Best Apps to Record a Grandparent's Stories
The best app for recording a grandparent's stories depends on how they like to share. Some open up when a phone call comes to them. Others tell their best stories on a walk or over dinner, while someone in the family quietly hits record.
Full disclosure: we're the team behind leaf. Every family is different, so we've tried to point you to whatever fits yours best, even when that's another app. Prices are in US dollars and were checked in October 2026.
What to look for
A few questions will narrow things down quickly.
Who will hold the phone? Some services ask your grandparent to record on their own. With others, you or another family member handles the app and they simply talk. If they'd rather skip technology entirely, either approach can work.
Do you want their voice, or a book? Some services turn answers into a printed book. Others keep the original recordings, so you hear the pauses and the way they say your name.
Can you keep the recordings? Check whether you can download the audio, and what happens if you stop paying. Memory services do sometimes close, so having your own copy matters.
What does it cost after year one? Several popular options are annual subscriptions that renew, and extra book copies often cost more.
Who else will listen? If cousins and siblings live far apart, easy sharing makes a big difference.
The best apps to record a grandparent's stories, compared
The short answer: if you want a printed book, look at StoryWorth or Remento. If your grandparent lives far away and doesn't use a smartphone, Storii calls them. If you want their real voice, captured whenever stories come up on a walk or over dinner, leaf lets you or another family member hit record without your grandparent needing an app or an account.
| App | Best for | How it works | Price (USD) | Keeps their voice? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| leaf | Everyday conversations on the go, saved voicemails, sharing with family | A family member records on their own phone while your grandparent talks, then shares by link | Free for 10 recordings; $39.99/year for unlimited | Yes, download anytime |
| StoryWorth | Grandparents who enjoy writing | A weekly question by email, printed book after a year | $59 to $199 for the first year | Phone recording on Color and Unlimited plans, transcribed for the book |
| Remento | A printed book you can also listen to | Spoken answers to weekly prompts, edited into a hardcover | $99/year with one book up to 200 pages | Yes, QR codes in the book play the recordings |
| Storii | Grandparents without a smartphone | Automated phone calls, up to 3 a week | $9.99/month or $99/year | Yes, as a downloadable audiobook |
| StoryCorps | One long, meaningful interview | A free app that guides you through a sit-down conversation | Free | Yes |
| Voice Memos or your phone's recorder | Getting started today | The recorder already on your phone | Free | Yes, but easy to lose |
Prices were checked in October 2026 using each company's website and published reviews. Prices change, so confirm before you buy.
The apps, one by one
leaf
We built leaf for the stories that come up on their own, on a walk or over dinner, when nobody planned an interview. You can start recording wherever you are, the moment a story starts, or upload the voicemail you can't bear to lose. Your grandparent never has to download anything or make an account. You or another family member taps record on a phone, and they just talk. Afterward you share the recording by link, and no one needs the app to listen. On This Day notifications bring those moments back later, so you'll hear a story from last fall again this fall.
The free plan covers 10 recordings. Essentials is $39.99 a year for unlimited recordings and storage, and you can export everything whether you pay or not.
Good fit if: you'll be together in person or on speakerphone, you want to keep their actual voice, or you already have voicemails to save.
Less ideal if: you want a printed book at the end of the year, or you want a service that calls your grandparent on a schedule and collects stories without anyone else involved.
StoryWorth
StoryWorth emails one question a week for a year, then prints the answers as a hardcover book. Plans run $59 to $199 for the first year, and the higher plans add phone recording. Prices have appeared differently on different pages of their site, so check the total at checkout. If you're looking for a StoryWorth alternative because your grandparent would rather talk than type, Remento, Storii, and leaf all keep their spoken words.
Good fit if: your grandparent likes to write and you want a book on the shelf.
Less ideal if: typing is hard for them, or hearing their voice is the main point.
Remento
Remento sends weekly prompts that your grandparent answers out loud. It turns the recordings into written chapters and prints a hardcover with QR codes that play the original audio. It costs $99 a year with one book up to 200 pages. Extra pages, extra copies, and the ebook cost more, and the renewal doesn't include a new book.
Good fit if: you want both a polished book and their real voice.
Less ideal if: you'd rather not commit to a yearly subscription.
Storii
Storii calls your grandparent's phone, even a landline, and asks a question. They press 1 and answer out loud. No app or internet is needed on their end. It's $9.99 a month or $99 a year, and you can download the stories as an audiobook.
Good fit if: your grandparent doesn't use a smartphone or lives far away.
Less ideal if: you'd like the warmth of a real back-and-forth conversation.
StoryCorps
The StoryCorps app is free and walks you through one guided interview, up to 45 minutes at a time. You can choose to archive it with the Library of Congress, or keep it private on your device.
Good fit if: you want one deep, structured conversation and you love the idea of it becoming part of history.
Less ideal if: you want an ongoing collection of everyday stories.
Voice Memos or your phone's recorder
The recorder that came with your phone is free and works well. Keeping track of the files is the hard part.
A lost phone or a cleared storage folder can take years of recordings with it, so back them up somewhere you trust.
Good fit if: you want to start today.
Less ideal if: you'll be recording many stories over many years.
How to choose
Start with how your grandparent likes to talk.
They live far away and want to record on their own: Storii, since the calls come to them.
You or another family member can do the recording: leaf or StoryCorps. Your grandparent doesn't need a phone, an app, or an account. You hit record and they talk, in person or on speaker.
Their best stories come out on walks or over dinner: leaf, since you can record the moment a story starts, no interview required.
They love to write: StoryWorth.
You want a printed book that still plays their voice: Remento.
They've already left voicemails you treasure: save those first, today, then keep them in leaf alongside everything you record later.
You just want to begin: use your phone's recorder this weekend, then move the files somewhere safe.
Whatever you pick, the hardest part is the first recording. One question is enough to start.
Questions families ask
What's the best free app to record a grandparent's stories? The StoryCorps app is free for guided interviews. The leaf free plan holds 10 recordings and lets you share them with family. Your phone's built-in recorder is free too, as long as you back up the files.
Can I record my grandparent over the phone? Yes. Storii calls them automatically. You can also put a call on speaker and record it with leaf or another recorder on a second device. Ask first, and let them know who'll be listening.
How do I record a grandparent's stories on iPhone or Android? The recorder that came with your phone works on either one. For an easier way to keep and share everything, leaf works on both iPhone and Android, and only the person recording needs it installed.
What happens to the recordings if I stop paying? It depends on the service. Some switch to read-only, some let you download everything, and a few have closed altogether. Before you start, make sure you can export the original audio. On leaf, you can export your recordings anytime, on any plan.
What should I ask? Start small: where they grew up, how they met, what they wish they'd known at your age. Our question prompts have plenty more ideas.
