Alternatives
Best HEY alternatives in 2026
Data compiled by Toolradar Updated How we rate
Cite this list: Toolradar, best HEY alternatives 2026, toolradar.com/alternatives/hey
5 direct alternatives to HEY and 3 more tools in the same category, compared on pricing, features, and best-for use cases. Pick the right replacement without the marketing fluff.
Quick answer
- Superhuman is the top alternative to HEY on our list, followed by Gmail and Zoho Mail.
- 5 of the 8 alternatives have a free plan, starting with Gmail.
- Highest rated: Superhuman, 4.7 out of 5 from 15,892 ratings, Sep 2026.
- 8 alternatives
- 5 direct
- 5 with a free plan
Top 3 alternatives to HEY
Superhuman
#1 Top pickProcess email at blazing speed with AI summaries and shortcuts
Starting price
From $30 /mo
Cheapest paid plan, monthly, as of November 2026
4.7 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 15,892 ratings, Sep 2026
Our take
Best overall
Gmail
#2Secure, smart, and easy-to-use email for everyone.
Starting price
From $7 /mo
Cheapest paid plan, monthly, as of November 2026
3.4 /5 across G2 and Trustpilot · 47,203 ratings, Sep 2026
Our take
Best free tier
Zoho Mail
#3Secure, ad-free business email hosting with privacy guarantees and collaboration features.
Starting price
From $1 /mo
Cheapest paid plan, monthly, as of November 2026
4.5 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 1,794 ratings, Sep 2026
Our take
Most affordable
HEY vs 8 alternatives
| Tool | Starting price (Nov 2026) | Free plan | Rating | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Price: $8.25/mo | Free plan: No | 3.7 out of 5, from 27 ratings across G2, Capterra and Trustpilot (27) | |
| Price: $30/mo | Free plan: No | 4.7 out of 5, from 15,892 ratings across G2 and Capterra (15,892) | Direct alternative |
| Price: $7/mo | Free plan: Yes | 3.4 out of 5, from 47,203 ratings across G2 and Trustpilot (47,203) | Direct alternative |
| Price: $1/mo | Free plan: Yes | 4.5 out of 5, from 1,794 ratings across G2 and Capterra (1,794) | Direct alternative | |
 | Price: $6.99/mo | Free plan: No | 3.3 out of 5, from 1,495 ratings across G2 and Trustpilot (1,495) | Direct alternative |
 | Price: $4.99/mo | Free plan: Yes | 4.5 out of 5, from 61 ratings on G2 (61) | Direct alternative |
 | Price: $4/mo | Free plan: Yes | 4.4 out of 5, from 30,473 ratings across G2 and Capterra (30,473) | Same category as HEY |
 | Price: $7/mo | Free plan: No | 4.0 out of 5, from 66,052 ratings across Trustpilot, G2 and Capterra (66,052) | Same category as HEY |
 | Price: $8.75/mo | Free plan: Yes | 4.2 out of 5, from 64,990 ratings across Trustpilot, TrustRadius, PeerSpot and more (64,990) | Same category as HEY |
Why people consider alternatives to HEY
HEY is email reimagined by the team at Basecamp. The Screener filters first-time senders so you control who can email you. Imbox separates important emails from newsletters and notifications.
Teams most often switch away when one of these starts to bite:
- Pricing at scale as usage or premium tiers add up.
- Missing integrations with the rest of your stack.
- Performance or scale limits as your needs grow.
- A specific feature gap you have hit in communication.
The 5 direct alternatives below cover the same core job (communication) with different trade-offs. The 3 tools marked "Same category as HEY" fit the category but replace HEY less directly.
HEY by the numbers
Toolradar data: HEY's entry paid plan ($8.25/mo, billed yearly) ranks #9 of 12 for price among the Email Clients tools with a verified entry price and no stated unit, where the median is $4.17/mo. As of Nov 2026.
| Metric | HEY | Peer median | Position (1 is best) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry paid plan | $8.25/mo, billed yearly | $4.17/mo | #9 of 12 tools with no stated price unit, verified price |
| Free plan | No | 18 of 33 have one | n/a |
| Listed as an alternative to | 7 tools | 2 | #6 of 33 (joint) |
| User rating | 3.7/5 (across the web, 27 ratings) | 4.4/5 | #10 of 13 (joint) tools with 20+ reviews |
Listed as an alternative to: #6 on 2026-10-16 to #6 on 2026-11-02 (rank among 33 tools, 1 is best).
Each position is counted among the tools that have data for that row, as noted under it. A lower entry price ranks higher; prices are read on vendor pages and compared only with tools priced on the same basis. All Email Clients data · How we compute this. Advertising and placement fees are not inputs to any position.
Cite this: Toolradar, “HEY by the numbers”, Nov 2026.
Communication leaderboards from Toolradar data
Toolradar ranks Communication tools on one measure at a time, only where at least 8 tools have data. As of Nov 2026.
