Comparison
Two thoughtful ways to capture family stories. Lived creates a cinematic documentary film from a single video conversation. StoryWorth turns a year of written reflections into a printed book. Here is how they compare.
StoryWorth is a text-based family story platform that sends weekly email prompts over 12 months. The recipient writes their responses (text and photos), and at the end of the year, everything is compiled into a printed hardcover book.
Founded in 2013, StoryWorth is the market leader in family story capture with over one million books printed. The platform offers hundreds of thoughtful prompts, and family members can suggest questions too. Voice recording is available, but the recordings themselves are not saved — only the written transcription is kept.
StoryWorth costs $99 per year as a subscription.
Lived is a cinematic video interview platform. You sit down with someone you love, Lived guides the conversation with thoughtful questions, your phone captures the video, and Lived edits it into a professionally produced 8-12 minute documentary film.
The whole experience takes one afternoon — about 45 minutes to an hour of conversation. You do not need any special equipment, just a phone with a camera and a quiet room. Lived handles the questions, the pacing, and the editing. You just need to be there.
Lived costs $79, one time. No subscription.
| Lived | StoryWorth | |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | Professionally edited documentary film (8-12 min) | Printed hardcover book (text + photos) |
| Format | Video | Text |
| How it works | One guided video conversation | Weekly email prompts over 12 months |
| Time commitment | One afternoon (about an hour) | 12 months of weekly writing |
| Price | $79 one-time | $99/year subscription |
| Equipment needed | Phone with camera | Computer or phone for typing |
| Best for | People who love to talk | People who enjoy writing |
| The experience | Together — a real conversation | Solo — they write on their own |
| Privacy | Private unless you share | Private |
StoryWorth is a wonderful option for certain people and situations. It has helped over a million families preserve their stories in writing, and there are good reasons it is so popular.
StoryWorth has earned its reputation. A printed book is a meaningful keepsake, and the year-long format gives people time to reflect deeply on each question.
Lived was built for a different kind of moment — the kind where you sit down together and a real conversation unfolds. Some stories are better heard than read.
There is something irreplaceable about video. A book captures what someone said. A film captures how they said it — the way they lean forward when the story gets exciting, the way their voice softens when they talk about someone they love.
The choice between Lived and StoryWorth often comes down to two questions.
Does your person prefer talking or writing? Many of the people who would share the most extraordinary stories would never sit down and type them out. They are storytellers, not writers. For them, a conversation is the natural format — and Lived was designed for exactly that.
Do you want to be part of the experience? StoryWorth is something you give. Lived is something you do together. With Lived, you are in the room. You hear the stories as they are told. You share that afternoon. For many families, that shared experience is as meaningful as the film itself.
Both Lived and StoryWorth are thoughtful ways to celebrate someone's life and stories.
If your person loves writing and you want a physical book, StoryWorth is excellent. If your person loves talking and you want a cinematic film you can watch together, Lived is made for that moment.
Some families do both — a StoryWorth book for the written record and a Lived film to capture the voice, the expressions, and the feeling of being in the room with someone you love.
Give someone you love the chance to share theirs.
Give the gift of a story