Best app to record family stories

Last updated October 2026

Every family has a storyteller. Someone who remembers the name of the village, the year the shop burned down, the reason your grandmother refused to eat pears. These stories survive as long as someone keeps telling them, and then, quite suddenly, they don't. Recording them is one of those tasks that feels like it can wait until it can't.

The good news is that several apps now make the process straightforward, even for relatives who have never touched a smartphone. Some send weekly prompts and bind the results into a hardcover book. Others place a phone call and ask the questions for you. A few simply give you a quiet place to record and keep what you capture. The right choice depends on who is telling the story, how comfortable they are with technology, and what you want to exist when the project is finished.

This guide covers six options, from dedicated family story platforms to tools that happen to be very good at the job.

StoryWorth

How it works

StoryWorth takes a patient, structured approach. You sign up on behalf of a storyteller (a parent, grandparent, aunt, or anyone whose memories you want to preserve), and each week the service emails them a question. The questions are drawn from a large library and can be customised or replaced entirely. The storyteller replies in writing, either by email or through the StoryWorth website, and their response is saved as a chapter.

At the end of the year, all responses are compiled into a hardcover book that arrives in the post. The process is gentle and unhurried, which suits people who prefer writing to speaking and who might feel self-conscious in front of a microphone.

Story Calls for voice responses. StoryWorth now offers Story Calls, which let the storyteller answer by phone instead of typing. The call is transcribed and added to the book alongside written entries. This is a welcome addition for relatives who find typing difficult, though the core experience remains text-first.

Pricing and plans. The Basic plan costs $59 per year and includes a black-and-white book. The Colour plan is $99 per year. The Unlimited plan, at $199 per year, covers two books and lets you add unlimited storytellers to a single subscription. There is no free tier.

Who it suits

StoryWorth is at its best when the storyteller is literate, has email access, and enjoys the rhythm of a weekly writing prompt. The printed book is a lovely keepsake (and a reliable gift for siblings who didn't organise the project themselves). If your priority is a physical artifact with polished text, this is the most established option.

Remento

How it works

Remento centres the voice. Each week, the storyteller receives a prompt through the app and records their answer aloud. The recording is transcribed, lightly edited into a written chapter, and paired with the original audio. At the end of the subscription period, Remento produces a hardcover book. The pages include QR codes that, when scanned, play the original voice recording, so the book becomes something between a memoir and an audiobook.

The Shark Tank factor. Remento appeared on Shark Tank, which brought it wider attention. The product has matured since that appearance, and the combination of voice recording with a printed book remains distinctive.

Pricing. Remento costs $99 per year, which includes one hardcover book. Additional books can be ordered separately.

Who it suits

Remento is the strongest choice when preserving the sound of someone's voice matters as much as the words they say. The QR-code-to-audio feature in the printed book is thoughtful: it means a grandchild can hear the story told in the storyteller's own cadence, years from now. The app does require a smartphone, so it works best when the storyteller (or someone nearby) is comfortable with that.

Storii

How it works

Storii solves the technology problem by removing the app from the storyteller's side entirely. You set up an account and choose questions. Storii then calls the storyteller's phone, including landlines, and plays the question aloud. The storyteller answers, and the recording is saved to your account. No smartphone, no app download, no login. Just a phone call.

The recordings can be downloaded as an audiobook-style collection. Storii also offers transcription and the option to create a printed book, though the book is an add-on rather than the centrepiece.

Pricing. Storii costs $9.99 per month or $99 per year.

Who it suits

If your storyteller is in their eighties or nineties, lives alone, and uses a corded telephone, Storii may be the only option that works without requiring someone else to be in the room. The automated phone call is a small, clever piece of design that respects the reality of how many elderly people interact with technology. The trade-off is that the recordings are one-sided (there is no interviewer present), and the audio quality depends on the phone line.

StoryCorps

How it works

StoryCorps is a nonprofit oral history project that has been running since 2003. Its app provides a curated library of interview questions and lets two people record a conversation together, either in person or remotely. Each session can run up to 45 minutes. The recordings can be kept privately or submitted to the StoryCorps archive at the Library of Congress, where they become part of the permanent national collection.

No weekly cadence. Unlike StoryWorth or Remento, StoryCorps is not a subscription that unfolds over months. It is designed for one or a few deep, structured conversations. You choose the questions, press record, and sit with the person while they talk. The app handles the recording and offers light editing tools.

Pricing. The StoryCorps app is free.

Who it suits

StoryCorps is ideal when you want to sit down with someone and have a real conversation, not delegate the prompting to an app. The Library of Congress archive option gives the recording a sense of permanence that no private cloud storage can quite match. It works best for families who want a single, meaningful recording session rather than an ongoing weekly project. The limitation is that it requires both people to be present (physically or virtually) and to set aside time together.

Fabric

How it works

Fabric is a personal cloud and context layer, not a dedicated family story app. It does not send weekly prompts or produce a printed book. What it does well is record, transcribe, store, and make findable any voice recording you capture or upload.

Recording and transcription. Fabric's AI Voice Notes let you record directly in the app with automatic transcription. There is no bot, no scheduled call: you open the app, press record, and speak (or let your grandmother speak). The transcript appears alongside the audio. If you already have recordings, cassette tape transfers, old voicemails, or phone videos, Fabric's audio and video transcription will process those too.

Search across everything. Once recordings are transcribed, they become searchable through Fabric's AI search. You can find a specific story by describing what was said, not just by scanning filenames or dates. If your grandfather mentioned a town name once, in passing, during a forty-minute recording three years ago, you can find it.

Storage and safety. All recordings live in Fabric's encrypted personal cloud, accessible across devices. They sit alongside your other files, notes, bookmarks, and documents, which means family recordings are not siloed in a single-purpose app that may or may not exist in five years. Fabric also plants trees for paying subscribers, if that sort of thing matters to you.

