Instinct vs Poke
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Which is better, Instinct or Poke?
It depends on what you want done. Pick Instinct if you can get an invite and want an agent you text that books, buys and calls businesses for you. Pick Poke if you want an assistant you text, with a real free plan, that keeps on top of email and calendar. Both are personal agents. Prices as of November 2026: Instinct, invite-only, price not published; Poke, from $19/mo.
On our rubric, Instinct scores higher, 8.0 to 7.1. It handles 6 of our 6 everyday errands fully on its own, to Poke's 1. Here's where each one wins.
Instinct8.0
Choose Instinct if you can get an invite and want an agent you text that books, buys and calls businesses for you.
Visit Instinct
Poke7.1
Choose Poke if you want an assistant you text, with a real free plan, that keeps on top of email and calendar.
Visit PokeErrands, side by side
| Errand | Instinct | Poke |
|---|---|---|
| Book reservations, rides and travel | Yes | With your OK |
| Shop and check out | Yes | No |
| Handle email and calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Fill forms and click through websites | Yes | No |
| Cancel subscriptions, chase refunds, lower bills | Yes | No |
| Research and compare | Yes | With your OK |
Scores side by side
| Criterion | Instinct | Poke |
|---|---|---|
| Gets it done (30%) | 9.0 | 6.5 |
| Reach (15%) | 7.5 | 8.0 |
| Knows you (15%) | 8.5 | 7.5 |
| Safety & control (15%) | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| Value (15%) | 8.0 | 7.5 |
| Trust (10%) | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Overall | 8.0 | 7.1 |
Where they work
| Clicks through websites for you | ||
|---|---|---|
| Works in the background or on a schedule | ||
| Remembers you | ||
| Works over text messages | ||
| Talks by voice | ||
| Phone app |
Price and fine print
| Instinct | Poke | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Personal agent: agent you text | Personal agent: agent you text |
| Made by | Instinct | The Interaction Company of California |
| Our rank | #2 of personal agents | #8 of personal agents |
| Price | Invite-only; price not published (as of November 2026) | From $19/mo (as of November 2026) |
| Free plan | No public plan; invite-only beta (as of November 2026) | Yes, free forever with email and calendar (as of November 2026) |
| Refunds | Not stated | Not stated |
| Best for | People with an invite who want errands, especially travel, done end to end by text. | People who want an assistant in their text messages that watches email and calendar. |
Instinct: pros and cons
- Books, buys and cancels for you on its own cloud computer
- Pays with one-time virtual cards you approve
- Text or call it; it can phone businesses too
- Has its own email address to deal with companies
- Invite-only, with a waitlist
- No published pricing
- Reviewers raise privacy and liability questions
- No phone app; texting, calls, Mac and web only
Poke: pros and cons
- Works in iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp and Telegram
- Messages you first about things that need attention
- Real free plan with email and calendar
- Human errand help on Ultra
- Doesn't browse websites or check out for you
- Human errands need the $199 plan
- Its parent company was acquired in 2026, so the roadmap may change
- Early users paid negotiated prices that differ from today's plans
Instinct vs Poke: questions
Is Instinct better than Poke?
On our rubric, Instinct scores higher (8.0 vs 7.1). Poke is still the better pick if you want an assistant you text, with a real free plan, that keeps on top of email and calendar.
Which is cheaper, Instinct or Poke?
Instinct: invite-only; price not published, free plan: no (as of November 2026). Poke: from $19/mo, free plan: yes (as of November 2026).