Quick Definition
Hey an opinionated email client from Basecamp (37signals) that redesigns how you read and organize email. Hey replaces the traditional inbox with The Imbox for important mail, The Feed for newsletters, and The Paper Trail for receipts. Every new sender is screened manually. No read receipts, no tracking pixels. $99/year for a proprietary @hey.com email address.
Quick Definition
alfred_ an AI executive assistant that handles your email, calendar, and tasks automatically. alfred_ triages your inbox, drafts replies, extracts action items, tracks follow-ups, and escalates only what needs your judgment. Works with your existing Gmail or Outlook. $24.99/month or $249.99/year with a 30-day free trial.
The Fundamental Difference: Better Tools vs. No Tools Needed
Hey and alfred_ both start from the same premise: email is broken. But they disagree on the fix.
Hey gives you a better cockpit. alfred_ flies the plane. For more context on how AI assistants compare, see our best AI executive assistants guide.
What Hey Does
The Imbox, The Feed, The Paper Trail
The Screener
The Catch
What alfred_ Does
alfred_ does not redesign your inbox. It handles your inbox so you rarely need to open it:
Price: $24.99/month or $249.99/year with a 30-day free trial.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | alfred_ | Hey |
|---|---|---|
| Email triage | AI auto-classifies by urgency | Manual screening per sender |
| Draft replies | Yes: tap to send | No |
| Task extraction | ||
| Calendar management | Conflicts, prep, scheduling | No calendar features |
| AI features | AI-native throughout | None |
| Works with existing email | Gmail and Outlook | No: requires @hey.com |
| Price | $24.99/mo ($249.99/yr) | $99/year |
| Philosophy | You shouldn\ | , |
Feature comparison, February 2026
The Screening Problem
Hey’s Screener is its signature feature and its biggest bottleneck. Every new sender who emails you is held in a queue until you manually decide: approve them to The Imbox, route them to The Feed, or block them entirely.
In theory, this is empowering. In practice, it means every new client, vendor, or contact waits in limbo until you screen them, and high-volume professionals spend significant time just gatekeeping their inbox.
Hey:
"You decide who gets in." (But you have to decide for every single sender.)
alfred_:
"I already know who matters." (And I handled the rest.)
Who Should Choose Each Tool
Use Hey when:
Pros
- You enjoy the process of email and want a beautifully designed inbox experience
- Anti-tracking, manual screening, and intentional categorization matter to you
- You are okay switching to @hey.com or paying for Hey for Work
- Your email volume is manageable, making screening every sender practical
Cons
- No AI features; everything remains manual
- Requires a new @hey.com email address with no Gmail or Outlook support
- You still write every reply and screen every sender yourself
- No calendar integration or task extraction
Use alfred_ when:
Pros
- You want email handled, not redesigned: triage, drafts, tasks, and follow-ups done for you
- You need to keep your existing Gmail or Outlook with no new address and no migration
- Your time is worth more than your inbox: 12 minutes beats an hour in a beautiful client
- You need calendar + tasks + email in one place
Cons
- No opinionated inbox design or manual sender screening philosophy
- Costs more than Hey on a monthly basis ($24.99/mo vs $8.25/mo for Hey)
Our Verdict
Better cockpit vs. someone else flies the plane.
Hey is a beautifully opinionated email client that redesigns how you read email. The Imbox, The Feed, The Paper Trail, and The Screener give you a more intentional inbox experience. It strips tracking pixels and blocks read receipts. But everything is still manual: you still read every email, write every reply, and screen every sender. You just do it in a nicer environment. alfred_ removes you from the email loop almost entirely. It triages automatically, drafts replies, extracts tasks, tracks follow-ups, and manages your calendar. You wake up to a Daily Brief that shows what was handled and what needs your judgment.
Best for
- Hey for people who want a beautifully intentional email experience and don't mind doing everything manually
- alfred_ for people who want email handled, not redesigned: triage, drafts, tasks, and follow-ups done automatically
Not for
- Hey if you need AI features, calendar integration, or want to keep your Gmail/Outlook address
- alfred_ if you love the ritual of intentional email management and want philosophical control