Carly is an AI-powered scheduling assistant that works over email and SMS. Unlike traditional booking links or calendar tools, Carly reads messy email threads she is cc'd on, understands context, and sends real invites that keep the conversation natural. You can forward Carly an email, send her a text, or send screenshots and images for her to process and add to your calendar. It's built for busy professionals who want a human-like assistant that just works, handling coordination and calendaring so you don't have to. ChatGPT could never be this useful.

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Feature Comparison

Feature	Carly	Workmate
AI-Powered Scheduling	✅	✅
Human-like Assistant	✅	Partial (AI + human hybrid)
SMS Integration	✅	✅
Multiple Calendar Support	✅	✅ (Pro plan and above)
Smart Time Zone Detection	✅	✅
Pricing	$35/month	$45-$95/month per teammate
Natural Language Understanding	✅	✅
Email Thread Awareness	✅	✅
Slack/Teams Integration	❌	✅
Setup Time	2 mins	15-30 mins
Response Time	1 min	Under 10 mins
Available 24/7	✅	✅
Free Plan	✅	✅ (10 tasks/month limit)
Outlook Integration	✅	✅

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Why Carly is the Better Choice

While Workmate offers a robust AI-powered executive assistant service with human backup, Carly provides a more accessible and cost-effective solution for most users. Workmate’s Pro plan starts at $45 per teammate per month, and their Premium tier jumps to $95/month for features like branded email addresses. In contrast, Carly offers comparable AI scheduling capabilities at just $35/month, making it significantly more affordable for individuals and small teams who need reliable calendar automation without the enterprise-level price tag.

The key differentiator is speed and simplicity. Carly boasts a 2-minute setup time and 1-minute response times, while Workmate typically handles requests in under 10 minutes. For busy professionals who need instant scheduling assistance, this difference matters. Additionally, Carly’s pure AI approach means consistent, predictable responses without the variability that can come from a human-AI hybrid model. While Workmate’s human assistants can handle complex edge cases, Carly’s natural language understanding is sophisticated enough to manage the vast majority of scheduling scenarios automatically.

Workmate’s strength lies in its multi-channel approach (email, Slack, Teams, SMS) and dedicated human assistants for premium tiers, which may appeal to executives with complex scheduling needs and larger budgets. However, for most professionals looking for a straightforward, affordable AI scheduling assistant that integrates seamlessly with their email and calendars, Carly delivers the essential features at a fraction of the cost.

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Conclusion

Both Carly and Workmate are capable AI scheduling assistants, but they serve different market segments. Workmate caters to enterprises and executives who want human oversight and are willing to pay premium prices for dedicated assistant support. Carly, on the other hand, is designed for individuals and small teams who want powerful AI scheduling automation at an accessible price point. With faster response times, simpler setup, and significantly lower costs, Carly is the better choice for most users looking to eliminate scheduling back-and-forth without breaking the bank.