Spark vs Hey

Spark has optimized for more focus, although there are still some UI elements that are cluttered, like in their compose screen there are too many buttons.

Spark's emails also stretch way across the screen causing fatigue when reading, while the other platforms format emails to be more narrow to help with readability.

Spark tries to simplify triage by auto-sorting your inbox into categories like Newsletter and Notifications but you cannot customize it further so most of your mail appears in the main inbox as one big pile to get through, which is where it loses points.

Spark was built to be used with a keyboard, you can hit CMD+K to go anywhere. With Spark you can fully navigate snooze and send later features without a mouse but it doesn't support natural language and this is where it got a bit clunky as if you want to snooze on a custom date, you need to count the exact days into the future rather than being able to type it in.

If you want to reply in line, the process is that you need to copy the entire email, format it, and then use their quoting feature and then write your reply. This is tedious.

Spark has templates, and you can access them via your keyboard using the shortcut Cmd + Shift + T, and it has placeholder functionality. You can also save any To, CC, and BCC fields to your template turning them into a bit of a workflow.

Sparks offline mode is good, it doesn't need to be enabled although it only caches recent emails and users complain its quite slow.

Spark automatically categorizes your emails just based on notifications and newsletters, but you can't set up custom auto-labels.

Spark also doesn't have AI search, but they do have pre-defined AI summaries. You can ask AI to summarize an email, or translate it..but you can't ask it any specific questions about your inbox or emails. Summaries aren't really efficient in our experience, especially when you can't go deeper and ask your own questions about the context.

In terms of AI drafts, the email started to sound a bit more like me. That's because Spark has a feature where it will scan 3 of your emails and learn a bit about the tone you typically write in. While this is better, it's still limited.

Spark supports read receipts on the paid tier only. Spark does not have any features that help with follow-up.

Spark allows for team comments and sharing drafts allowing team members to collaborate on emails in real-time. You can also assign emails to team members so they know they are responsible for responding. If you want to share an email with a non-team member, Spark allows you to generate a link to share emails and comments externally. However, external team members can't jump in and leave a comment themselves, so this is more to bring them up to speed on a conversation.

You can assign emails to team members in Spark, which is a great way to indicate that they are responsible for taking over.

The oversized icons, bright gradients, and playful text make it hard to focus when you're trying to triage your inbox. The renamed features like "Imbox" and "Bubbleup" just add confusion, especially if you're used to more professional, minimal interfaces. You can't customize the structure or workflows, so you're stuck with their opinionated layout whether it helps you move faster or not.

If you rely on speed, keyboard shortcuts, or efficient navigation, you'll hit a wall fast. The interface feels more like it's built for casual personal users than anyone who needs to process email quickly and stay on task. You still have to fight the UI to get through your emails without distraction.

Hey's design choices slow you down if you care about speed or productivity. The oversized icons, childish text, and renamed features make the interface feel clunky instead of streamlined, especially compared to email tools built for keyboard-shortcut lovers or those who want to move fast. You don't get the minimal, fast, professional-grade experience that helps you fly through your inbox.

There's no mention of keyboard shortcuts, quick replies, or any features that actually speed up triage or processing. If you're used to custom workflows, labels, or integrations that let you automate or move faster, you're out of luck. You still have to do everything manually, and the opinionated inbox structure forces you to adapt to their way of working instead of letting you optimize for speed.

This setup might feel simpler if you want a basic, distraction-free email experience, but if you're productivity-focused, you'll hit friction everywhere and never get into a true flow.

Hey does not support AI assistance for writing or organizing your emails. You still have to handle all email composition and sorting manually, with no time-saving automation or smart suggestions.

You get a rigid inbox structure and some manual screening tools, but nothing that adapts to your habits or helps you write like you would. If you want your email to organize itself or draft messages for you, this leaves you doing all the work.

Hey does not support any kind of smart follow-up features. There are no integrations, no API, and no connections to CRM or automation tools, so you cannot automate reminders, track replies, or manage follow-ups efficiently. You still have to remember and handle every follow-up manually, which means you move slower and miss opportunities.

Hey does not support commenting, assigning, or sharing emails with your team. You still have to handle all collaboration outside the app, which means constant context-switching and manual workarounds. This makes it a non-starter for anyone who relies on email for team workflows.