HEY vs ProtonMail: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for HEY and ProtonMail side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, HEY leads on higher user rating; ProtonMail leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
HEY
Control your inbox with email filtering and organized replies
Best for you if:
- • You want innovative approach
ProtonMail
Secure email that protects your privacy with end-to-end encryption and zero-access encryption.
Best for you if:
- • You want a free tier before you commit
| At a Glance | HEY | ProtonMail |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | From $99/year HEY for You plan | Free plan, paid from $6.99/user/mo, billed monthly Mail Essentials plan |
Category | Communication Email | Communication Email |
Rating | 3.7/5 G2 3.9 · Trustpilot 3.0 · Capterra 4.3 27 reviews | 3.3/5 Trustpilot 2.2 · G2 4.6 1,495 reviews |
Free plan | No | Yes |
Watch out for | n/a | Storage upgrades not explicitly priced |
Choose HEY or ProtonMail?
Choose HEY if
- You want innovative approach
- You want no tracking pixels
Choose ProtonMail if
- You want a free tier before you commit
- You want best privacy email
- You want end-to-end encryption
In-Depth Analysis
HEY
Control your inbox with email filtering and organized replies
HEY's pricing is on the expensive side for personal email, with 'HEY for You' at $99/year.
Strengths
- Pro: Innovative approach
- Pro: No tracking pixels
- Pro: Clean design
Weaknesses
- Con: Requires new email address
- Con: Expensive
Key features
ProtonMail
Secure email that protects your privacy with end-to-end encryption and zero-access encryption.
ProtonMail's pricing is fair, offering a generous free tier and competitive paid options.
Watch out
Storage upgrades not explicitly priced
Strengths
- Pro: Best privacy email
- Pro: End-to-end encryption
- Pro: Swiss jurisdiction
- Pro: Good apps
- Pro: No tracking
Weaknesses
- Con: Limited free tier
- Con: No IMAP free
- Con: Search limited
- Con: Less integrations
- Con: Encryption has limits
Key features
Plans and prices: HEY vs ProtonMail
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| HEY |
| hey.com/pricing read Oct 19, 2026 |
| ProtonMail |
| now.getproton.me/iydcwevz9lm5-o3hzta read Nov 2, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on HEY pricing and ProtonMail pricing.
Key Takeaways
HEY
- Higher user rating: 3.7/5 vs 3.3/5
ProtonMail
- Has a free plan
What the data shows
On the data below, HEY leads on higher user rating; ProtonMail leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- HEY has the higher user rating (3.7/5 from 27 reviews for HEY, 3.3/5 from 1,495 reviews for ProtonMail).
- Entry prices are not ranked, they are charged on different bases: HEY $99/year; ProtonMail $6.99/user/mo, billed monthly.
- Only ProtonMail has a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do HEY and ProtonMail compare in 2026?
On the data below, HEY leads on higher user rating; ProtonMail leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. HEY has the higher user rating (3.7/5 from 27 reviews for HEY, 3.3/5 from 1,495 reviews for ProtonMail). Entry prices are not ranked, they are charged on different bases: HEY $99/year; ProtonMail $6.99/user/mo, billed monthly. Only ProtonMail has a free plan.
What are HEY and ProtonMail used for?
HEY: Control your inbox with email filtering and organized replies. ProtonMail: Secure email that protects your privacy with end-to-end encryption and zero-access encryption.
What does HEY cost vs ProtonMail?
HEY's cheapest paid plan is HEY for You at $99/year. ProtonMail's cheapest paid plan is Mail Essentials at $6.99/user/mo, billed monthly; it also has a free plan. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Nov 2, 2026.
What's the main difference between HEY and ProtonMail?
HEY's main strength: innovative approach. ProtonMail's main strength: best privacy email.