Should the app send a weekly digest, or let people come back on their own?

I've been thinking about adding a weekly digest email. A short summary of what changed, what's new, what's worth looking at.

The case for it is habit. A weekly email is a rhythm, and rhythm is retention. People forget products exist, and a gentle reminder is often the difference between someone staying and someone quietly drifting away. Some of my favorite products earn their place in my week through an email I actually look forward to.

The case against is that most digests are just noise dressed up as value. They're sent because the company wants engagement, not because the user needs anything. And every one that gets ignored trains the reader to ignore the next one, until the whole list goes cold.

The honest question is whether I'd send it if it didn't help my metrics. And the answer is probably no — which might mean I shouldn't send it at all.

Do you send a digest? Do people actually open it, or is it just something you feel obligated to keep sending?