Looking for a Poke alternative? Keep the texting, add the phone calls and the receipts.
Poke is the AI assistant that lives in iMessage, SMS, and WhatsApp. It launched publicly in March 2026, became the first AI agent approved for Apple Messages for Business, and was acquired by Cognition (maker of the Devin coding agent) on July 23, 2026. Cognition says Poke keeps running. If the acquisition has you looking around, Butler covers the same daily jobs, adds real business phone calls, and shows you every draft before it sends.
Updated September 3, 2026 · Product capabilities can change; competitor facts below are linked to current official sources where available.
Poke optimizes for reach inside your messages. Butler optimizes for finished tasks you can verify.
Poke's strength is that there is no app to open: it texts you first and you reply. Its limits, per its own positioning and user write-ups, are that it works inside your own contacts and does not make phone calls to businesses. Butler is an iOS and web app that calls businesses, creates calendar events on the calendar you name, sends approved email, and turns a forwarded school email into calendar entries.
Poke vs Butler
| What to compare | Poke | Butler |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Acquired by Cognition (July 23, 2026); product continues | Independent, free to start on web and iOS |
| Interface | iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram; no app | iOS app, web, voice; forward email to butler@trybutler.xyz |
| Business phone calls | Not a core capability | Calls businesses and returns the outcome with transcript or recording |
| Calendar | Connected Google or Outlook calendar | Reads availability, creates timed, all-day, and multi-day events on the calendar you name |
| Drafts and sends within your contacts | Drafts and sends after you approve the full draft; can email businesses | |
| Approvals | Check current product controls | Approval required before any send, guest invite, or payment |
| Pricing | Free, $19, and $199 tiers (verify on poke.com) | Free to start, credits per task |
Why people search for Poke alternatives
The July 2026 acquisition is the obvious trigger: buyers want to know who a product is for now and what happens to their data. The second reason is capability. Poke is superb for quick texting, and it does not pick up the phone to call your pediatrician or the restaurant.
Where Butler is most differentiated
Real-world errands. Butler calls businesses, books, confirms, and reports back. It also treats a forwarded email as a task: forward the camp confirmation and the dates appear on your family calendar with the links in the notes.
Where Poke may fit better
If you want an assistant you never open an app for, Poke's native Apple Messages presence is the best in the category and Butler does not have it today. Poke also has a large connected-app catalog for light automations.
Competitor sources
We use competitors' own current product pages and documentation for factual capability claims.
Try the same real task in Butler.
Pick one task you have been postponing: call a business, research a decision, schedule something, or prepare a follow-up. The useful metric is how much work is left for you after the assistant stops.
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FAQ
Was Poke acquired?
Yes. Cognition, the company behind the Devin coding agent, announced the acquisition of The Interaction Company, Poke's maker, on July 23, 2026. Cognition said users can continue using Poke as before.
What is a good Poke alternative?
Butler, if you want the same everyday delegation plus business phone calls, approved email, named-calendar events, and forwarded-email handling, available today with no invite.
Does Butler text me like Poke does?
Not yet. Butler works in its iOS app, on the web, and by email (forward anything to butler@trybutler.xyz). Texting is on the roadmap.
Does Butler make phone calls?
Yes. Butler can call businesses and return the result with a transcript or recording when available.