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, on every plan including the free one. 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 we’ll remind you before it does. There’s a full refund 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?

Nothing is deleted. Your collection becomes read-only — you and the family you invited can still look at everything you’ve saved, you just can’t add to it until you subscribe.

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 and available on any plan, containing every item, photo and story. It needs at least 20 items, because the smallest hardcover Blurb makes is 24 pages. It isn’t orderable yet.

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. Adding something 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 and a real person will answer.

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 objects you already own and the stories behind them, so the people who inherit them know what they are. If you are building a family tree, use Ancestry or FamilySearch. If you are holding your grandmother’s ring and cannot explain it to your daughter, that is this.

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.

Start your own collection →  ·  Why I built KeepSeek  ·  Ask something else