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Communication · head to head

Courier vs HEY

Courier logo

Courier

Communication

Notification infrastructure API for sending messages across channels

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
HEY logo

HEY

Productivity

Flat annual subscription email service from 37signals, with its own hey.com domain and a distinctive Screener

From
$99/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Courier has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Courier enterprise-only features like RBAC and EU data residency require a custom sales conversation rather than a published plan.; HEY there is no free tier and no monthly billing option, so trying it beyond the trial means committing to a full year upfront.
  • They diverge on capability: Courier covers Multi-channel sending, HEY covers The Screener.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Courier and HEY actually diverge.

Attributes where Courier and HEY differ
AttributeCourierHEY
Starting priceFree$99/year
Pricing modelusage-basedPer user per month
Free tierYesNo
Platformsweb, apiMac, Windows, Web, iOS, Android
CategoryCommunicationProductivity

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Courier

  • Multi-channel sending
  • Journeys and broadcasts
  • Digest and batching
  • AI translations
  • MCP server and CLI
  • Role-based access control

Only in HEY

  • The Screener
  • Imbox, Feed and Paper Trail
  • Reply Later stack
  • Focus and Reply mode
  • Screen sharing style clips
  • No tracking pixels

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Courier

  • Sending notifications across email, SMS, and push from one APInot HEY
  • Building automated notification journeysnot HEY
  • Digesting multiple alerts into a single messagenot HEY
  • Localizing notification content with AI translationnot HEY

HEY

  • Someone who wants to replace Gmail or iCloud Mail entirely with an email service built around approving senders before they reach the inboxnot Courier
  • A user overwhelmed by newsletters and receipts who wants them automatically separated from person to person conversationnot Courier
  • A family that wants shared but individually addressed email under one annual plannot Courier
  • A small company wanting HEY for Work on its own domain with the Screener model for the whole teamnot Courier

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Courier

  • Enterprise-only features like RBAC and EU data residency require a custom sales conversation rather than a published plan.
  • Pay-as-you-go per-send pricing on Business can become costly at very high volume compared to flat committed pricing elsewhere.
  • The free Developer tier is capped at 10,000 sends per month, which is limiting for growing production apps.

HEY

  • There is no free tier and no monthly billing option, so trying it beyond the trial means committing to a full year upfront.
  • Adopting HEY means changing your actual email address, not just installing a new client, which is a bigger migration than switching apps on an existing address.
  • The Screener and categorisation model is a real departure from a standard inbox, and some users take time to adjust or find it gets in the way for high volume mail.
  • Short vanity addresses carry steep additional annual fees, up to 999 US dollars a year for a two character address.
  • It does not connect to or manage existing Gmail, Outlook or iCloud accounts, so it cannot be used as a general client the way Mimestream or Apple Mail can.

Pricing, plan by plan

Courier

Free
  • DeveloperFree
    • 10,000 sends/month
    • Journeys and broadcasts
    • MCP server, CLI, and SDKs
  • Business$undefined/month
    • $0.005 per send pay-as-you-go
    • AI translations
    • AI agent node
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Volume discounts
    • Dedicated Slack channel
    • Role-based access control

HEY

$99/year
  • HEY for You$99/year
    • One hey.com email address
    • Screener, Imbox, Feed and Paper Trail
    • Billed annually only, no monthly option
  • HEY for Families$179/year
    • Covers up to five family members
    • Same features as HEY for You per member
  • HEY for Work$12/month
    • Per user, for organisations on a company domain
    • Admin controls for a team

Which should you pick?

Choose Courier if

  • You need multi-channel sending.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want journeys and broadcasts.
Courier review

Choose HEY if

  • You need the screener.
  • You work on Mac, Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want imbox, feed and paper trail.
HEY review

Questions people ask

Is Courier or HEY better?
Neither clearly leads. Courier starts at Free and HEY at $99/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Courier or HEY?
Courier has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Courier and $99/year for HEY.
Does Courier or HEY run on more platforms?
Courier runs on web, api. HEY runs on Mac, Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Courier for free?
Yes. Courier has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. HEY starts at $99/year.
What is Courier best used for?
Courier is most often used for sending notifications across email, sms, and push from one api, building automated notification journeys, digesting multiple alerts into a single message, localizing notification content with ai translation. Of those, sending notifications across email, sms, and push from one api and building automated notification journeys are not what HEY is typically brought in for.
What can Courier do that HEY cannot?
Courier covers Multi-channel sending, Journeys and broadcasts, Digest and batching, AI translations. HEY covers The Screener, Imbox, Feed and Paper Trail, Reply Later stack, Focus and Reply mode.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Courier: What does Courier cost?

Courier has three plans: Developer is free for 10,000 sends per month, Business is pay-as-you-go at $0.005 per send, and Enterprise is custom-priced with volume discounts.

Source
HEY: Can I use HEY with my existing Gmail address?

No. HEY provides its own hey.com email address; it is not a client layered over an existing Gmail or other account.

Courier: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?

Yes, the Developer plan is free and includes 10,000 notification sends per month along with journeys, broadcasts, the MCP server, CLI, SDKs, and email support.

Source
HEY: Is there a free plan?

No. HEY offers a trial but bills annually only, with no free tier and no month to month option for individuals.

Courier: How is usage metered?

Courier bills based on the number of notifications sent, not on team size or number of channels used, with Business plan sends charged at $0.005 each.

Source
HEY: What is the Screener?

A feature that holds mail from any new sender until the user explicitly approves them, before it appears in the inbox at all.

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