Softwr

Productivity · head to head

HEY vs LibreOffice

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
LibreOffice logo

LibreOffice

Productivity

Free and open-source office suite that runs entirely offline

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only LibreOffice 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.; LibreOffice real-time collaborative editing is far behind Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, and for teams who co-edit this alone usually decides the question
  • They diverge on capability: HEY covers The Screener, LibreOffice covers Full suite.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HEY and LibreOffice actually diverge.

Attributes where HEY and LibreOffice differ
AttributeHEYLibreOffice
Starting price$99/yearFree
Pricing modelPer user per monthOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsMac, Windows, Web, iOS, AndroidWindows, macOS, Linux

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 LibreOffice

  • Full suite
  • Works offline
  • OpenDocument native
  • Microsoft format support
  • No telemetry or AI
  • Extensions and macros

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 LibreOffice
  • A user overwhelmed by newsletters and receipts who wants them automatically separated from person to person conversationnot LibreOffice
  • A family that wants shared but individually addressed email under one annual plannot LibreOffice
  • A small company wanting HEY for Work on its own domain with the Screener model for the whole teamnot LibreOffice

LibreOffice

  • Organisations where documents cannot leave the premises for policy or statutory reasonsnot HEY
  • Replacing per-seat office licences at scalenot HEY
  • Long-term archives needing a format not defined by a single vendornot HEY
  • Reviving older hardware that current commercial suites strainnot 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.

LibreOffice

  • Real-time collaborative editing is far behind Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, and for teams who co-edit this alone usually decides the question
  • Mobile support is weak, which is disqualifying for a workforce that reviews documents on phones
  • Complex Microsoft Office documents still lose formatting in transit, so exchange-heavy workflows need testing with real files
  • Central policy management, conditional access and audit tooling are thin against the commercial suites
  • Advanced spreadsheet work is where the gap with Excel is widest, and it affects exactly the users least willing to change

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

LibreOffice

Free
  • LibreOfficeFree
    • Full suite
    • Commercial use permitted
    • No per-seat licence

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 LibreOffice if

  • You need full suite.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want works offline.
LibreOffice review

Questions people ask

Is HEY or LibreOffice better?
Neither clearly leads. HEY starts at $99/year and LibreOffice at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HEY or LibreOffice?
LibreOffice has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $99/year for HEY and Free for LibreOffice.
Does HEY or LibreOffice run on more platforms?
HEY runs on Mac, Windows, Web, iOS, Android. LibreOffice runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use LibreOffice for free?
Yes. LibreOffice 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 LibreOffice is typically brought in for.
What can HEY do that LibreOffice cannot?
HEY covers The Screener, Imbox, Feed and Paper Trail, Reply Later stack, Focus and Reply mode. LibreOffice covers Full suite, Works offline, OpenDocument native, Microsoft format support.

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.

LibreOffice: Is LibreOffice really free for business use?

Yes. It is open source with no per-seat licence and no restriction on commercial use. The Document Foundation is funded by donations and sponsors.

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.

LibreOffice: Does it have AI features?

No. The 26.8 release states it contains no generative AI, that documents are not transmitted to remote services, and that no component requires network access.

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.

LibreOffice: Can it open Microsoft Office files?

Yes, and save back to them. Round-tripping complex documents is imperfect between any two suites, so test with your own files before committing to an exchange-heavy workflow.

LibreOffice: Why do governments use it?

Two reasons: no per-seat cost at scale, and OpenDocument is an ISO standard implemented by more than one vendor, which matters for archives that must stay readable after a vendor relationship ends.

LibreOffice: What is the biggest reason not to use it?

Collaborative editing. If several people work on the same document simultaneously, Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace are substantially better and that gap is not closing.

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