Comparison
A FollowUpThen alternative that follows up for you
FollowUpThen made a great idea popular: add an address to your email and the follow-up takes care of itself. Emily works the same way from your side. The difference is what happens next: FollowUpThen sends a reminder on a timer. Emily asks the person, reads what they send back, and keeps going until the answer is complete.
How FollowUpThen works
You add a FollowUpThen address, like 3days@followupthen.com, to an email. Where you put it decides who gets the follow-up:
- To or Bcc: a reminder comes back to you at that time. The recipient sees nothing.
- Cc: a follow-up goes to everyone in the To field at that time.
- Response detection (on paid plans) cancels the follow-up if someone replies first.
It's simple and dependable. What it doesn't do is read the reply: with response detection on, a reply of "let me check with Finance" cancels the follow-up just like a real answer does.
How Emily is different
| FollowUpThen | Emily | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Sends a reminder or follow-up at a time you pick | Follows up with the person until the answer is complete |
| Who writes the follow-up | A scheduled message | Emily, in the thread, about what's still missing |
| Reads the reply | Detects that a reply arrived (paid plans) | Reads it: "waiting on Finance" isn't an answer yet |
| Partial answers | Counts as a reply | Asks only for the missing part |
| When it's done | Nothing further | Closes the loop for everyone on the thread |
| Setup | Add an address | Add an address (Cc Emily). No inbox access |
When FollowUpThen is the better choice
- You want reminders for yourself, not answers from someone else.
- A fixed nudge at a fixed time is all you need.
- You send a lot of personal reminders and want the simplest possible tool.
When Emily is the better choice
- You need an actual answer, approval or decision, not a reminder that you're still waiting.
- Replies tend to be partial ("yes, but...", "let me check").
- You don't want to be the one who remembers to chase.
Not done yet
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
Is Emily a drop-in replacement for FollowUpThen?
For getting answers from other people, yes: you add Emily's address to an email the same way. For personal reminders to yourself ("remind me about this in three days"), FollowUpThen is the simpler tool, and Emily isn't built for that.
Do I need to connect my inbox?
No. Emily only sees the emails you send her or Cc her on. There's nothing to install and no inbox access to grant.
What happens if the person answers only part of my question?
Emily notices what's still missing and asks for just that part, in the same thread. A timed follow-up can't tell a partial answer from a complete one.
Can I use both?
Yes. Many people keep a reminder service for their own to-dos and Cc Emily when they need something from someone else.
Still unsure? Talk to Emily on Discord