OpenAssistant vs Poke
Poke is a text-based assistant in iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp, and Telegram. OpenAssistant is an executive assistant for work that involves other people.
OpenAssistant
OpenAssistant
Poke
The Interaction Company (joining Cognition)
Who it is for
Built for
Presence
Where you use it
Its own phone number
Its own email address
Its own computer
Working with people
Contacts people on your behalf
Multi-person threads and hand-offs
Shared tasks, files, and workflows
Getting work done
Recurring and triggered work
Trust and control
Your say before it acts
No training on your data by default
Security and admin
Security certifications
SSO, SCIM, roles, and audit logs
Availability
Availability
Price
| OpenAssistant OpenAssistant | Poke The Interaction Company (joining Cognition) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | ||
| Built for | Professionals and teams whose work runs through colleagues, clients, and vendors | Individuals: a text-based assistant in your messaging apps |
| Presence | ||
| Where you use it | Phone calls, iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp, email, and web | iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp, and Telegram; no separate app |
| Its own phone number | Built in Its own number, for calls and texts | Partial A number you text; no calling or separate identity found |
| Its own email address | Built in Including one on your company domain | Not offered or not found None found |
| Its own computer | Built in Its own secure computer | Not verified Not verified |
| Working with people | ||
| Contacts people on your behalf | Built in Runs the whole exchange; the people it deals with never need an account | Not offered or not found Not found in public documentation |
| Multi-person threads and hand-offs | Built in Many people on one thread, with hand-offs, approvals, and follow-ups | Not verified Group-chat use reported by a secondary source; not verified |
| Shared tasks, files, and workflows | Built in Inside your company and across companies | Not offered or not found Individual accounts; not designed for team use |
| Getting work done | ||
| Recurring and triggered work | Built in Plain-English workflows on demand, on a schedule, or on a trigger | Partial Proactive alerts, reminders, and background automations on Pro |
| Trust and control | ||
| Your say before it acts | Built in Per-action autonomy you set; an admin can lock it team-wide | Not verified Not documented |
| No training on your data by default | Built in Never trains on customer data | Not offered or not found May train on your data unless you choose Maximum Privacy |
| Security and admin | ||
| Security certifications | Built in SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, CCPA; encryption in transit and at rest | Not verified SOC 2 Type II reported by a secondary source; not verified |
| SSO, SCIM, roles, and audit logs | Built in SAML SSO, SCIM, and RBAC on Team plans; audit logs on Enterprise | Not offered or not found None found |
| Availability | ||
| Availability | Private beta; request access | Public with a free tier; acquired by Cognition (announced July 2026), and TechCrunch says nothing changes immediately through the end of the year |
| Price | Paid plans per seat | Free; Pro $19; Ultra $199 per month |
Poke details reflect its public documentation and press coverage as of September 2026, last verified 2026-10-03. This market changes quickly, so re-check before relying on any single row.
Where Poke shines
- Fast setup: you start by texting a number, with no app to install
- Proactive alerts for meetings and flight changes, plus reminders and automations
- 30+ integrations and custom MCP server support
Pick Poke if
- You want a free or low-cost assistant you text from iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp, or Telegram, for personal use.
- You are comfortable that Poke is joining Cognition and that its roadmap beyond this year is not committed.
Where OpenAssistant fits better
- Its own phone number: Its own number, for calls and texts
- Its own email address: Including one on your company domain
- Its own computer: Its own secure computer
- Contacts people on your behalf: Runs the whole exchange; the people it deals with never need an account
Pick OpenAssistant if
- You need an assistant colleagues and clients can reach, with its own email, and shared team work.
- You need documented admin controls and compliance for a company rollout.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between OpenAssistant and Poke?
Poke is a text-based assistant in iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp, and Telegram. OpenAssistant is an executive assistant for work that involves other people.
Does Poke have its own phone number?
A number you text; no calling or separate identity found. OpenAssistant: Its own number, for calls and texts.
Can Poke work with a team?
Individual accounts; not designed for team use. OpenAssistant: Inside your company and across companies.
Does Poke train on my data?
May train on your data unless you choose Maximum Privacy. OpenAssistant: Never trains on customer data.
How much does Poke cost?
Free; Pro $19; Ultra $199 per month. OpenAssistant: Paid plans per seat.
Read more
- More about Poke
- All AI assistants compared
- Best AI personal assistants in 2026
- OpenAssistant Trust Center
Sources
9 products tracked. Machine-readable version: /data/ai-assistants.json.