Rick Boers vs Poke
Explore what we can build. Examples describe possible workflows; integrations, hosting, and scope are agreed for your project.
Poke is a proactive personal AI assistant from The Interaction Company of California, a roughly 10-person Palo Alto startup, that you use entirely by texting. It launched publicly in March 2026 and in June 2026 became the first AI agent Apple approved on its Messages for Business platform; it also works over Telegram and SMS/RCS, with WhatsApp limited to Brazil and Italy. It connects to 20+ apps (Gmail, Google Calendar, Notion, Linear, GitHub, Strava, Philips Hue, and more), keeps layered memory across conversations, and texts you first with briefings, alerts, and the results of background automations.
Rick Boers is an independent AI product builder. I design and build custom agents, document workflows, internal tools, and complete web and mobile applications, with one person owning the work from brief to delivery.
At a glance
| Comparison dimension | Rick Boers | Poke |
|---|---|---|
| Always-on computer | Hosting and runtime architecture are chosen for your project; dedicated VMs are one option. | No — Poke is a hosted assistant service; automations run on Interaction's shared infrastructure through API/MCP integrations, with no per-user VM, browser, or file system. |
| Tool integrations | I build integrations around the tools your workflow needs. Access, permissions, API availability, and any service subscriptions are checked and scoped before implementation. | 20+ app integrations (Gmail, Google Calendar, Outlook, Notion, Linear, GitHub, Vercel, Asana, Todoist, Oura, Strava, Fitbit, Philips Hue, Sonos, and more) plus custom MCP servers and webhooks, set up via one-tap shareable "recipes". |
| Messaging channels | Messaging or web interfaces are implemented where supported and included in the agreed scope. | Apple Messages/iMessage (first Apple-approved AI agent on Messages for Business), Telegram, and SMS/RCS; WhatsApp available only in Brazil and Italy. Texts you proactively; no app needed. |
| Persistent memory | Storage and memory can be designed for the workflow, with retention and access controls agreed first. | Layered memory: recent conversations at full fidelity with older context compressed, per-task agent logs, and your email inbox used as ambient external memory. No user-visible files or disk. |
| Background automations | Scheduled and background jobs can be included with monitoring, limits, and human review where needed. | Yes — scheduled triggers checked every minute plus "real-time background automations" on Pro and above; prebuilt recipes cover digests, email filtering, reminders, and daily briefings. |
| Pricing | The first 20-minute fit call is free. Paid work is scoped individually. We agree the deliverables, price, and payment milestones before work begins; hosting and model costs depend on the system we build. | Check the provider’s current pricing and plan limits. |
Where Poke shines
- Best-in-class texting-native experience: the first and only AI agent Apple has approved on Messages for Business (June 2026), so it appears as a verified account in iMessage with no app to install.
- Genuinely proactive: layered memory plus integrations let it text you first with daily planning, email alerts, and reminders — one week-long Product Hunt review called it the most promising AI assistant the reviewer had tested since ChatGPT's consumer launch.
- One-tap "recipes" make automations approachable for normal users, while power users can wire in custom MCP servers and webhooks.
- Multi-model backend not locked to a single AI vendor, with frontier models available on paid tiers.
- Strong consumer coverage (health via Oura/Strava/Withings/Fitbit, smart home via Philips Hue/Sonos, email, calendar) and real traction: 100 million messages relayed and a $300M valuation backed by Spark Capital and General Catalyst.
Where it falls short
- No dedicated computer or browser per user: Poke works through API and MCP integrations on Interaction's hosted infrastructure, so it can't log into arbitrary websites or operate software the way an agent with its own machine can.
- Still early-stage polish: a week-long Product Hunt review praised its proactivity but flagged occasional bugs, lag in some third-party integrations, an onboarding "bouncer" persona that may alienate some users, and pricing that felt inconsistent.
- Advanced custom automations required technical tinkering in reviews (Cloudflare Workers, iOS Shortcuts, webhooks), limiting depth for non-technical users.
- Presented as one assistant, not a staff: although it spawns internal execution agents for parallel tasks, you can't hire or configure multiple distinct specialized agents, and no Slack or team-channel presence appears in its published channel lineup.
- Channel and model gating: WhatsApp is restricted to Brazil and Italy after Meta barred general-purpose chatbots, and frontier models are reserved for the $19 and $199 tiers.
Choose Poke if…
- You want an assistant that lives natively in iMessage with Apple's formal approval — a verified presence in Messages for Business, no app or dashboard required.
- Your use cases are personal-life logistics: calendar management, email triage, daily briefings, health and fitness tracking, and smart home control.
- You want the lowest-friction start — a free tier with no card, one-tap recipes, and a texting interface non-technical family members can use.
- You value a single polished assistant personality over configuring and managing multiple agents.
Choose Rick Boers if…
- You need a custom workflow or product built around your team.
- You want one builder to own design, implementation, and delivery.
- Your project needs integrations or behavior beyond a packaged tool.
- You need a custom workflow or product built around your team.
Common questions
Is Poke better than Rick Boers?
This comparison is between using a packaged tool and commissioning a custom system. Provider features change; check current documentation. For a custom build, we agree the specific workflow, infrastructure, integrations, and operating responsibilities.
How much does Poke cost?
The first 20-minute fit call is free. Paid work is scoped individually. We agree the deliverables, price, and payment milestones before work begins; hosting and model costs depend on the system we build.
Does Poke work on iMessage and WhatsApp?
Yes on iMessage — in June 2026 Poke became the first AI agent Apple approved on its Messages for Business platform, appearing as a verified account in the Messages app, and it also works over Telegram and SMS/RCS. WhatsApp support is currently limited to Brazil and Italy because of Meta's restrictions on general-purpose chatbots.