Lowest entry price, plans with no stated unit
Cheapest standard paid plan per month (annual prices divided by 12), read on vendor pages and compared only with tools priced on the same basis.
Counted among 96 tools with no stated price unit, verified price.
| # | Tool | Entry plan |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plivo | $0.50/mo, billed monthly |
| 2 | Runbox | $0.66/mo, billed yearly |
| 3 | MyKidReports | $0.99/mo, billed monthly |
| 4 | PortaOne Telecom Billing | $1/mo |
| 4 | Twilio Flex | $1/mo |
Lowest entry price, per-user plans
Cheapest standard paid plan per month (annual prices divided by 12), read on vendor pages and compared only with tools priced on the same basis.
Counted among 55 tools priced per user, verified price.
| # | Tool | Entry plan |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zoho Mail | $1/user/mo, billed monthly |
| 2 | Pumble | $2.49/user/mo, billed monthly |
| 3 | Troop Messenger | $2.50/user/mo, billed monthly |
| 4 | Yac | $3/user/mo, billed monthly |
| 5 | Chanty | $4/user/mo, billed monthly |
Most media coverage, last 30 days
Number of distinct articles published in the last 30 days by independent press, blogs and newsletters that mention the tool. A story carried by several outlets counts once; the vendor's own blog, review sites, forums and republishing sites do not count.
Counted among 8 tools mentioned in the last 30 days.
| # | Tool | Articles |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Microsoft 365 | 29 articles |
| 2 | Microsoft Teams | 14 articles |
| 3 | AirPods 5 | 5 articles |
| 3 | OpenClaw | 5 articles |
| 5 | Google Meet | 3 articles |
A position exists only when at least 8 tools have data for that metric. 151 of 291 Communication tools have a verified price; the others publish none we could read (often "contact sales"). Advertising and placement fees are not inputs to any position. Visit counts include visits from every source. How we compute this. Cite this: Toolradar, “Communication leaderboards”, Nov 2026. Data licensed CC BY 4.0. All Communication statistics.
8 alternatives to HEY
Direct alternatives come first, ranked by G2 and Capterra ratings, media mentions, and editor review. Tools marked "Same category as HEY" follow, ranked the same way.
- 1
Superhuman
Paid Higher rated by usersProcess email at blazing speed with AI summaries and shortcuts
4.7 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 15,892 ratings, Sep 2026
From $30/mo, billed monthly
- 2
Gmail
100% free Cheaper than HEYSecure, smart, and easy-to-use email for everyone.
3.4 /5 across G2 and Trustpilot · 47,203 ratings, Sep 2026
From $7/user/mo, billed monthly
- 3
Zoho Mail
Free plan Cheaper than HEYSecure, ad-free business email hosting with privacy guarantees and collaboration features.
4.5 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 1,794 ratings, Sep 2026
From $1/user/mo, billed monthly; free plan available
- 4
ProtonMail
Free plan Cheaper than HEYSecure email that protects your privacy with end-to-end encryption and zero-access encryption.
3.3 /5 across G2 and Trustpilot · 1,495 ratings, Sep 2026
From $6.99/user/mo, billed monthly; free plan available
- 5
Spark Mail
Free plan Cheaper than HEYSmart inbox and team collaboration for effortless email management
4.5 /5 on G2 · 61 ratings, Sep 2026
From $4.99/mo, billed monthly; free plan available
- 6
Microsoft Teams
Free plan Cheaper than HEYUnite chat, meetings, and files with Microsoft 365
4.4 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 30,473 ratings, Sep 2026
From $4/user/mo, billed monthly; free plan available
Same category as HEY
- 7
Google Workspace
Paid Higher rated by usersAll-in-one business productivity suite with real-time collaboration
4.0 /5 across Trustpilot, G2 and Capterra · 66,052 ratings, Sep 2026
From $7/user/mo, billed yearly
Same category as HEY
- 8
Slack
Free plan Cheaper than HEYCentral hub for workplace communication and collaboration
4.2 /5 across Trustpilot, TrustRadius, PeerSpot and more · 64,990 ratings, Sep 2026
From $8.75/user/mo, billed yearly; free plan available
Same category as HEY
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to HEY?
Based on real-signal scoring (G2 and Capterra ratings, media mentions, and editorial review), the top alternatives to HEY are Superhuman, Gmail, Zoho Mail. Each solves the same core job with different trade-offs on pricing, features, and integrations.
Is there a free alternative to HEY?
Yes. Gmail is 100% free (no paid upgrade path) (Secure, smart, and easy-to-use email for everyone). Freemium tools on this list offer a free tier with paid upgrades; they are not the same as fully free.
Why do people look for HEY alternatives?
Common reasons teams switch away from HEY: pricing that scales aggressively, missing integrations with the rest of their stack, performance or scale limits, or a specific feature gap in communication. The alternatives on this page solve the same core problem with different trade-offs.
Side-by-side comparisons
In-depth comparison pages for HEY versus each alternative.
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