folk alternative
folk is an AI friend you text on iMessage and Telegram. Same job family as us.
It checks in on your habits, keeps streaks, and has its own cloud computer behind it. We are the US and Canada number you can text right now, (305) 588-2170, with 50 free messages and no credit card required.
Reminders arrive as texts, daily briefs cover any topic you pick, and /connect links Gmail, Google Calendar, Docs, Sheets, and Outlook whenever you want them.
This is not a ChatGPT comparison. That post is already written: Why Use AI Chat SMS When You Can Just Use ChatGPT?.
We already compared Instinct, Homer, Dunnit, Pally, Poke, Sidekicks, Martin, TwoThumbs, Olly, Sarai, Tomo, Caddy, Iris, Boba, Arlo, Catch, Notis, Zapia, Memorae, Lindy, Badland, and ka. Provider pages cover Sendblue, Twilio, Linq, Blooio, Photon, and LoopMessage.
What folk says
folk.com calls folk the friend in your texts that keeps you on track. It checks in on your gym days, keeps your habit streaks alive, and texts you first.
Every user gets their own isolated cloud computer that can browse the web, run code, and connect to your apps. folk says it remembers your preferences, people, and routines across every conversation.
It finds a restaurant, checks availability, and hands you a one-tap booking. It watches flight prices for a route and budget and alerts you on a drop. It can also place a real wake-up call in the morning to your own verified number.
You sign up at folk.com with your phone number and pick where to text it. iMessage and Telegram work today. WhatsApp is rolling out by region, and if it's available to you, you'll see it. folk's own site says "Signal, SMS, Discord, and email are NOT chat channels."
Free is $0, forever, with no card. Pro is $9.99 a month, or $99.99 a year billed once upfront. Plans are on folk.com/pricing.
Their site is folk.com.
What you get if you text us
Text (305) 588-2170, a public number for the US and Canada. Native Messages. No app.
Fifty free messages. No credit card required. No signup first.
iMessage in your Messages app. On Android you get SMS or RCS through your carrier.
Remind me every Sunday at 6 to plan meals
Done. I'll text you every Sunday at 6:00 PM to plan meals.
Brief me on local weather every morning at 7
Set. Your weather brief lands at 7:00 AM.
Reminders arrive as texts. Daily briefings on any topic you pick. Long-term memory across conversations.
Web search, /image, personas with /mode, bookmarks with /save, photo analysis, and quick actions like /weather, /math, and /translate.
Connect Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Outlook. Text /connect gmail or /connect calendar, or just ask. You get an OAuth link you control.
After the free messages, Unlimited is $15 a month (100 a day, 2,000 a month fair use), or pay as you go from $10.
If you want the product explanation, You can text an AI agent now and Your AI texting assistant are already written. Calendar setup is Google Calendar Just Met Your Texts.
Side by side
| AI Chat SMS | folk | |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | Today. Public number (305) 588-2170. US and Canada. iMessage in your Messages app; SMS or RCS through your carrier on Android. No app. No credit card required. | Sign up at folk.com with your phone number. |
| Channels | iMessage, SMS, and RCS. | iMessage and Telegram. WhatsApp is rolling out by region. |
| Price | 50 free messages. Then unlimited at $15/month, or pay as you go from $10. | Free at $0, forever, no card. Pro at $9.99/month or $99.99/year. |
| Reminders | Yes. They arrive as texts. | One-off reminders are unlimited. |
| Memory | Long-term across conversations. | Memory that never expires. |
| Daily briefings | Yes. Daily briefs on any topic you pick. | Sends a personal morning briefing (calendar, weather, inbox highlights, news, anything it's watching) on a schedule. |
| Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Sheets, Outlook | Yes, on /connect. | Yes, as one-tap connections. |
| Their edge | 50 free messages to start, any-topic briefings, personas, /image, and bookmarks. | Its own cloud computer, restaurant booking, flight watching, wake-up calls, and habit streaks. |
Where folk wins
It has its own cloud computer. folk can browse the web, run code, and work inside your apps, and it texts you first to keep your habit streaks alive.
It handles a lot of real-world errands. It hands you a one-tap restaurant booking, watches flight prices, and places a wake-up call to your own number. It also connects to more apps, including Drive, Notion, Slack, and a catalogue of 1,000+ more, and it runs on Telegram too.
Where we win
You can text it this minute from the phone you have. A published number for the US and Canada, 50 free messages, and no credit card. On Android you get SMS or RCS through your carrier.
Pricing stays simple: a flat $15 a month for unlimited, or pay as you go from $10. Daily briefs cover any topic you pick, personas switch with /mode, /image makes pictures, and /save keeps bookmarks. Gmail, Google Calendar, Docs, Sheets, and Outlook are on /connect.
Which one you want
Want an accountability friend with its own cloud computer, restaurant bookings, flight watching, and wake-up calls, on iMessage or Telegram? That is folk.
Want a personal assistant you can text right now on iPhone or Android, with 50 free messages, reminders, any-topic briefs, and Gmail, Google Calendar, Docs, Sheets, and Outlook on /connect? That is us.
Questions people ask
How much does folk cost?
Free is $0, forever, with no card. Pro is $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year.
Does folk work over SMS?
In folk's own words: "Signal, SMS, Discord, and email are NOT chat channels." You text it on iMessage or Telegram, and WhatsApp is rolling out by region.
Can folk connect to my email and calendar?
Yes. folk lists Gmail, Google Calendar, Docs, Sheets, and Outlook as one-tap connections. With us, the same five are on /connect.
Does AI Chat SMS work on Android?
Yes. On Android you get SMS or RCS through your carrier. Same assistant, same number.
What does AI Chat SMS cost after the 50 free messages?
Unlimited is $15 a month, with fair use of 100 messages a day and 2,000 a month. You can also pay as you go from $10.
Text it today
No download. No credit card. No signup first.
Text (305) 588-2170. Fifty free messages. US and Canada. Standard message rates apply.
Ready to text your AI?
No app to download. Text us to start — one tap opens Messages with our number. 50 free messages to start.
Text (305) 588-2170
US & Canada only. Standard message rates apply.