Life-story books
Memorygram vs. My Life in a Book: dictation is only the beginning
Compare My Life in a Book’s question-and-response program with Memorygram’s guided phone interviews, original audio, and full-color hardcover.
Our take
For a parent who needs help drawing out a story, we would choose Memorygram’s guided phone interviews. My Life in a Book’s lower starting price is attractive, and it supports voice-to-text. But dictating an answer and having an interviewer ask follow-up questions are different experiences.
Sources reviewed September 5, 2026Written by Memorygram, a provider of memorial websites and life-story books. Comparisons reflect the sources linked below; prices and plans can change.
Compare what happens after the question arrives.
This comparison concerns My Life in a Book at mylifeinabook.com. Its how-it-works page describes a one-year question program, with options for changing the schedule and responding by voice-to-text. Prices below are the US-dollar offers reviewed September 5, 2026.
| Detail | Memorygram Legacy Book | My Life in a Book |
|---|---|---|
| Displayed initial price | $123.50 regular; advertised sale $98.80 | From $79 |
| Finished keepsake | 8.5 × 11 inch full-color hardcover, up to 450 pages | Full-color book included |
| Spoken responses | Voice-to-text and automated guided phone interviews | Voice-to-text |
| Scheduled calls with follow-up questions | Included; US phone numbers only | Not documented on the reviewed how-it-works page |
| Question program | A year of questions; no recurring subscription fees | One year; adjustable prompt frequency |
| Extra printed copies | Purchased separately | Listed at $40 |
Sources: Memorygram Legacy Book: product details and frequently asked questionsMemorygram guided phone interviewsMy Life in a Book: program, voice-to-text, pricing, and extra copies
Removing the keyboard does not remove the blank-page problem.
A person can dictate “I loved growing up on the farm” and still leave the most interesting details untold. Who lived next door? What did a working day look like? Which family tradition started there? The quality of a memoir depends on those details, not just the ability to turn speech into text.
Memorygram’s automated interviewer follows the conversation with additional questions. For a storyteller who needs that encouragement, this is the reason to choose the product. The family can review the resulting narrative and photographs before printing.
Sources: Memorygram guided phone interviews
A transcript and a recording preserve different things.
Text preserves the wording. Original audio also preserves the pauses, accent, laughter, and familiar way someone tells a story. Memorygram connects book chapters to the recorded voice through QR codes, with downloadable audio available.
Before buying any voice-to-text product, ask for a demonstration of what the family receives: a transcript, an audio file, or both. My Life in a Book’s reviewed page does not establish the same chapter-level audio playback workflow. That is a gap to verify, not proof that every unlisted feature is unavailable.
Sources: Memorygram guided phone interviewsMy Life in a Book: program, voice-to-text, pricing, and extra copies
The best saving is finishing the story you meant to collect.
My Life in a Book may cost less for a self-directed storyteller, especially when ordering extra copies. We would not pay more merely to receive a weekly question. We would pay for a method that helps a reluctant narrator get beyond short answers and a book format the family wants to read.
Choose Memorygram when guided US phone conversations and a large color hardcover are the priorities. If the storyteller enjoys independently answering prompts, compare the lower-cost program on its own merits. Start by deciding who needs to participate and what they need help doing.
Sources: My Life in a Book: program, voice-to-text, pricing, and extra copiesMemorygram Legacy Book: product details and frequently asked questionsMemorygram guided phone interviews
Common questions
Does My Life in a Book require typing?
No. Its official how-it-works page includes voice-to-text. That should not be confused with a documented guided phone interview.
Why choose Memorygram if the starting price is higher?
Choose it for its included automated phone interviews with follow-up questions, QR-linked original audio, and 8.5 × 11 inch full-color book. The value depends on the storyteller’s needs.
Sources & review
Reviewed . We compare the providers’ own published information and Memorygram’s current product features. This is a feature and pricing comparison, not an independent hands-on test of every service.
- Memorygram Legacy Book: product details and frequently asked questions
- Memorygram guided phone interviews
- My Life in a Book: program, voice-to-text, pricing, and extra copies
See something that has changed? Tell us so we can review it.