StoryWorth Alternative: Keep Their Stories in Their Own Voice
By Sri Muniandy · Updated
Related in Legacy: Digital Legacy Planner · Time Left With Your Parents · Save Voicemails Forever
StoryWorth suits you if the goal is a printed book: a year of weekly prompts, turned into a hardcover your family can hold. If the goal is to keep the person's actual voice, and an ongoing record rather than a finished book, Phi is the alternative.
On this page
StoryWorth vs Phi at a glance
| Feature | StoryWorth | Phi |
|---|---|---|
| Main output | A printed hardcover book (300 pages included, up to 480), plus an e-book and audiobook | Voice recordings in the app, kept with the date you said them |
| Price | From $99 (StoryWorth's site; plans vary) | Free to download, with in-app purchases |
| How stories are added | Written replies, or phone calls transcribed to text | Speak into the iPhone app |
| Prompts | Weekly, by email or text, from 500+ questions | A question a day in the app |
| Length | About a year of weekly prompts | Ongoing |
| Works without a smartphone | Yes (Story Calls work from a landline) | No, it needs an iPhone |
Last checked , from StoryWorth's own pages and Phi's App Store listing.
How StoryWorth works
From StoryWorth's own pages:
- Each week for a year, the storyteller gets one prompt by email or text, from a library of more than 500 questions. You can rewrite questions or add your own.
- They reply in writing, or by phone with a Story Call, which works on any phone, including a landline, and is transcribed word for word.
- At the end, the stories and photos become a 6×9 hardcover book, with an e-book and audiobook included on every plan.
- A QR code in the printed book links to the voice recordings.
How Phi is different
- Voice first. You speak into the app on iPhone, sixty seconds at a time, in your own voice. The recording is the record, not a step on the way to a page.
- Ongoing.There's no end date and no finished product. Each entry is kept with the date you said it, and Phi shows you what you keep coming back to.
- Private. No ads and no data sold. Read how we handle your voice on our trust page.
Which should you choose?
Pick StoryWorth if:
- you want a physical book to give as a gift
- the storyteller prefers writing, or a landline
- you want a fixed, one-year project with an end product
Pick Phi if:
- the voice matters more than the page
- the person is recording themselves, for example soon after a diagnosis (see how to make a life story book for dementia)
- you want something ongoing, not a one-year project
StoryWorth-style questions you can ask for free
Open questions in the same spirit as a weekly prompt. Ask one at a time, and let the answer wander.
Childhood
- What did your street sound like on a summer evening?
- Which grown-up, apart from your parents, did you look up to?
- What was something you were sure was true as a child?
- Tell me about a time you got into trouble.
Work
- How did you end up doing the work you did?
- What's a skill you were quietly proud of?
- Who taught you the most about doing a job well?
Love
- What did you notice first about the person you loved most?
- What was the hardest thing about being a parent, or about deciding not to be one?
- Which friendship surprised you by lasting?
- What's the kindest thing anyone ever did for you?
Lessons
- What took you longest to learn?
- What would you tell yourself at twenty?
- What do you hope people say about you when you're not in the room?
For more, see all 40 questions to ask your parents, or download our free one-page life story questions (PDF).
Using both
They aren't either-or. Some families use StoryWorth for the book and record the voice separately, so the stories are on the shelf and the person telling them can still be heard. If they've left voicemails over the years, those are worth keeping too: here's how to save voicemails forever.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free alternative to StoryWorth?
Yes, if you don't need a printed book: use a free list of questions, like the ones on this page or our printable life story questions, and record the answers with any phone's voice recorder. Keep two copies of every recording.
Does StoryWorth record voice?
Yes. With Story Calls, the storyteller can tell a story over the phone, including from a landline, and StoryWorth transcribes it word for word into the book. Every printed book includes a QR code linking to the voice recordings.
How much does StoryWorth cost?
StoryWorth lists a price of $99. Plans and extras vary (for example, colour printing and extra pages), so check StoryWorth's pricing page for the current price. Last checked 9 November 2026.
What questions does StoryWorth ask?
Each week for a year, StoryWorth sends one prompt about the storyteller's life, by email or text, from a library of more than 500 questions. You can see questions in the same spirit, written by us, in the StoryWorth-style questions section above.
Sources
StoryWorth. Storyworth vs Remento (accurate as of October 23, 2026).StoryWorth. Storyworth Review: Pros, Cons & Pricing (July 2026).Say it out loud instead.
Sixty seconds a day, in your own voice. Phi keeps it and shows you what returns.
Phi is on iPhone. Join the Echo waitlist