HEY Email

What it does

HEY Email is an opinionated email client that reimagines the inbox from the ground up. Instead of a single, chaotic stream of messages, HEY helps users regain control by screening who can email them and automatically sorting messages into three distinct locations. It's designed for users who feel overwhelmed by their current email setup and want a more organized, focused way to handle communication.

Where it shines

HEY's strength lies in its confident, user-centric design philosophy. The onboarding itself introduces a unique concept: a disposable 14-day email address (00:05), allowing users to test the platform's full power without commitment. The core magic happens in its organizational structure. The ability to route a sender to 'The Imbox' (for important mail), 'The Feed' (for newsletters), or 'The Paper Trail' (for receipts) from a single menu at 01:43 is a powerful demonstration of this philosophy. Furthermore, the contact page (01:25) acts as a command center, providing granular control over every sender, which is a significant departure from traditional clients.

UX highlights

Contact-Centric Controls: Every sender has a dedicated page where you can manage notifications, notes, and delivery rules (01:25). This shifts focus from managing messages to managing relationships.
The Screener: HEY puts you in charge of who gets into your inbox. First-time senders land in a screening area where you decide if you want to hear from them again.
Reply Later & Set Aside: Productivity features are baked in. You can move emails that need a response to a 'Reply Later' stack (08:30) or pin reference emails to the bottom of your screen with 'Set Aside' (08:15).
Bubble Up: This feature acts as a smart reminder, bringing an email back to the top of your inbox at a specified time or if you don't receive a reply (05:30).
Sticky Notes: The ability to add a persistent sticky note at the bottom of the Imbox (12:17) provides a simple, highly visible to-do list right where you need it.
Advanced Search: The search function (10:49) includes powerful, easy-to-use filters for narrowing down results by date, sender, label, and more.

Monetization & growth

Monetization is not directly shown in this video, as the flow focuses on the free, disposable trial account. This trial itself is a powerful growth mechanic. By offering a fully-featured but temporary account, HEY lowers the barrier to entry significantly. The process still captures the user's primary email for backup and forwarding purposes (00:43), creating a direct line for communicating the value of upgrading to a permanent, paid account once the trial period ends.

Who it’s for

HEY is for individuals and professionals who are tired of the traditional inbox and feel overwhelmed by email. It's designed for people who value organization, control, and a focused digital environment. The feature set appeals to productivity enthusiasts and those looking to establish healthier boundaries with their digital communication. It is less for the casual user and more for someone willing to invest time in a new system to achieve long-term email sanity.

Notes & opportunities

While powerful, HEY's opinionated design introduces a learning curve. The welcome emails (01:12) are crucial for teaching core concepts like 'The Big 3.' The sheer number of options in menus, like the thread options at 08:39, could be initially intimidating for new users. An interactive tutorial or a more guided first-run experience could help users grasp the key workflows faster. For instance, prompting the user to screen their first sender or move their first newsletter to The Feed could solidify these concepts more effectively than text alone.