StoriedLife vs Tell Mel
The one comparison where both sides use a genuinely conversational AI - so the difference is everything that happens around the conversation.
Choose Tell Mel
The storyteller will only ever pick up a phone, wants no app and no screen at all, and a weekly phone call is exactly the right amount of technology.
Choose StoriedLife
You want the conversation and a finished, designed book with the storyteller's voice on it, rather than chapters that live mainly on a screen.
Feature comparison
| Feature | StoriedLife | Tell Mel |
|---|---|---|
| How stories are captured | A conversational AI biographer that asks natural follow-ups | An AI called Mel phones the storyteller and holds an adaptive conversation |
| Access | Web-based conversation | Phone call, no app required |
| First-year price | $129.95 per year | $39 Starter, $129 Standard or $219 Premium |
| What the price buys | Unlimited conversations | 2, 12 or 24 interview hours in the first year; extra hours $10 each |
| Renewal | $129.95 per year | $39 per year |
| The storyteller's voice | Kept and narrated | Conversations are recorded and written into chapters |
| Printed book | Softcover +$49 or hardcover +$69 | Not listed as part of the plans |
| Digital book | Included from the start | Written chapters |
Honest pros & cons
Tell Mel
- A genuinely conversational AI, not a fixed questionnaire
- No app, no typing, no screen for the storyteller
- A low entry price and a low renewal
- Good for a parent who will only use a phone
- Interview time is metered in hours
- The printed book is not part of the advertised plans
- Phone-only means the storyteller cannot add photos themselves
StoriedLife
- Conversations are not metered by the hour
- A fully designed book, digital from the start
- The voice kept and narrated on the stories
- Print available as a hardcover or softcover
- Requires a screen rather than a phone call
- Yearly price rather than a low renewal
- Print is a paid add-on
Frequently asked questions
Is Tell Mel or StoriedLife better?
Tell Mel is better when the storyteller will only ever use a telephone and wants no screen involved. StoriedLife is better when you want the finished, designed book and the voice kept on every story.
How much does Tell Mel cost?
Tell Mel lists $39, $129 and $219 for the first year, covering 2, 12 and 24 interview hours respectively, renewing at $39 a year with additional hours at $10 each. Confirm current pricing on their site.
Does Tell Mel include a printed book?
Tell Mel's pricing page does not list a printed book as part of its plans. StoriedLife includes a digital book and offers a printed softcover for $49 or hardcover for $69.
A phone call is a wonderful start.
See what happens when the conversation becomes a book you can hold.