MarginMail vs HEY: calm email without changing your address
Short answer: HEY is an email service from 37signals with its own @hey.com addresses (or your domain hosted at HEY), the Screener, and HEY Calendar, for $99 a year. It isn’t a Gmail client. MarginMail is a native Mac app that brings calm to the Gmail and Google Workspace accounts you already have: notes about what needs you, New faces for first-time senders, a calendar and people pages. MarginMail is free during its beta.
Last checked: October 16, 2026. Prices in USD.
At a glance
| MarginMail | HEY | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A Mac app for your existing Google accounts | An email service with its own addresses and hosting |
| Price | Free during the beta | HEY for You $99/yr (includes HEY Calendar); HEY for Domains $12/user/mo; no free plan, 30-day trial |
| Your address | Keep your Gmail or Workspace address | @hey.com or your domain hosted at HEY; Gmail only by forwarding plus send-as; no import of old mail |
| Platforms | Native Mac (macOS 26+); iPhone companion later | Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Screening new senders | New faces: welcome first-time senders or mark them Not for me, with notes on who you already know | The Screener (HEY’s signature feature) |
| What needs you | Margin notes (Follow-ups, Meetings, Requests); the Margins stack | Imbox, The Feed, Paper Trail, Reply Later, Set Aside |
| Calendar | Built in, two-way with Google Calendar: A / M / D, find a time with holds | HEY Calendar; Google/Apple/Outlook calendars only as read-only subscriptions |
| People | A page per person; companies by domain | Contact Notes |
| AI | Optional. Apple Intelligence on your Mac; your own Claude on click | No built-in AI; HEY CLI and MCP let your own agent (e.g. Claude Code) access your account |
| AI sends mail | Never | Agents get the access you grant (a read-only mode exists) |
| Tracking | Remote images blocked by default; no read receipts | Spy-pixel blocking; no read receipts |
| Servers | No MarginMail server; Mac ↔ Google | HEY hosts your mail (37signals; not SOC 2) |
Where HEY is the better choice
- You want a fresh start with a new address and a whole philosophy of email.
- You want Windows, Linux, Android or the web.
- You like The Feed and Paper Trail for newsletters and receipts.
- You want your own agent working your account through a CLI or MCP.
Where MarginMail is the better choice
- You want to keep your Gmail or Workspace address, history and Google Calendar.
- You want a calendar that syncs both ways with Google, with invites answered by one key.
- You want people pages and notes about what needs you.
- You want optional AI built in: on-device first, your own Claude on click, and it never sends.
Who should choose which
HEY if you’re ready to move your address and adopt HEY’s way of doing email. MarginMail if you want HEY-like calm, including a place for new senders, on the Gmail you already have.
FAQ
Can I use HEY with my Gmail address?
Only by forwarding new Gmail mail into HEY and sending as your Gmail address. HEY says it isn’t a Gmail client and can’t import old mail. MarginMail works directly with your Gmail and Workspace accounts.
Does MarginMail have a Screener like HEY?
Yes, in its own form: New faces. First-time senders wait there, with a note on what MarginMail knows (“You wrote to her in 2024”), and you choose Welcome or Not for me once for all their mail.
Does HEY Calendar sync with Google Calendar?
Not two-way. HEY can subscribe to Google, Apple or Outlook calendars read-only. MarginMail’s calendar is your Google Calendar.
Does HEY have AI?
HEY has no built-in AI. You can connect your own agent through the HEY CLI or MCP server. MarginMail has optional AI inside the app: Apple Intelligence on your Mac and your own Claude on click.
How much does HEY cost compared with MarginMail?
HEY for You is $99 a year as of October 2026. MarginMail is free during its beta.
Sources
- HEY pricing: hey.com/pricing/ (read Oct 16, 2026)
- HEY features: hey.com/features/ and hey.com/calendar/ (read Oct 16, 2026)
- HEY help, importing from Gmail: help.hey.com/article/717-can-i-import-my-gmail-outlook-ap…
- HEY help, linking Google/Apple/Outlook calendars: help.hey.com/article/799-link-your-google-apple-or-outloo…
- HEY help, using AI agents with HEY (updated Sept 22, 2026): help.hey.com/article/1189-using-ai-agents-with-hey
- 37signals privacy policy (updated Sept 16, 2026): 37signals.com/policies/privacy · security: 37signals.com/policies/security
Calm, and you keep your address.
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