Memorygram Alternatives: 5 Options for Family Stories in 2025
Memorygram built something clever: an automated phone call that rings your loved one, asks a question, and records their answer. No apps needed. Works on landlines. The recordings become a printed hardcover book with QR codes linking back to the audio. For elderly family members who struggle with technology, it removes real barriers.
But Memorygram is not right for everyone. Maybe you want to see faces, not just hear voices. Maybe you want a searchable archive that grows over time, not just a finished book. Maybe you need a professional interviewer to draw out deeper stories. Or maybe the price point feels steep for what you get.
Here is an honest look at what works, what does not, and which option fits your family best.
Article Snapshot
- Memorygram works well for elderly loved ones who only use landline phones
- Video captures expressions and gestures that audio misses
- Telloom offers searchable video archives with professional interview options
- Storyworth creates printed books from written or dictated answers at lower cost
- Phone interview services like No Story Lost produce polished books with zero tech required
- The right choice depends on whether you want video, audio, or text
Why People Look for Memorygram Alternatives
Memorygram solves a real problem: elderly family members who cannot use smartphones or computers. But that solution comes with trade-offs.
Audio only. No video. You hear their voice but never see their face. No smile when they recall their wedding day. No gestures when they describe their childhood home. Future grandchildren will hear the stories but will not see the person telling them.
Higher price point. Memorygram starts at $178 per year for the Basic plan and $287 for Premium Plus. Competitors like Storyworth and Remento charge $99 per year. Additional storytellers cost $50 each, and extra book copies run $79.
Automated AI caller. Memorygram calls your loved one with a computerized voice that reads questions. There is no human connection, no follow-up questions, no "tell me more about that." Some elderly family members find this cold or confusing.
No searchable family hub. Stories get stored, but you cannot search across them. You cannot type "apple pie recipe" and find that moment. And you cannot easily compare stories from different family members side by side.
QR code dependency. The printed book links to audio via QR codes hosted on Memorygram servers. If Memorygram ever shuts down, those codes become dead links.
No professional interview option. The automated system is all you get. There is no way to book a trained interviewer who knows how to draw out deeper stories.
Quick Comparison: What Each Service Offers
| Service | Capture | Video | Printed Book | Family Hub | Pro Option | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memorygram | Phone Audio | No | Yes | No | No | $$$ |
| Telloom | Video | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | $-$$$ |
| Storyworth | Text/Voice | No | Yes | No | No | $$ |
| Remento | Video | Yes | Yes | No | No | $$ |
| No Story Lost | Phone Audio | No | Yes | No | Yes | $$$ |
| Heirloom Docs | Video | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | $$$ |
Telloom: Searchable Video Archive with Professional Options
Telloom captures what audio cannot: faces, expressions, and gestures. And unlike Memorygram, it offers professional interview services for families who need more than DIY.
What Makes Telloom Different
Studio-quality video. Professional cameras, lights, and audio capture every detail. The recordings look like documentaries, not phone clips. This quality holds up for decades.
Professional interview services. Do not want DIY? Book a trained interviewer who knows how to draw out stories. Remote or in-person options. Your loved one just talks. We handle the rest.
Searchable Family Hub. Every video gets transcribed word for word. Type any keyword and find the exact moment. Search for "first job" and hear three family members share their memories. Filter by person, topic, or theme.
Follow multiple family members. Your grandfather's stories live next to your mother's. Compare their memories of the same events. Build a cross-family archive of history and wisdom.
Full transcripts with AI summaries. Every video gets transcribed and summarized. Skim hours of content in minutes. Find any story fast.
Everything is downloadable. Videos, transcripts, and summaries can all be downloaded. You own your content. No QR codes linking to external servers. No platform dependency.
Objects feature. Document the stories behind family heirlooms. That ring, that quilt, that pocket knife. Add photos, record a video story, note who should inherit each piece.
600+ professional prompts. Our library covers 50 categories across 8 life themes. Questions designed to draw out the stories that matter most.
How Telloom Works
- Choose your approach. DIY recording ($10/month) or professional interview services.
- Record stories. In person or remote, with studio-quality gear.
- Access your hub. Videos, transcripts, summaries, and objects live in your private archive.
