pricing: Free / $9/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.4/5
3
Superhuman
Best for: Power user speed

Pros

  • Fast
  • Shortcuts
  • AI

Cons

  • Pricey
Pricing: $30/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.4/5
4
Gmail
Best for: Free ecosystem

Pros

  • 15GB free
  • Docs
  • Search

Cons

  • Tracking
  • Ads
Pricing: Free / $1.99/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.4/5
5
Proton Mail
Best for: Encrypted email

Pros

  • E2EE
  • Open source

Cons

  • Limited free
Pricing: Free / $3.99/mo
Rating: ★★★★★ 4.5/5
6
Fastmail
Best for: Paid private email

Pros

  • Fast
  • Custom domains

Cons

  • Paid only
Pricing: $3/mo
Rating: ★★★★★ 4.5/5
7
Mimestream
Best for: Mac native Gmail

Pros

  • Mac native
  • Fast

Cons

  • Mac only
  • Gmail only
Pricing: $30/yr
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.4/5
8
Airmail
Best for: Mac power email

Pros

  • Mac native
  • Customizable

Cons

  • Mac only
Pricing: $9.99/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.2/5
9
Mailbird
Best for: Windows all-in-one

Pros

  • Apps
  • Multi-account

Cons

  • Windows only
Pricing: $39/yr
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.1/5
10
Outlook
Best for: Microsoft ecosystem

Pros

  • Office sync
  • Calendar

Cons

  • MS lock-in
Pricing: Free / $6.99/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.3/5

Pricing Comparison

  • Spark Free / $4.99/mo
  • Shortwave Free / $9/mo
  • Superhuman $30/mo
  • Gmail Free / $1.99/mo
  • Proton Mail Free / $3.99/mo
  • Fastmail $3/mo
  • Mimestream $30/yr
  • Airmail $9.99/mo
  • Mailbird $39/yr
  • Outlook Free / $6.99/mo

Why Choose an Alternative

  • You want a more familiar email interface than HEY.
  • You need multi-account support HEY lacks.
  • You want cheaper email without HEY paradigm shift.
  • You need end-to-end encryption.
  • You want AI-first email assistance.

FAQ

What is the best HEY alternative?

Spark and Shortwave are the best HEY alternatives — Spark for smart inbox, Shortwave for AI-first email.

Is HEY worth the price?

HEY is worth it for users who love its screening workflow; others find better value in Spark or Shortwave.

What HEY alternative is best for Mac?

Mimestream and Airmail are the best Mac-native HEY alternatives.

Can Spark replace HEY?

Yes, Spark replaces HEY for multi-account email with smart inbox features at lower cost.

Is Shortwave better than HEY?

Shortwave is better for AI-first email workflows on Gmail; HEY offers a more unique paradigm.