1 Best Open-Source Alternatives to HEY in 2026
By Noahlast updated pricing verified
Compared: open-source alternatives to HEY
| Alternative | Best for | Standout | Biggest weakness | Learning curve | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HEYreference | individuals and small teams who want an opinionated, spam-resistant inbox and are willing to pay a flat annual fee instead of using free Gmail or Outlook | The Screener holds every first-time sender for approval before it can reach the inbox, permanently blocking rejected senders and splitting the rest into Imbox, Feed, and Paper Trail views. | No permanent free tier and no monthly billing option for individuals — HEY for You is $99/year paid upfront, and switching from an existing email address means re-pointing every account and contact to a new @hey.com domain. | Moderate | From $12/mo |
| Proton Mail | privacy-conscious individuals, journalists, and small teams who want end-to-end encrypted email with open-source, independently audited clients rather than a mainstream provider that can technically read stored mail | Zero-access encryption paired with open-source, independently audited client apps, so Proton itself cannot decrypt a Mail Plus or Unlimited inbox even under legal compulsion. | The free tier caps storage at just 1 GB and one address, and the higher-value Unlimited and Family tiers bundle VPN, Drive, and Pass features that email-only switchers may not need, pushing the effective per-mailbox cost above single-purpose providers like Fastmail. | Low | Free tier · paid from $3.99/mo |
HEY
Proton Mail1.Proton Mail — best HEY alternative for privacy-conscious individuals, journalists, and small teams who want end-to-end encrypted email with open-source, independently audited clients rather than a mainstream provider that can technically read stored mail
Proton Mail is the best HEY alternative for privacy-conscious individuals who want zero-access encryption HEY doesn't offer, since HEY's marketing focuses on inbox organization and sender screening rather than encryption architecture. Proton Mail's free tier covers 1GB of storage and one address at no cost, an option HEY doesn't have at any tier since HEY for You is a flat $99/year commitment with no free plan. Mail Plus adds 15GB, 10 aliases, and one custom domain for $3.99/month billed annually, cheaper than HEY for You's $99/year ($8.25/month equivalent). Proton Mail's client apps are open source and independently audited across web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, unlike HEY's closed-source apps. Proton Mail holds a 4.5/5 rating from 122 Capterra reviews, a larger sample than HEY's own 6 Product Hunt reviews. HEY is still the better choice for anyone who wants HEY's Screener and Imbox/Feed/Paper Trail sorting system: Proton Mail has no equivalent first-time-sender approval gate, and its higher-value Unlimited and Family tiers bundle VPN, Drive, and Pass features that email-only switchers may not need, raising the effective cost above what HEY charges for email and calendar alone.
Compared to HEY: zero-access encryption on every paid plan which HEY doesn't market, free tier at 1GB which HEY doesn't offer at any tier, no Screener-style first-time-sender approval gate matching HEY's core mechanic
Wins:Zero-access encryption means Proton itself cannot read message content on any paid plan, a privacy guarantee HEY doesn't market · Free tier covers 1GB of storage and one address at no cost, an option HEY doesn't have at any tier · Open-source, independently audited client apps across six platforms, unlike HEY's closed-source apps
Loses:No Screener-style approval gate that holds first-time senders until explicitly approved, HEY's core anti-spam mechanic · Higher-value Unlimited and Family tiers bundle VPN, Drive, and Pass, raising the effective cost for switchers who only want email · No Imbox/Feed/Paper Trail structural mail sorting the way HEY organizes incoming messages by type
Pros
- Zero-access encryption means Proton cannot read message content on any paid plan.
- Open-source, independently audited client apps across web, desktop, iOS, and Android.
- No phone number required to sign up, and Swiss jurisdiction outside US/EU data-sharing agreements.
- Bridge app connects Proton Mail to standard IMAP clients like Outlook or Apple Mail on Mail Plus and up.
Cons
- Free tier is limited to 1 GB storage and a single email address.
- Higher tiers bundle VPN, Drive, and Pass, which raises the effective price for users who only want email.
- Custom domain support starts at just 1 domain on Mail Plus, fewer than some business-focused competitors.
Pricing: Free tier · paid from $3.99/mo — Free at 1GB, or Mail Plus $3.99/month for 15GB, vs HEY for You's $99/year ($8.25/month equivalent)