Choosing personal help · Nym and Poke
Nym vs Poke: two assistants you can text
You want the jobs you keep putting off done, and you’d rather text than open another app. Poke and Nym both live in your texts. With Poke you get automations from recipes. With Nym you get an assistant that does the job itself and waits for your yes before buying.
The difference
Poke’s homepage says you text it in Messages, WhatsApp or Telegram and connect apps like Gmail and Notion. You set up automations with its recipes. It says it is joining Cognition.
With Nym, you text your Nym too. It writes to people from its own email address and signs in to sites in its own browser. You approve each purchase before it happens.
Try the same errand in both
“I keep getting to Sunday night and realizing I haven't sorted anything for the week. Every Sunday at 6pm Los Angeles time, can you check in with me here about appointments, errands and one thing I'd like to make time for? Keep it to a few questions rather than a big productivity exercise.”
| Detail | Wren on the Personal Assistant page | What to look for from Poke |
|---|---|---|
| When | Every Sunday at 6pm Pacific, set up from that one message | Whether it runs on your schedule, or only in its own daily brief |
| What it asks | A few quick questions: this week’s calendar, errands and the one thing you want to make time for | Whether it keeps to a few questions |
| After you answer | Your Nym takes the errands on | Whether it does the errand, or reminds you to |
- Send both the same message on a Thursday.
- On Sunday at 6pm, see which one checks in and how short it keeps it.
- Answer with one errand, like returning a parcel. See whether it gets done or just noted.
What to check before you choose
Errands in the real world
Nym
You get online errands done, like forms, bookings and orders. Your Nym can’t phone anyone for you yet.
Poke
With Ultra at $199 a month, Poke Human sends a real person for calls and reservations, its FAQ says.
Nym
You get a Nym with its own email address on any plan, so the landlord hears from it, not you.
Poke
You connect Gmail or Outlook, and Poke drafts and sends from your inbox.
Buying
Nym
You see the item and the total, and nothing is bought until you say yes. You can buy from Amazon with your account, or from independent online shops.
Poke
Poke’s pages describe orders through Poke Human on Ultra, with expenses charged at cost.
Keeping track
Nym
Ask for a workout log or a gift list and you get a personal app that keeps your entries.
Poke
You can ask Poke for a website at yourname.poke.site. It keeps track through recipes and the apps you connect.
Where you text it
Nym
You text or call your Nym’s number, or chat in the Nym app.
Poke
You text it from Messages or WhatsApp. Telegram works too, and Poke may text from a different number on each.
The facts side by side
| Detail | Nym | Poke |
|---|---|---|
| How you reach it | Text or call; chat on the web, desktop or phone app | Messages, WhatsApp or Telegram |
| Getting in | Early access by waitlist | Get started on its website |
| Price | Free: $0. Plus: $20 a month. Pro: $60 a month | Free: $0. Pro: $19 a month. Ultra: $199 a month |
| Real-world errands | Online errands; no outbound calls yet | A real person, with Poke Human on Ultra |
| Its own address on every plan | Your Gmail or Outlook | |
| Buying | Your yes on each purchase: item, store, total | Orders through Poke Human on Ultra |
| What it builds | Personal apps: two on Free, five on Plus, unlimited on Pro | A website at yourname.poke.site |
When you’d choose Poke
Pick Poke if you live in WhatsApp or Telegram and want ready-made automations. With Ultra, you can also have a real person run errands.
Pick Nym if you want an assistant with its own email, and purchases that wait for your yes, on Plus at $20 a month.
How you get access, and what you pay
Poke’s FAQ says most features are free, and its paid plans are $19 and $199 a month. We read it on October 4, 2026.
Nym is in early access. Free costs nothing and lets you have as many Nyms as you like. Plus is $20 a month, and Pro is $60 (see pricing).
