When comparing MyStories pricing and features, the $99 annual price can look compelling at first glance. But cost alone doesn’t tell the full story. MyStories is a recently launched product from MyHeritage, and while it offers email prompts and audio recording, it lacks some accessibility features that matter for families with less tech-comfortable storytellers. Before committing a year of family memories, it’s worth understanding how MyStories compares to longer-serving companies that focus on ease of participation, voice authenticity, and long-term reliability.

TLDR:

• MyStories is a new memory service from MyHeritage that lacks phone recording options
• Storyworth offers phone call recording, letting storytellers share memories via conversation
• With 50,000 5-star reviews and 12+ years in operation, Storyworth has proven reliability vs newer services
• Storyworth allows family to follow along, reading stories and responding as they're written
• Storyworth includes 300 pages and unlimited photos per story in the $99 annual price
• Storyworth preserves authentic voices through verbatim transcription

What Is MyStories and How Does It Work?

MyStories is a memory preservation service from MyHeritage that sends weekly question prompts via email for $99 per year. Storytellers respond to questions about their lives by replying to the email, and those stories are compiled into a hardcover book at the end of the year.

Each week, an email arrives with a prompt covering topics like childhood, family traditions, or life lessons. Storytellers reply to the email with their answer and can attach photos.

MyStories recently added audio recording and transcription features. Storytellers can record answers by voice instead of typing, and the service transcribes the audio into text using AI.

Completed books can be downloaded as PDFs and saved directly to a family tree on MyHeritage. The service launched in early 2025 and is backed by MyHeritage, a genealogy company.

Why Consider MyStories Alternatives?

MyStories works well for tech-savvy families. The email-based prompts and voice recording make it accessible for most users, although these story-capturing methods all require an internet-enabled device.

The service launched in early 2025, making it very new without a proven track record. With only 22 customer reviews on Trustpilot, it lacks the extensive validation from years of serving customers. This matters when you're entrusting a year of family memories to a service.

MyStories does not offer phone call recording. Storytellers must either reply to the email prompts or record audio themselves, which is then transcribed by AI. There's no option to request a call from the service to capture stories over the phone, which can be easier for older family members who prefer conversation over typing or using recording tools.

MyStories also does not offer any way for families to engage with the process as the storyteller is writing, removing an important opportunity for connection. Many families want to be able to read stories as they are written and have an easy way to respond with encouragement.

After your year membership has ended, you will no longer have access to edit your stories. You would need to pay for another year's membership in order to make changes or add stories and often people need more than 12 months.

Best MyStories Alternative in December 2025: Storyworth

A side-by-side comparison helps clarify which service matches your family's needs. The table below compares MyStories with leading alternatives across key features.

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What These Differences Mean

The pricing similarity across services means your decision comes down to features and reliability.

Storyworth includes 100 more pages than Remento in the base price, which is particularly beneficial when life stories run long or if you'd like to fill your book with pictures. Storyworth's phone recording feature allows storytellers to request calls from Storyworth at a time most convenient to them, instead of using recording interfaces themselves. This works for landlines, meaning storytellers who don't have access to an internet-enabled device can participate.

The email response option removes technical barriers. While most alternatives require app or website logins, both MyStories and Storyworth allow storytellers to simply reply to emails, which works better for less tech-savvy family members.

Why Storyworth Is the Best MyStories Alternative

Phone call recording sets Storyworth apart for families with storytellers who prefer conversation. When you request a call, Storyworth calls the storyteller at their chosen time and records the conversation, then transcribes it automatically. This works even with landlines, removing all tech barriers.

MyStories requires storytellers to use their website interface to record their own audio. Remento focuses on video and audio through apps or browsers, which requires more technical comfort.

Storyworth also allows families to get involved by receiving stories as they're shared and responding.

Both MyStories and Remento also rely on AI to help transcribe audio and video submissions, which can alter the natural cadence of the storyteller. Storyworth's audio transcribing does not rely on AI, meaning we capture a storyteller's stories through natural conversation.

With 12 years in operation and 50,000+ verified reviews, Storyworth remains sustainable, trusted, and secure. When preserving irreplaceable family memories, selecting a service with a proven track record of longevity reduces risk.

Final thoughts on memory preservation services

MyStories reviews are still limited because the service is relatively new. This matters when you're trusting a company with a year of experience with your family memories. Storyworth has helped preserve 35 million stories since 2013. Our various storytelling collection methods are ideal for storytellers who prefer not to use apps or recording interfaces, or who don't have access to an internet-enabled device. Your family's stories deserve a service that's been tested and refined over more than a decade.

FAQs

How does MyStories compare to other memory preservation services?

MyStories launched in early 2025 with email-based prompts and audio recording features, but lacks phone call recording, family sharing options and has limited customer reviews. Services like Storyworth offer 12+ years of proven reliability with 50,000+ reviews, phone recording for easier storytelling, and 300 included pages versus MyStories' unspecified page count.

Can my storyteller record stories over the phone instead of typing?

Storyworth allows storytellers to request a phone call to record their stories through natural conversation, even on landlines. MyStories and most alternatives require self-recording through apps, websites, or internet-enabled devices, which can be challenging for less tech-comfortable family members.

What happens if a memory preservation service shuts down?

Choosing a service with a proven track record matters when preserving irreplaceable family memories. Storyworth has operated for 12+ years and published over 1 million books, while newer services like MyStories (launched in 2025) lack this longevity and customer validation.

How many photos can I include in a memory book?

Photo limits vary across services. Storyworth allows unlimited photos throughout each story with no extra charge for color printing, while some alternatives restrict you to one photo per story or charge additional fees for color pages.

What's the difference between AI transcription and verbatim transcription?

Some services use AI to polish or rewrite stories, which can change your storyteller's authentic voice. Storyworth transcribes voice recordings verbatim, giving you full editing control, and means the final stories sound like the person who shared them, versus machine-written text.

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