StoryCorps builds an archive. Lived makes a film.

What is StoryCorps?

StoryCorps is a nonprofit that records and preserves the stories of Americans from every background. Founded in 2003 by Dave Isay, StoryCorps has collected over 650,000 interviews, making it one of the largest oral history projects in the world.

StoryCorps is best known for its recording booths — the first was installed in New York's Grand Central Terminal in 2003. They also operate a mobile booth that tours the country, and a free StoryCorps app that lets anyone record a conversation on their phone.

All StoryCorps recordings are audio only. Conversations are archived in the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, creating a permanent public record. Selected stories have aired on NPR and been adapted into animated short films for PBS.

StoryCorps' mission is powerful: that every voice matters, and that listening can change the world.

What is Lived?

Lived is a cinematic video interview platform for families. You sit down with someone you love, Lived guides the conversation with thoughtful questions, your phone captures the video, and we edit it into an 8 to 12 minute documentary film. $79, delivered a few days later.

Lived is designed to be done at home, with no special equipment and no appointments. The questions adapt to what the storyteller says — following interesting threads with follow-up questions and managing the pace like a documentary director.

The result is a privately owned, professionally edited film — not a raw recording. Lived cleans the audio, adds captions and background music, removes dead space, and shapes the conversation into a film that feels like a documentary. Your film lives on a private lifetime viewing page, and you also receive a shareable highlight clip.

Side-by-side comparison

When StoryCorps is the better choice

StoryCorps is an excellent choice for certain goals.

• You want to contribute to a public archive. StoryCorps recordings become part of the Library of Congress, preserving voices for future researchers and listeners. If contributing to a shared cultural record matters, StoryCorps is purpose-built for that.
• Budget is the main concern. The StoryCorps app is free. If you want to record a conversation and do not need video or editing, it is a simple no-cost option.
• You want the full, unedited conversation. StoryCorps preserves everything. No editing, no shortening, no selection. If the complete recording is what matters most, StoryCorps gives you that.
• You value the in-person booth experience. Stepping into a dedicated booth for a conversation is a meaningful ritual. If you live near a booth and can book a time, it is a unique experience.
• You support StoryCorps' mission. Two decades of demonstrating that every voice matters. Their podcast, animated shorts, and community work have brought storytelling to millions.

When Lived is the better choice

Lived fits when any of these resonate.

• You want video, not just audio. Seeing someone's face, their expressions, the way they pause before saying something important — video captures a dimension audio alone cannot. Unlike StoryCorps, Lived records video.
• You want a finished, polished film. Lived does not give you a raw recording. We edit the conversation into an 8 to 12 minute film with clean audio, captions, background music, and documentary-style pacing — something you would want to share with the whole family.
• You want guidance during the conversation. Not everyone knows what to ask or how to keep a conversation flowing. Lived guides with thoughtful questions that adapt to what the storyteller shares.
• You want to do it at home, on your schedule. No appointments, no travel, no booths. A living room, a kitchen table, a garden — anywhere you have a phone.
• Privacy matters to you. Lived films are private by default. You decide who sees them. Nothing is archived publicly.
• You are outside the US. StoryCorps is primarily US-focused. Lived works anywhere.
• You want to give it as a gift. Lived was designed as a gift — something you give, then sit down with them to create together.

A shared belief

The best choice depends on what you want the experience to be, and what you want to have when it is over. A public audio archive and a private family film serve different purposes, and both are worthwhile.

Honest admission

Lived is not free. StoryCorps is. If budget is what decides this, StoryCorps is a clear winner and we say so. But $79 for a professionally edited film you will watch with your family for the rest of your lives is, we believe, worth it.

Frequently asked questions