Pricing

Fabric offers a free tier. Paid plans cost $8 per month when billed yearly, or $10 per month on a monthly basis.

Who it suits

Fabric is a good fit if you want to record family stories as part of a broader habit of keeping your life organised and searchable. It will not guide you through the process with prompts, and it will not produce a book at the end. What it will do is keep every recording transcribed, encrypted, and findable for as long as you need it. For families who already use Fabric for other purposes, adding voice recordings to the same cloud is effortless. For those who want a more structured experience, one of the dedicated story apps above may serve better, and you can always store the outputs in Fabric afterwards.

Leaf

How it works

Leaf is a lighter-weight option designed for casual, everyday story capture. You can record a conversation in person or over speakerphone, and the app saves and organises the recordings. Leaf includes an "On This Day" reminder feature that surfaces old recordings on their anniversary, which is a small touch that encourages revisiting stories over time.

Recordings can be exported for safekeeping elsewhere. The app is simple and does not try to do too much.

Pricing. Leaf is free for up to 10 recordings. Unlimited recording costs $39.99 per year.

Who it suits

Leaf works well for families who want to capture stories informally, without committing to a year-long subscription or a structured programme. It is particularly suited to in-person gatherings: holiday dinners, afternoon visits, car journeys where someone starts talking about the old days. The free tier is generous enough to try before committing, and the annual price is modest.

Choosing the right approach

The decision often comes down to three questions.

How comfortable is the storyteller with technology? If they have a smartphone and are happy using apps, Remento or StoryWorth will work well. If they only have a landline, Storii is the clear choice. If someone else will handle the recording, Fabric, Leaf, or StoryCorps all work regardless of the storyteller's technical ability.

Do you want a physical book? StoryWorth and Remento both produce hardcover books. Remento's includes QR codes linked to the original audio. If a printed artifact matters, start there.

Do you want ongoing prompts or a single session? StoryWorth, Remento, and Storii all work on a recurring schedule. StoryCorps is built for one deep conversation. Fabric and Leaf let you record whenever the moment arises, with no schedule at all.

There is no wrong answer. The most important thing is to start, because the stories themselves are the point, and they exist on a timeline that does not pause while you comparison-shop.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best app to record elderly relatives telling stories?

It depends on the relative's comfort with technology. For elderly relatives with smartphones, Remento offers guided voice prompts with automatic transcription. For those with only a landline, Storii places an automated phone call, requiring no technology at all on the storyteller's end. If you plan to sit with them in person, StoryCorps provides a structured interview framework, or you can simply record with Fabric's voice notes and let the transcription handle the rest.

Can I record family stories on a landline phone?

Yes. Storii is specifically designed for this. It calls the storyteller's phone (including landlines) and plays a question aloud. The storyteller answers, and the recording is saved to your account. No app or internet connection is needed on the storyteller's side.

Which family story apps produce a printed book?

StoryWorth and Remento both compile stories into hardcover books. StoryWorth's books are text-based, with options for black-and-white or colour printing. Remento's books include QR codes that play the original audio recordings when scanned. Storii also offers book creation as an add-on.

Is Fabric free?

Fabric offers a free tier that lets you try voice recording, transcription, and cloud storage. Paid plans, which include expanded storage and full AI search capabilities, cost $8 per month when billed yearly or $10 per month on a monthly basis. You can read more about Fabric's approach to storing your files securely and its environmental commitments.

How do I preserve old cassette tapes and voicemails of family members?

Digitise the recordings first (many local shops and online services handle cassette-to-digital conversion). Once you have audio files, you can upload them to Fabric, which will automatically transcribe the audio and make the content searchable through AI search. This means you can find a specific story or mention by describing it in your own words, even across hours of recordings.

What is the difference between StoryWorth and Remento?

StoryWorth is primarily text-based: the storyteller receives a weekly email prompt and responds in writing (with the option to answer by phone call). The final product is a printed book of written chapters. Remento is voice-first: the storyteller records answers aloud, and the app transcribes them into written chapters paired with the original audio. Remento's printed book includes QR codes that play the recordings. Choose StoryWorth if the storyteller prefers writing; choose Remento if preserving their voice matters.

Can I use StoryCorps to record a remote interview?

Yes. The StoryCorps app supports remote recording, allowing two people in different locations to have a guided conversation. Sessions can last up to 45 minutes. The recording can be kept private or donated to the Library of Congress archive.

How do I make family recordings searchable?

Most dedicated story apps organise recordings by date or question but do not offer deep search across transcript content. Fabric's AI search is designed for this: once a recording is transcribed, you can search for specific names, places, or topics mentioned anywhere in the audio. This is especially useful when you have dozens of recordings and need to find a particular story. See also our guide to the best voice transcription apps for more on transcription tools.

What is the cheapest way to record family stories?

StoryCorps is entirely free and provides a structured interview framework with archival options. Leaf offers 10 free recordings before requiring a subscription. Fabric has a free tier that includes voice recording with automatic transcription. For a comprehensive, prompted experience, Storii at $9.99 per month is the most affordable subscription option. You might also find our comparison of the best apps for storing family documents helpful if you are organising other family materials alongside recordings.

Should I record family stories as audio or video?

Audio is usually simpler and less intimidating for the storyteller. Many elderly relatives feel self-conscious on camera but speak freely when they know it is just their voice being captured. Audio files are also smaller and easier to store long-term. That said, video captures facial expressions, gestures, and the setting itself, all of which carry meaning. If you do record video, Fabric can transcribe the audio track automatically, giving you a searchable text version alongside the footage. For more on organising all of these materials, see our roundup of note-taking apps that can help structure a larger family history project.