StoryKeeper vs Storyworth
StoryKeeper vs Storyworth
an honest comparison
StoryKeeper and Storyworth are two of the most searched life story services in the UK. One is a one-time payment with voice and video; the other is an annual plan built around weekly questions. Here's an honest comparison, with prices in pounds.
Quick summary
What are they?
StoryKeeper
London-based. Pay once, no deadline: write, dictate, or record audio or video, with a QR code per chapter. A5 hardcover and free UK delivery included.
From £79, one-time
Storyworth
The best-known name. Weekly questions by email or text on an annual plan, with a hardcover included. US company with a UK site priced in pounds.
From £49 a year
UK alternative
Tell Me Your Story
Built in the UK. Try 5 questions free, then pay once from £3.99. Type or speak each answer, with a QR code beside every recorded story. Print only if you want to.
5 questions free · from £3.99
Feature comparison
StoryKeeper vs Storyworth vs Tell Me Your Story
Details checked September 2026 from StoryKeeper UK and Storyworth's UK FAQ. Prices and features change — check their sites before you buy.
About StoryKeeper
StoryKeeper — pay once, speak or write
StoryKeeper is a London-based service that has printed more than 12,000 books. Prompts arrive weekly, or the storyteller can pick any question whenever they like. They can write, dictate, or record audio or video online, and each chapter in the printed book can carry a QR code that plays the original recording.
It is a one-time payment with no deadline. StoryKeeper Classic (£79) includes one A5 hardcover and one storyteller. StoryKeeper Plus (£99) adds a second hardcover, unlimited contributors, a phone-call recording service and photo colourisation. Delivery is free, books can run to 500 pages, and there is a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Writing support is available, but StoryKeeper says nothing changes without the storyteller approving it. It is a strong, well-reviewed option for UK families who want a hardcover included in the price.
About Storyworth
Storyworth — the best-known name in the space
Storyworth sends a question each week by email or text, and the answers build into a hardcover book included in the plan. The routine is gentle and has worked for a huge number of families.
It is an annual plan, sold to UK customers in pounds from £49 a year. The entry plan is written answers with a black-and-white book; upgraded plans add phone recording and colour. The book has one QR code on the last page linking to the stories and recordings online.
Books are printed in the US and Europe, with shipping outside the US charged at checkout and possible import fees. You can keep editing and order books after the plan year ends.
Where Tell Me Your Story fits
Tell Me Your Story — the low-cost way to start
Tell Me Your Story is built in Southampton. The main difference from both is how you start: answer 5 questions free, with no card, before paying anything. After that you pay once — from £3.99 for a digital keepsake — and only pay for printing if and when you want a book.
Storytellers type or speak each answer. Every voice-recorded story gets its own QR code beside it in the printed book, so family can scan it and hear that exact story in their voice.
A printed softcover starts at £21.99 including UK delivery. If a hardcover included in one price matters most, StoryKeeper or Storyworth may suit you better; if you want to try first and keep costs low, we're the cheaper place to begin.
Our verdict
Which should you choose?
StoryKeeper
From £79, one-time
Best if:
- ✓You want a hardcover and free delivery included in one price
- ✓The storyteller wants to record video, or tell stories by phone (Plus)
- ✓You want several relatives contributing to one book (Plus)
Consider others if:
- →You'd like to try it free before paying anything
- →You only want a digital keepsake, or a lower-cost softcover
Storyworth
From £49 a year
Best if:
- ✓You want a weekly question by email or text
- ✓The storyteller prefers email or the phone to a website
- ✓Brand recognition matters to you
Consider others if:
- →You'd rather pay once than yearly
- →You want voice recording without upgrading
- →You want a QR code with each story, not one at the back
Tell Me Your Story
5 questions free · from £3.99
Best if:
- ✓You want to try it free before paying
- ✓You want the lowest-cost start, and to print only if you want to
- ✓You want a QR code beside every recorded story
Consider others if:
- →You want a hardcover included in the price
- →The storyteller would rather record by phone call or video
FAQ
Common questions
What is the difference between StoryKeeper and Storyworth?
StoryKeeper is a one-time payment (from £79) with no deadline, where the storyteller can write, dictate, or record audio or video, and each chapter can have a QR code for the recording. Storyworth is an annual plan (from £49 a year) built around weekly questions, with written answers on the entry plan and phone recording on upgraded plans. Both include a hardcover.
Which is better — StoryKeeper or Storyworth?
It depends on the storyteller. StoryKeeper suits families who want to pay once, record voice or video, and take as long as they like. Storyworth suits families who want a steady weekly email routine and a well-known brand. If you want to try before paying anything, Tell Me Your Story lets you answer 5 questions free.
Is StoryKeeper a UK company?
Yes. StoryKeeper is based in London and has a UK store priced in pounds, with free UK delivery.
Do StoryKeeper or Storyworth offer voice recording?
Yes, both do. StoryKeeper lets storytellers record audio or video online on either plan, with phone-call recording on StoryKeeper Plus. Storyworth offers phone recording on its upgraded plans. Tell Me Your Story includes voice recording on every plan, including the free questions.
Is there a cheaper alternative to StoryKeeper and Storyworth?
Tell Me Your Story is free to start and one-time plans begin at £3.99. A printed softcover starts at £21.99 including UK delivery, so the total for one book is usually lower — though StoryKeeper and Storyworth include a hardcover in their price.
Try Tell Me Your Story free
Answer 5 questions free, no card needed. See how it compares for yourself.
Start free →5 questions free · One-time payment · Printed book from £21.99 including UK delivery