Softwr

Productivity · head to head

HEY vs Sunsama

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
Sunsama logo

Sunsama

Project Management

The daily planner for busy professionals

From
$17/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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.; Sunsama pricing is higher than some competitor daily planners at $17+ per month
  • They diverge on capability: HEY covers The Screener, Sunsama covers Daily planning ritual.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HEY and Sunsama actually diverge.

Attributes where HEY and Sunsama differ
AttributeHEYSunsama
Starting price$99/year$17/month
Pricing modelPer user per monthUnknown
PlatformsMac, Windows, Web, iOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryProductivityProject Management
FoundedUnknown2016

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 HEY

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

Only in Sunsama

  • Daily planning ritual
  • Task timeboxing
  • Workload management
  • Shutdown routine
  • Focus mode
  • Google Calendar
  • Outlook
  • Todoist

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

Sunsama

  • Schedulingnot HEY
  • Appointment bookingnot HEY
  • Time trackingnot HEY
  • Resource managementnot HEY
  • Team coordinationnot 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.

Sunsama

  • Pricing is higher than some competitor daily planners at $17+ per month
  • Requires consistent daily engagement with the planning ritual to be effective
  • Limited customization of the daily planning framework compared to more flexible task managers

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

Sunsama

$17/month
  • Pro Plan (Annual)$17/month
    • Unlimited usage
    • Unlimited integrations
    • AI + MCP + Zapier support
  • Pro Plan (Monthly)$22/month
    • Unlimited usage
    • Unlimited integrations
    • AI + MCP + Zapier support

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 Sunsama if

  • You need daily planning ritual.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want task timeboxing.
Sunsama review

Questions people ask

Is HEY or Sunsama better?
Neither clearly leads. HEY starts at $99/year and Sunsama at $17/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HEY or Sunsama?
HEY starts at $99/year and Sunsama at $17/month.
Does HEY or Sunsama run on more platforms?
HEY runs on Mac, Windows, Web, iOS, Android. Sunsama runs on Web, iOS, Android.
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 Sunsama is typically brought in for.
What can HEY do that Sunsama cannot?
HEY covers The Screener, Imbox, Feed and Paper Trail, Reply Later stack, Focus and Reply mode. Sunsama covers Daily planning ritual, Task timeboxing, Workload management, Shutdown routine.

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.

Sunsama: What is the pricing for Sunsama and is there a free trial?

Sunsama costs $17 per month when billed yearly or $22 per month when billed monthly. A 14-day free trial is available without requiring a credit card.

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.

Sunsama: What task management tools does Sunsama integrate with?

Sunsama integrates with Asana, Todoist, Trello, Jira, Linear, Monday.com, Notion, ClickUp, GitHub, and Google Tasks, allowing you to pull tasks from these services into your daily plan.

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.

Sunsama: Can Sunsama sync with my calendar?

Yes, Sunsama is bidirectionally synced with Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, and iCloud Calendar, creating a unified view of your schedule and daily commitments.

Source
Sunsama: Does Sunsama have a mobile app?

Yes, Sunsama is available as a mobile app on both iOS and Android through the Google Play Store and Apple App Store for managing your daily plan on the go.

Source
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