HEY vs Forward Email
Forward Email wins on privacy, Forward Email wins on price and Forward Email wins on features. Every fact below was checked on or before 25 October 2026.
Which should you choose?
- Go for HEY if you'd like more room (100 GB, against 10 GB).
- Forward Email is the better pick if you want a cheaper plan, at $3 a month; a free plan to start on; and the choice of any mail app over IMAP.
| Feature | HEY | Forward Email |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 2.0 | 3.0 |
| Privacy | 0.5 | 2.0 |
| Price | 2.0 | 4.0 |
| Features | 4.0 | 4.5 |
| Cheapest plan | HEY for You $99 a year (own domain: $12 per user a month) | Enhanced Protection $3 a month |
| Free plan | No (30-day trial) | Yes, forwarding only |
| Storage | 100 GB | 10 GB |
| Your own domain | ✓ On HEY for Domains | ✓ Unlimited |
| End-to-end encryption | No | Optional (PGP or encrypted storage) |
| Company based in | United States | United States |
| Your data is kept in | United States | United States |
| Founded | 2020 | 2017 |
| Free trial | 30 days free on HEY for You; no trial on HEY for Domains | Free plan |
| Funded by advertising | No | No |
| Works in any mail app | No, its own apps only | ✓ IMAP and SMTP |
| Calendar and contacts | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Aliases | Yes | Yes |
| Open-source apps | No | ✓ Yes |
| Sign up without ID | No | No |
| White label | No | No |
| Reader offer | None | None |
| Last checked | 25 October 2026 | 25 October 2026 |
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The key differences
- HEY's cheapest plan is HEY for You ($99 a year (own domain: $12 per user a month)); Forward Email's is Enhanced Protection ($3 a month).
- HEY has no free plan; Forward Email has a free plan (forwarding only).
- Space: HEY gives 100 GB of storage, Forward Email 10 GB of storage.
- On encryption, HEY doesn't encrypt mail end to end, whereas Forward Email offers optional encryption (PGP or encrypted storage).
- Mail apps: HEY only works in its own apps; Forward Email works in any mail app over IMAP.
Questions people ask
Is HEY more private than Forward Email?
Forward Email scores 2 out of 5 for privacy and HEY 0.5. Forward Email gives you apps whose code is public.
Is HEY cheaper than Forward Email?
Forward Email is cheaper. Its Enhanced Protection plan is $3 a month, against $99 a year (own domain: $12 per user a month) for HEY's HEY for You. Forward Email also has a free plan. Check the renewal price before you pay, as some first-year prices go up.
Can I use my own domain with HEY or Forward Email?
Yes, both do. HEY: On HEY for Domains. Forward Email: Unlimited.
Where is my email stored with HEY and Forward Email?
Both keep it in the United States.
Can I use HEY and Forward Email in Apple Mail or Outlook?
HEY only works in its own apps. Forward Email works in any mail app over IMAP.
Prices and the latest news
I haven't seen either change its price since I started checking on 25 October 2026.
The latest headlines: HEY news · Forward Email news.
Alternatives to HEY and Forward Email
HEY vs mailbox.org · Forward Email vs mailbox.org · HEY vs Posteo · Forward Email vs Posteo · HEY vs Proton Mail · Forward Email vs Proton Mail
How to switch
Moving between any two providers works the same way. Pick your two providers for the steps.