Questions about KeepSeek
What KeepSeek is, what it costs, and what happens to your collection. If your question isn’t here, write to me — I answer these myself.
What is KeepSeek?
KeepSeek is a private place to keep the stories behind your family’s keepsakes and heirlooms. You photograph an object and tell its story — out loud, in your own voice, if that is easier than typing — and the two are kept together, so the reason something was worth keeping survives alongside the thing itself.
Who is KeepSeek for?
People who are downsizing. People sorting out a parent’s house, which is when this problem tends to arrive all at once. And anyone who wants their grandchildren to know why the bowl on the shelf matters. It was built with people who aren’t especially comfortable with technology in mind — if a step feels fiddly, that’s a fault in the software, not in you.
Is my collection private? Can anyone find it?
Yes, it’s private. Nothing in a collection is public and nothing is shared until you decide it is. Family members can see your collection only if you invite them personally. The gallery pages are blocked from search engines, there is no public directory, and there is no way for anyone to browse other people’s collections.
Do the family members I invite have to pay?
No. Everyone you invite — KeepSeek calls them Seekers — can look at what you’ve saved at no cost, during the free trial and on every plan. There’s no limit on how many you invite.
What does KeepSeek cost?
You can start free: a 14-day trial with up to 10 items and unlimited family viewers. After that a subscription is $99 a year or $10 a month, currently offered at an introductory $79 a year or $8 a month for your first year. After that first year it renews at the standard price, and you’ll get a reminder before it does. There’s a full refund for accounts that have not downloaded a collection, within 30 days on a yearly plan or 7 days on monthly. Sales tax is added for North Carolina customers, based on their county.
What happens when the free trial ends?
You and the Seekers you invited can still look through everything you’ve saved, but you can’t add to it or change it. A trial collection is kept for one month after the trial ends, then deleted unless you subscribe. You’ll get an email a week before, and you can download the whole collection any time until then. The app shows you the exact date.
Do I have to type the stories?
No. You can say a story out loud and KeepSeek will write it down for you, record a video instead, or type it yourself if you’d rather. If you’re not sure where to start, it offers prompts.
Can I get my collection out of KeepSeek?
Yes, at any time. Download Collection gives you one file with everything inside it — every photo, story and recording. You open it by double-clicking. It needs no internet and no KeepSeek account, and it keeps working for as long as you keep the file.
Can I get a printed book of my collection?
That’s coming. A hardcover book printed by Blurb is planned as an add-on, starting at $59. The book needs at least 20 items, because the smallest hardcover Blurb makes is 24 pages. If you have a collection, sign in and press “Yes, tell me when the book is ready” on your account page, and I’ll write to you as soon as it’s ready. If you don’t have one yet, let me know instead.
Can I use it on my phone and my computer?
Both, and it stays in sync. You can start on your phone in the attic and finish on your computer at the kitchen table.
Can I delete my account and everything in it?
Yes, from your account settings, and it takes the whole collection with it. The deletion is scheduled seven days ahead rather than done on the spot, and you’re emailed a link to call it off, so a mis-click is recoverable. Download your collection first if you want to keep a copy.
What if I’m not good with computers?
That’s who it was built for. I’ve tried to make the process as easy as possible. Adding an item is three steps — take a photo, tidy it up with a few taps, tell the story — and there’s a welcome tour you can replay as often as you like. If you get stuck, write to hello@mykeepseek.com.
Is KeepSeek a genealogy app?
No. Genealogy services help you research ancestors you never met — names, dates, records, DNA. KeepSeek does the opposite job: it records the stories for your descendants. If you are building a family tree, use Ancestry or FamilySearch. If you are holding your grandmother’s ring and want to explain it to your daughter, that is this.
Why does KeepSeek ask for birthdates, birthplaces and lifespans?
KeepSeek is not a genealogy site, but it asks for birthdate, birthplace and lifespan to help the people who view your collection have a deeper, more informative experience. All three are optional. Only the people you invite can see them. They are never public, and never sold or passed to anyone else.
Who makes KeepSeek?
One person: Michelle, who built it after realising she knew nothing about the teddy bear her mother had kept for sixty years. That’s the whole story.
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