- Grow over time. Add more recordings. Invite more family. Search across everything.
Telloom Pricing
DIY platform: $10/month for self-recording with full hub access.
Remote interview packages: Starting at a few hundred dollars.
Full-service in-person: Custom pricing based on scope.
Best For
Families who want video, not just audio. Those who need professional interview help. Anyone building a searchable archive that grows over time.
Storyworth: Printed Books at Lower Cost
Storyworth takes a simpler approach than Memorygram. One email per week. Written answers. After a year, everything becomes a printed hardcover book. And it costs less.
What Storyworth Does Well
Simple weekly format. One email, one question, no overwhelm. Easy for people who like routine.
Phone dictation option. Storytellers can now call and dictate answers. Audio becomes text. Good for people who hate typing.
Printed book included. After a year, answers get bound into a hardcover keepsake. Something you can hold and display.
Lower price point. At $99 per year, Storyworth costs significantly less than Memorygram's $178-287 plans.
12 years of trust. Founded in 2013. Over 35 million stories shared. They are established.
Where Storyworth Falls Short
No video at all. Even with phone dictation, the output is text. You do not see faces or hear voices in the final book.
No QR-linked audio. Unlike Memorygram, Storyworth does not include voice recordings with the printed book.
No ongoing platform. You get a book and PDF. No searchable hub. No way to add more over time.
Relies on follow-through. If your loved one does not respond to weekly emails, the book stays thin.
Pricing
$99 per year. Includes one hardcover book.
Best For
Writers who enjoy typing or dictating. Budget-conscious families. Those who want a printed book without the higher Memorygram price.
Memorygram: What You Get and Where It Falls Short
Memorygram built its service around one insight: many elderly people struggle with technology but can still answer a phone call. That focus is both its strength and its limit.
How Memorygram Works
You schedule weekly phone calls. Memorygram's automated system calls your loved one at the scheduled time. A computerized voice asks one question from their library. Your loved one speaks their answer for up to ten minutes. The recording gets transcribed and stored. After collecting enough stories, you order a printed hardcover book with QR codes linking to the audio.
What Memorygram Does Well
Landline compatible. No smartphone or internet needed. Just a regular phone. Good for elderly loved ones who do not use technology.
Zero tech barrier for the storyteller. Answer the phone. Talk. Hang up. That is it.
Automatic transcription. Every recording becomes text. Their software removes filler words while preserving the storyteller's voice.
QR-linked audio in the book. Scan the code in the printed book to hear the original recording. Nice touch for preserving voices.
Multi-storyteller option. Couples, families, or groups can contribute to the same book.
Large book format. The 8.5 by 11 inch hardcover looks substantial on a coffee table.
BBB accredited. A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. Operated from Austin, Texas.
Where Memorygram Falls Short
Audio only. You hear the voice but never see the face. Future family misses the visual connection.
Higher price. Starting at $178 per year, Memorygram costs almost twice what Storyworth or Remento charge. Additional storytellers cost $50 each.
Automated caller only. A computerized voice asks questions, not a real person. No follow-up questions or natural conversation.
No searchable hub. Stories are stored but not searchable across transcripts.
QR code risk. Codes link to Memorygram servers. If the company shuts down, those codes stop working.
Some technical issues reported. Customer reviews mention occasional website crashes and login problems.
Pricing
Basic Plan: $178/year (includes one book with free shipping)
Premium Plus: $287/year
Additional storyteller: $50
Extra book copies: $79 each
FamilyDial phone service: $9.99/month after 7-day trial
Best For
Families with elderly loved ones who only use landline phones. Those who value QR-linked audio in a printed book. People comfortable with an automated phone system.
Remento: Video Plus Printed Book
Remento combines video recording with printed books. Unlike Memorygram's audio-only approach, Remento captures faces and expressions.
What Remento Does Well
Video and text together. Record on your phone. Get a book with QR codes linking to videos.
Speech-to-Story AI. Recordings become readable narratives. Choose first person, third person, or raw transcript.
Printed book included. Hardcover keepsake with your stories and photos.
Lower price point. At $99 per year, Remento costs less than Memorygram.
