HeyMateThe HeyMate field guide
Learn a tool. Untangle an error. Give a mate a job. Useful ways to work with AI, with the prompts, tradeoffs, and checks that make the difference.
Watch the 60-second film New from HeyMate · November 1, 2026
Meet your open-source AI companion for Mac in a new 60-second film. Ask about your screen, see ideas take shape, and give your own little crew the busywork.
Meet HeyMateStart with something you already do. Keep the task small, the instructions clear, and the result easy to check.
Learning apps
Use HeyMate to understand an unfamiliar Mac app, ask for one step at a time, and check what you learned without leaving your work.
Read guide : Learn a Mac app with AI guidance, one step at a timeDesign
Ask for actionable design feedback on hierarchy, copy, spacing, and contrast. Turn a screen-aware AI critique into a small revision you can compare.
Read guide : Use HeyMate for a focused Figma or website design reviewDevelopment
Use screen-aware AI to read an error, form a testable hypothesis, and plan a small fix. Includes prompts, secret handling, and verification steps.
Read guide : Understand terminal errors with HeyMate before changing codeFiles
Use HeyMate to draft a file organization plan, preview renames, and review small batches. Includes duplicate handling and verification prompts.
Read guide : Organize Mac files with AI: plan first, move secondResearch
Create a research mate with a clear topic, source rules, and a reviewable output. Includes a recurring brief prompt and checks for unsupported claims.
Read guide : Build a weekly research brief with a specialist HeyMateWriting
Turn rough notes into a focused email draft, check its claims, and keep sending separate from drafting. Includes reusable prompts for tone and edits.
Read guide : Draft better email on Mac with HeyMate and a review stepPlanning
Use HeyMate to turn approved notes and connected app context into a meeting agenda, open questions, and follow-ups you can verify.
Read guide : Prepare for meetings on Mac with a source-backed AI briefLearning
Build a HeyMate tutor with retrieval practice, small exercises, and source checks. Includes a role prompt and a repeatable review routine.
Read guide : Create a study tutor mate that helps you practice on MacVisual answers
Explore real HeyMate recordings of a recipe sketch, Raspberry Pi connection diagram, and 3D board explanation, with prompts for clearer follow-ups.
Read guide : Ask HeyMate for diagrams and visual explanations on your desktopDifferent tools suit different habits. Compare the choices that affect your work, with official sources and reasons to choose either.
Raycast alternative
Compare HeyMate and Raycast for guided learning, AI subscriptions, agents, and daily workflows. Includes official sources and reasons to choose either.
Read comparison : HeyMate vs Raycast: which Mac AI workflow fits you?Alfred alternative
Compare HeyMate with Alfred for app learning, repeatable workflows, text snippets, and file tasks. Learn when they complement each other.
Read comparison : HeyMate vs Alfred: AI guidance or repeatable Mac workflows?Claude Cowork alternative
Compare HeyMate and Claude Cowork for guided learning, delegated tasks, provider choice, and data handling, using current official documentation.
Read comparison : HeyMate vs Claude Cowork: choose your desktop AI workflowMac automation
Compare HeyMate and Apple Shortcuts for learning tasks, repeatable actions, and AI-assisted workflows. Includes a practical way to use both together.
Read comparison : HeyMate vs Apple Shortcuts: conversation or a defined automation?Understand the tradeoffs before giving an assistant access to your Mac.
Buying guide
Evaluate Mac AI assistants by workflow, provider access, privacy, permissions, installation, and total cost. Includes a practical HeyMate evaluation checklist.
Read guide : How to choose an open-source AI assistant for Mac