FTC

Tatem vs Hey

Updated today (Mar 29, 2026)

Efficient at Purposeful Design, Speed & Productivity, AI Assistance, Follow-Up, and Team Collaboration

vs
Tatem
Hey
Comparison
Tatem
Tatem
Hey
Hey

Comparison Summary

Comparison Summary

Tatem feels abandoned since the team was acquired by Wander and updates have stopped, while Hey has limitations for business email due to its older SMPT connection.

Stick with Hey only if you need a basic email client and can live with those business limitations, otherwise skip Tatem since it may stop working anytime.

  1. 1
    Tatem
    Tatem

    Limited online presence, current development status is unclear

    Limited online presence, current development status is unclear
  2. 2
    Hey
    Hey

    Made for non-technical users who like big buttons

    Made for non-technical users who like big buttons

At a Glance

At a Glance
See how Tatem and Hey compare on the most important Email criteria.

Editor's Verdict

Editor's Verdict

Purposeful Design

Purposeful Design
Tatem

Tatem gives you a clean, stripped-down inbox that actually lets you triage emails without getting pulled off track. No visual noise, no weird feature names, just fast loading and functional shortcuts that help you clear out your inbox quickly. The split inboxes also make batching a breeze, so you don't get stuck in a scroll hole.

Hey, on the other hand, feels like it's trying too hard to be cute, with oversized icons and playful labels that just slow you down. The interface is distracting, and you can't customize the workflow, so if you care about speed or staying focused, you're always fighting the design.

If your goal is to triage emails fast and stay on task, Tatem is the clear pick. Hey might work if you want something casual and don't mind distractions, but it's not built for anyone who actually wants to move quickly through their inbox.

Speed & Productivity

Speed & Productivity
Tatem
Hey

Tatem is just noticeably faster and more streamlined for getting through your inbox. It loads quickly, keeps things distraction-free, and actually gives you keyboard shortcuts that work, even if they're simple. That means you can process, archive, and snooze without constantly reaching for the mouse, so you keep your momentum up.

Hey, on the other hand, slows you down if you care about speed. Its clunky interface, oversized icons, and forced structure get in the way, and there's no mention of real productivity boosters like shortcuts or quick replies. You end up doing everything manually, and if you're used to optimizing for speed or customizing your workflow, you'll just feel boxed in and slowed down.

If you want to move fast and process email efficiently, Tatem is the clear pick here. Hey might feel simple if you want the most basic experience, but for real productivity, Tatem keeps you moving.

AI Assistance

AI Assistance
Tatem
Hey

Neither Hey nor Tatem offers any AI help for writing or organizing your emails. You're stuck doing everything by hand in both, with no smart drafts, sorting, or automation to save you time.

That said, Tatem is slightly less rigid about how you work, while Hey locks you into a fixed inbox structure and manual screening, which might feel even more limiting if you're hoping for anything adaptive.

If you absolutely have to pick between them for AI assistance, Tatem barely edges out Hey, but honestly, you won't get real time savings or writing help from either. If AI is what matters, neither is the answer.

Follow-Up

Follow-Up
Tatem
Hey

Both Hey and Tatem completely drop the ball on follow-up features. Neither offers smart follow-ups, automations, or even basic reminders, so you're stuck remembering every follow-up by hand and will definitely miss things if you're not on top of it.

There's no edge here. If follow-up speed or reliability matters, neither app is a good pick. You'll run into the same headaches and missed opportunities with both.

Team Collaboration

Team Collaboration
Tatem
Hey

Neither Hey nor Tatem gives you any way to comment, assign, or share emails with your team. Both force you to handle all collaboration outside the app, so you're stuck with constant context-switching and manual workarounds.

If you need team collaboration in your inbox, neither app fits the bill. There's no practical difference here, both fall flat for team workflows. Pick something else if this matters to you.

Comparison Video and Summaries

Comparison Video and Summaries

Email Alternatives

Email Alternatives