Storii Alternatives: 5 Options for Family Stories in 2025
Storii made family storytelling simple for people who hate technology. An automated call rings your loved one's phone. They answer, hear a question, and talk for up to ten minutes. No apps. No internet. Just a phone call.
But Storii isn't right for everyone. Maybe you want to see faces, not just hear voices. Maybe you want a printed book, not just audio files. Maybe you want a real person guiding the conversation, not an automated voice.
Here's an honest look at what works, what doesn't, and which option fits your family best.
Article Snapshot
- Storii 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
- Phone interview services produce polished books with zero tech required
- The right choice depends on whether you want video, audio, or text
Why People Look for Storii Alternatives
Storii solves a real problem: elderly family members who can't 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 won't see the person telling them.
No printed hardcover book. Storii offers PDF downloads and audiobooks. But there's no option for a traditional printed keepsake you can hold, flip through, and display on a shelf.
Automated AI voice. Storii calls your loved one with a robotic voice that reads questions. There's 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 can't search across them. You can't type "apple pie recipe" and find that moment. And you can't easily compare stories from different family members side by side.
One person per subscription. Each family member needs their own $99/year subscription. Recording grandma and grandpa means paying twice.
No professional interview option. The automated system is all you get. There's 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 | Landline OK | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Storii | Phone Audio | No | No | No | No | Yes | $$ |
| Telloom | Video | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | $-$$$ |
| Storyworth® | Text/Voice | No | Yes | No | No | No | $$ |
| Remento | Video | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | $$ |
| No Story Lost | Phone Audio | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | $$$ |
| Heirloom Docs | Video | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | $$$ |
Telloom: Searchable Video Archive with Professional Options
Telloom captures what audio can't: faces, expressions, and gestures. And unlike Storii, 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. Don't 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. Keep local copies forever.
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 from Written Stories
Storyworth® takes a different approach than Storii. Instead of phone calls, it sends weekly email prompts. Answers become a printed hardcover book.
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.
12 years of trust. Founded in 2013. Over 35 million stories shared. Almost 50,000 five-star reviews. They're established.
Where Storyworth® Falls Short
No video at all. Even with phone dictation, the output is text. You don't see faces or hear voices in the final 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 doesn't respond to weekly emails, the book stays thin.
Requires internet access. Unlike Storii, Storyworth® needs email. Not ideal for those with only landline phones.
Pricing
$99 per year. Includes one hardcover book.
Best For
Writers who enjoy typing or dictating. Self-motivated people who'll respond weekly. Families who want a printed book keepsake.
Storii: What You Get and Where It Falls Short
Storii 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 Storii Works
Storii calls your loved one up to three times per week at scheduled times. An automated voice asks a question from their library of 1,000+ prompts. Your loved one has up to 10 minutes to answer. The recording gets transcribed and stored in their online profile.
What Storii Does Well
Landline compatible. No smartphone or internet needed. Just a regular phone. Perfect for elderly loved ones who don't use technology.
Zero tech barrier. Answer the phone. Talk. Hang up. That's it. Even someone in their 90s can do it.
Automatic transcription. Every recording becomes text. Download as PDF or audiobook.
AI biographer feature. Stories get organized by topic with AI-written summaries.
Large prompt library. Over 1,000 questions to choose from, or create your own.
Where Storii Falls Short
Audio only. You hear the voice but never see the face. Future family misses the visual connection.
No printed book. Only PDF and audiobook downloads. No hardcover keepsake to hold.
Automated caller. An AI 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.
One person per subscription. Recording multiple family members means multiple $99/year fees.
Pricing
$9.99/month or $99/year. Gift Box option $119.
Best For
Families with elderly loved ones who only use landline phones. Those who value any recording over no recording. People comfortable with audio-only memories.
Remento: Video Plus Printed Book
Remento combines video recording with printed books. Unlike Storii'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.
Where Remento Falls Short
Requires smartphone. Unlike Storii, 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. If they shut down, codes stop working.
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.
No Story Lost: Professional Phone Interviews with Printed Books
No Story Lost offers what Storii lacks: real human interviewers. Like Storii, it works over the phone. Unlike Storii, 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 Storii, 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 Storii. You hear but don't 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.
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 can't travel. Those with someone nearby to help set up equipment.
Why Telloom Works for Storii Users
If you're looking for Storii alternatives, here's what sets Telloom apart:
Video captures what audio misses. Storii records voices. Telloom records faces, expressions, gestures, and personality. Future generations see the person, not just hear them.
Professional options when DIY isn't enough. Storii 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. Storii can't do this.
Follow multiple family members together. Compare stories across generations in one hub. No separate subscriptions.
Studio quality that lasts. Professional video today still looks professional in 50 years.
Objects feature. Document heirlooms with photos, stories, and inheritance wishes. Something Storii doesn't offer.
Which Option Fits Your Family?
Loved one only has a landline phone? Choose Storii 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 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 Storii, Storyworth®, Remento, or Telloom's DIY plan.
Don't 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.