Softwr

Productivity · head to head

HEY vs Kahoot

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
Kahoot logo

Kahoot

Productivity

Make learning awesome with game-based quizzes

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Kahoot has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: HEY there is no free tier and no monthly billing option, so trying it beyond the trial means committing to a full year upfront.; Kahoot no free tier available; all plans are paid subscriptions starting at $19/month
  • They diverge on capability: HEY covers The Screener, Kahoot covers Quiz games.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HEY and Kahoot actually diverge.

Attributes where HEY and Kahoot differ
AttributeHEYKahoot
Starting price$99/yearFree
Pricing modelPer user per monthsubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsMac, Windows, Web, iOS, AndroidCloud-based SaaS, Mobile apps (iOS, Android)
FoundedUnknown2012

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

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 HEY

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

Only in Kahoot

  • Quiz games
  • Surveys
  • Puzzles
  • Word clouds
  • Live games
  • Self-paced challenges
  • Reports
  • Question bank

What people use each for

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

HEY

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

Kahoot

  • Interactive quizzes and learning assessments for educationnot HEY
  • Employee training and development programsnot HEY
  • Conference and event audience engagementnot HEY
  • Team building and company-wide meetingsnot HEY

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Kahoot

  • No free tier available; all plans are paid subscriptions starting at $19/month
  • Participant limit increases significantly with plan tier, from 50 to 5,000 maximum

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Kahoot

Free
  • Kahoot! 360 Pro Start$19/month
    • Up to 50 participants per session
    • Interactive quizzes and polls
    • Basic hosting
  • Kahoot! 360 Pro Standard$25/month
    • Up to 200 participants per session
    • Brainstorms and word clouds
    • Slide syncing and Q&A
  • Kahoot! 360 Pro Plus$49/month
    • Up to 1,000 participants per session
    • Courses with certificates
    • NPS surveys
  • Kahoot! 360 Pro Max$69/month
    • Up to 2,000 participants per session
    • Custom theming
    • Immersive branding

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Kahoot if

  • You need quiz games.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud-based SaaS, Mobile apps (iOS, Android).
  • You also want surveys.
Kahoot review

Questions people ask

Is HEY or Kahoot better?
Neither clearly leads. HEY starts at $99/year and Kahoot at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HEY or Kahoot?
Kahoot has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $99/year for HEY and Free for Kahoot.
Does HEY or Kahoot run on more platforms?
HEY runs on Mac, Windows, Web, iOS, Android. Kahoot runs on Cloud-based SaaS, Mobile apps (iOS, Android).
Can I use Kahoot for free?
Yes. Kahoot has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. HEY starts at $99/year.
What is HEY best used for?
HEY is most often used for someone who wants to replace gmail or icloud mail entirely with an email service built around approving senders before they reach the inbox, a user overwhelmed by newsletters and receipts who wants them automatically separated from person to person conversation, a family that wants shared but individually addressed email under one annual plan, a small company wanting hey for work on its own domain with the screener model for the whole team. Of those, someone who wants to replace gmail or icloud mail entirely with an email service built around approving senders before they reach the inbox and a user overwhelmed by newsletters and receipts who wants them automatically separated from person to person conversation are not what Kahoot is typically brought in for.
What can HEY do that Kahoot cannot?
HEY covers The Screener, Imbox, Feed and Paper Trail, Reply Later stack, Focus and Reply mode. Kahoot covers Quiz games, Surveys, Puzzles, Word clouds.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Kahoot: What is the cheapest Kahoot plan and what audience size does it support?

Kahoot! 360 Pro Start is $19 per month (or $228 annually) and supports up to 50 participants per session. It includes interactive quizzes, polls, basic hosting, and AI kahoot creation.

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.

Kahoot: Which Kahoot plan supports the largest audience, and what is its participant limit?

Kahoot! 360 Pro Ultra is the top tier at $79 per month (or $948 annually) and supports up to 5,000 participants per session. It includes full AI assistant access, event consultation, commercial licensing, and large document processing up to 500 pages.

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.

Kahoot: How much does a Kahoot plan cost annually if I pay upfront?

Annual pricing is available for all plans and includes a discount: Pro Start is $228/year ($19/month), Pro Standard is $300/year ($25/month), Pro Plus is $588/year ($49/month), Pro Max is $828/year ($69/month), and Pro Ultra is $948/year ($79/month).

Source
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