Comparison
A Boomerang alternative: Emily follows up for you
Boomerang is great at timing: send an email later, or bring it back to your inbox if nobody replies. But when it comes back, you still have to write the follow-up, and remember to do it again next week. Emily writes it for you, to them, in the thread.
What Boomerang does
- Send later: write now, deliver at a time you choose.
- Remind me if no reply: the email comes back to your inbox if nobody answers by a date.
- Snooze: take a message out of your inbox until you need it.
It runs as a browser extension for Gmail, and every follow-up is still yours to write and send.
Boomerang reminds you. Emily asks them.
| Boomerang | Emily | |
|---|---|---|
| When nobody replies | The email comes back to your inbox | Emily follows up with the person in the thread |
| Who writes the follow-up | You | Emily |
| A partial answer | Counts as a reply | Emily asks for what's still missing |
| Where it works | Gmail, through a browser extension | Any email app. Just Cc Emily |
| Inbox access | Yes, to work inside Gmail | None |
| Scheduling and snoozing | Yes | No |
When to keep Boomerang
- You mostly need to send emails at a better time.
- You like snoozing messages until they matter.
- You want to write every follow-up yourself.
When to use Emily
- You're tired of the email coming back and having to chase again.
- Answers arrive half-finished and you need the rest.
- You work across Gmail, Outlook and your phone, and don't want another extension.
Waiting for Sam
Done
Illustrative example. Names are made up.
Or skip the chasing: CC Emily.
Send the email you were already going to send and add Emily on Cc. If the answer isn't complete, she follows up in the same thread until it is, then closes the loop for everyone. No setup, no inbox access, no new app.
Questions
Does Emily replace Boomerang?
For chasing answers, yes. For scheduling your own emails to send later, or snoozing messages out of your inbox, keep Boomerang: Emily doesn't do those.
Do I need a browser extension or Gmail access?
No. Emily works from any email app, on any device. You Cc her on the email; she never needs access to your inbox.
Does Emily work with Outlook too?
Yes. Emily is an email address, so she works with any mail service: Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail or anything else.
Who writes the follow-up?
Emily does, as herself and from her own address, about exactly what's still missing. You can see every message in the thread.
Still unsure? Talk to Emily on Discord