[Review · Email-First Hosting]

HEY

Opinionated workflow, $99/yr, no IMAP

[01] Verdict

HEY is 37signals' (Basecamp) take on email: screener-by-default, no folders, Imbox/Feed/Paper Trail buckets, and you read mail through their app or web only. $99/year for an @hey.com address, or $99 to use a custom domain. Annual billing only — no monthly.

The workflow is genuinely different. The Screener forces explicit allow/deny on every new sender, which kills most spam and marketing mail at the door. If the model clicks for you, it clicks hard.

The dealbreakers are explicit: no IMAP, no SMTP, no third-party clients. Custom domain support exists but is a separate paid product. You can't easily migrate out. Annual-only pricing means there's no way to try without committing or doing the 14-day trial.

[02]

What works, what doesn't.

8 findings
+ Pros
  • Screener kills cold/marketing email at the door
  • Imbox/Feed/Paper Trail workflow is genuinely novel
  • Built by 37signals — long-term commitment to product
  • Flat $99/year, no per-mailbox seat math
– Cons
  • No IMAP, ever — you can't use your own client
  • Annual billing only, no monthly option
  • Custom domain requires separate $99 plan
  • Migrating out is intentionally difficult
[03]

Pricing receipts.

Published rate
Monthly
$8.25/ mo
Intro price
Yearly
$99/ yr
First-year intro
[04]

What's being said.

8 mentions · May 17
Community sentiment
mixed
Reddit, Hacker News, Trustpilot. Not used to score the provider — see methodology.
Redditpositive
Moving to Hey Email Worth it? : r/HeyEmail - Reddit

"I love Hey and plan on renewing. It's so much better than what I used before (iCloud and Gmail). It works for me and has removed an anxiety I"

Read source
Hacker Newspositive
Saying Good Bye to Hey.com - Hacker News

"If your mental health is important, then I would suggest Hey is a great relief from Gmail and other services. It just prevents random people"

Read source
Redditpositive
Is HEY too much for a basic user? : r/HeyEmail - Reddit

"Hey in some ways is really good for someone who doesn't get much email. It's very attractive and (most of the time) easy to use."

Read source
Blogmixed
A Radical Spin on Email, a HEY app review | by Alec Brunelle

"The problem with new software products is that the learning curve usually is steep. New product fatigue is hard to deal with and this is why new"

Read source
Redditmixed
HEY email review - do not buy : r/HeyEmail - Reddit

"HEY has lots of obscure features/quirks that you can read about on their website. It's not for everyone but certainly a cool attempt at a new email experience."

Read source
Redditmixed
Why did you not continue with HEY? : r/HeyEmail - Reddit

"I was with Hey (plus a custom domain) for over 2 years, there were A LOT of things that I loved about it. There were really only two reasons I switched."

Read source
Redditnegative
Seriously contemplating the idea of abandoning HEY : r/HeyEmail

"Not sure it is really worth it, there are things I do not really like about Hey and I do not see they are going to change in a near future."

Read source
Hacker Newsnegative
Show HN: Automatically Rename HEY's 'Imbox' to 'Inbox'

"Hey is a mailbox app that costs $99/year, doesn't support IMAP (edit: or POP), and with a UI straight out of 2007. This app would never be"

Read source
Ready to try HEY?

Skip the teaser pricing.

We get a commission if you sign up via this link. Our score doesn't move because of it.

Visit HEY
[04]

Closest alternatives.

emails
Mailbox-count pricing, unlimited domains, no per-user trap
Swiss end-to-end encrypted mail, free tier is real
German privacy mail with a real Office suite bundled