HEY is a from-scratch email service built by 37signals (the makers of Basecamp) around the idea that email should work the way you want, not the way senders want. The Screener requires approval before a new sender can reach you, the Imbox holds mail from people and services you care about, Paper Trail files away receipts and confirmations, and the Feed turns newsletters into a browsable, non-intrusive stream. HEY includes an integrated calendar, blocks tracking pixels used by marketers to spy on when and where you open email, and offers HEY World for publishing a personal blog straight from your inbox. It's available as a personal @hey.com account, a family plan, or HEY for Domains for teams who want the same experience on their own custom domain.
StartMail is a privacy-focused encrypted email service built by the team behind the Startpage search engine. It offers PGP encryption, password-protected messages for non-encrypted recipients, and unlimited disposable email aliases to help users avoid spam and tracking, all hosted on GDPR-compliant servers in the Netherlands.
- Genuinely different approach to inbox triage compared to conventional email clients
- Strong, explicit stance against tracking pixels and data harvesting
- Clean, opinionated interface with calendar built in
- Team plan brings the same screening model to company domains
- Unlimited email aliases, including auto-expiring burner aliases, help reduce spam without exposing a real address
- PGP encryption with password-protected fallback lets encrypted mail reach recipients who do not use PGP
- GDPR-compliant, Netherlands-based servers with no ads, tracking, or data profiling
- Supports Bitcoin payment for annual plans, useful for privacy-conscious sign-ups
- No free tier and no monthly option for personal accounts
- Switching your primary email to @hey.com or a new domain is a bigger commitment than trying a new client
- Team plan requires giving up the standalone @hey.com address and blog features
- No native iOS or Android app; mobile access is limited to the web browser or manually configured third-party mail clients
- Storage caps are modest (20GB personal, 30GB business) compared to mainstream free providers
- Personal plan includes only one custom domain, requiring the Business plan for multiple domains
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The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataHEY offers a unique screened‑inbox experience with built‑in calendar but requires a paid subscription and no free tier; StartMail focuses on strong encryption, unlimited aliases and privacy‑first features but lacks native mobile apps.
Key differences
- •HEY screens first‑time senders before they reach your inbox; StartMail provides PGP‑encrypted email and unlimited disposable aliases.
- •HEY includes an integrated calendar and a personal blog feature; StartMail does not have these extras.
- •StartMail supports custom domains (one on Personal plan, unlimited on Business) and works with any IMAP/SMTP client; HEY’s domain support is limited to company‑wide screening.
- •StartMail blocks tracking pixels and hides sender IP by default; HEY also blocks pixels but only mentions it as a feature.
- •StartMail accepts Bitcoin payments and offers two‑factor authentication; HEY does not list these payment or security options.
Pricing & value
Both are paid‑subscription only; no free tier for either, so cost depends on plan choice.
Ease of use / learning curve
HEY’s opinionated UI and built‑in calendar make it ready‑out‑of‑the‑box; StartMail requires client setup.
Features & depth
HEY provides screened inbox, calendar, blog, and newsletter feed; StartMail focuses on encryption and aliases.
Integrations & ecosystem
StartMail works with any IMAP/SMTP client (Thunderbird, Outlook, Apple Mail); HEY has no listed integrations.
Collaboration
HEY offers a team plan that extends screening to company domains; StartMail’s collaboration features are not specified.
Security & privacy
StartMail offers PGP encryption, Bitcoin payment, GDPR‑compliant Dutch servers; HEY blocks pixels but no encryption mentioned.
Support
StartMail provides human customer support; HEY’s support options are not specified.
Choose HEY if…
Individuals or small teams wanting a screened inbox, built‑in calendar, and are okay with a paid‑only model.
Choose StartMail if…
Privacy‑focused users or businesses needing PGP encryption, unlimited aliases, and flexible IMAP/SMTP client use.
Common questions
Which service offers stronger email encryption?
StartMail provides PGP‑encrypted email with password‑protected fallback; HEY does not specify encryption.
Can I use a native mobile app with either service?
StartMail has no native iOS/Android app; HEY also does not mention a mobile app, so both rely on web access.
What happens if I need multiple custom domains?
StartMail requires the Business plan for unlimited domains; HEY’s domain support is limited to company‑wide screening and not detailed for multiple domains.