Where Remento Falls Short
Requires smartphone. Unlike Memorygram, Remento needs a phone with a camera. Not suitable for landline-only users.
DIY only. No professional guidance. You manage everything yourself.
QR code dependency. Book links to Remento servers. Same risk as Memorygram if they shut down.
No searchable hub. Stories stored but not searchable by keyword.
Pricing
$99 for one year with one color book. Extra books $69 each.
Best For
Tech-savvy families who want video plus a printed keepsake. Those comfortable recording themselves on smartphones. Budget-conscious families who still want video.
No Story Lost: Professional Phone Interviews with Printed Books
No Story Lost offers what Memorygram lacks: real human interviewers. Like Memorygram, it works over the phone. Unlike Memorygram, a trained person guides the conversation.
What No Story Lost Does Well
Professional interviewers. Real humans who know how to draw out stories. They ask follow-up questions and guide natural conversation.
Landline compatible. Like Memorygram, works on regular phones. No internet needed.
Printed book included. Stories become a coffee-table hardcover with photos.
Zero effort for families. Buy the package. They handle everything.
Where No Story Lost Falls Short
Voice only. No video. Same limitation as Memorygram. You hear but do not see.
Higher price point. Professional service costs more. Starts at $1,099.
No ongoing platform. You get the book and recordings. No way to add more later.
Pricing
The Chronicle (2 hours): $1,099
The Anthology (4 hours): $1,649
The Odyssey (6 hours): $2,199
Best For
Families who want professional phone interviews with landline-only loved ones. Those who value a printed book over video. People who want done-for-you service.
Heirloom Family Documentaries: Professional Remote Video
Heirloom creates video documentaries through remote interviews. They ship equipment and conduct guided sessions.
What Heirloom Does Well
Remote video with shipped kit. Better quality than phone video without travel.
Professional interviewer. Guided conversations draw out better stories.
Online hosting included. Videos live in their platform with family access.
Where Heirloom Falls Short
Requires someone to set up equipment. Not suitable for elderly living alone without tech help.
Higher price point. Starts at $2,000.
Pricing
Silver (2 hours): $2,000
Gold (3 hours): $3,000
Platinum (4 hours): $4,000
Best For
Families who want professional video but cannot travel. Those with someone nearby to help set up equipment.
Why Telloom Works for Memorygram Users
If you are looking for Memorygram alternatives, here is what sets Telloom apart:
Video captures what audio misses. Memorygram records voices. Telloom records faces, expressions, gestures, and personality. Future generations see the person, not just hear them.
Professional options when DIY is not enough. Memorygram offers only automated calls. Telloom offers professional interviewers who build rapport and ask follow-up questions.
Searchable transcripts. Type "military service" and find every moment any family member mentions it. Memorygram cannot do this.
Follow multiple family members together. Compare stories across generations in one hub. No separate subscriptions or additional storyteller fees.
No platform dependency. Download everything. No QR codes that might stop working if a company shuts down.
Objects feature. Document heirlooms with photos, stories, and inheritance wishes. Something Memorygram does not offer.
Which Option Fits Your Family?
Loved one only has a landline phone? Choose Memorygram or No Story Lost. Both work without internet or smartphones.
Want to see faces, not just hear voices? Choose Telloom, Remento, or Heirloom. All capture video.
Need a printed book? Choose Memorygram, Storyworth, Remento, or No Story Lost. All include physical keepsakes.
Want professional interview help? Choose Telloom, No Story Lost, or Heirloom. All offer trained interviewers.
Want to search across all family stories? Choose Telloom or Heirloom. Both offer searchable platforms.
Budget under $100/year? Choose Storyworth, Remento, or Telloom's DIY plan.
Want QR-linked audio in a book? Choose Memorygram or Remento. Both include scannable codes.
Do Not Wait
Whatever option you choose, the best time to start is now.
Memory fades. Health changes. The stories your loved ones carry will disappear unless someone captures them.
Pick an option from this list. Start small. One conversation. One recording. One story at a time.
Your future family will thank you.
Ready to build a searchable family archive with professional video options? Schedule a free planning call with Telloom to see how we can help preserve the voices, faces, and stories you love, organized and searchable for generations.