My Thoughts on FAMILEO: The Family Journal to Stay Connected!

There's nothing easier today than staying in touch with your loved ones, thanks to instant messaging services and video calls! Despite this apparent ease, it often happens that some family members feel isolated: in fact, few older people use WhatsApp or social media.

To keep your whole family connected, companies like Famileo have developed a concept of a family newsletter, which each family member can contribute to with their photos and updates, and it will then be printed and sent directly to its recipient. In recent months, I’ve had the pleasure of testing a Famileo box, and I’d like to share my thoughts on it with you.

What is Familéo?

👍 I loved it

• The concept of Famileo, which has won over my entire family,
• Seeing my grandma delighted and being able to chat with her about her newsletter,
• The user-friendly design of the Famileo app,
• The affordable pricing and the option to share the cost,
• The final product of the newsletter,
• The ability to adjust the subscription to fit within my budget.

❌ What I Liked Less

• The quality of the paper is quite average,
• 30 messages can feel a bit restrictive if there are a lot of us!

How Does Famileo Work?

Famileo allows you to send a printed newsletter with 30 messages and photos to someone of your choice every month, twice a month, or weekly. This service can be used in many situations, but it is primarily designed to share updates with your parents, grandparents, or even great-grandparents.

Every family member who wants to participate can download the app or log in directly on the website, then enter their family code which is provided to the person who registers the family during the subscription process. After that, it's easy to create their newsletter by uploading photos and adding messages of their choice.

Everyone in the family can join in: there’s a limit of 60 people who can contribute to each newsletter. So, don’t hesitate to create your own personal account to keep the content diverse and engaging.

👉 For example, you could send a photo from a family gathering, a place you visited on holiday, or a moment that reminded you of your grandfather or grandmother.

Excerpt from a Famileo newsletter

The layout is done automatically, and the newsletter is sent directly to the recipient, by post, no matter which country in the world they live in.

💌 With the first Gazette, the recipient receives a letter explaining what it's all about. It's the perfect way to truly surprise your loved ones!

📅 On your side, every family member involved in writing the newsletter will receive an email three days before it's published, giving them the chance to finish contributing their bits.

💲 Famileo offers a pooling system: everyone can easily contribute to the subscription without needing to make bank transfers or handle cash exchanges.

📱 Finally, every participating member can view the completed newsletter to stay updated on the family's news!

✅ Famileo is a fantastic invention that allows your entire family to stay connected, and helps older generations receive updates from their loved ones. Be warned, it can be a bit addictive: grandparents love getting the newsletter and always want more!

Who is the Famileo gazette for?

A Famileo subscription is a genuine family gift. Of course, the newsletter is primarily intended for the ageing relative it is sent to. If they live alone, they will be delighted to learn about the latest adventures of their family members, making them feel very connected. In a couple, your grandparents or great-grandparents can discuss their newsletter together.

Lastly, if your loved one lives in a care home or a retirement village, it’s entirely possible to subscribe them to this newsletter to brighten their day and show them you’re thinking of them.

How much does Famileo cost?

Famileo offers three different pricing plans:

These subscriptions are commitment-free: you can pause or cancel your plan whenever you like.

👉 If you're on a tight budget, the monthly plan at $5.99 is a great option. It allows you to give a lovely gift without breaking the bank!

👉 If you're part of a large family, the offer at $17.99 per month lets you send out a newsletter every week. This is perfect if many people are involved in the newsletter, as it gives everyone the chance to regularly post messages.

In any case, you can very easily upgrade your subscription to suit your needs and budget. Simply go to the "My Account" section, then "Manage Subscription", and click on "Change Plan". The changes will take effect from your renewal date.

What Does a Famileo Gazette Look Like?

The Famileo newsletter is described as a small A4-sized newspaper (similar to a sheet of printer paper). It starts with a front page that includes the date, upcoming celebrations and birthdays, as well as the family members who contributed to this edition of the newsletter.

On the following pages, the messages flow one after another, with each one:

• A large format photograph printed in colour,
• A message written by a loved one, easy to read (in large font),
• The name of the author of the message, clearly indicated, along with a small photo.

The first page and a random page from a Famileo newspaper

How to gift a Famileo subscription or a single box? 🎁

To gift a Famileo subscription, you have two options available:

🔸Directly subscribe the person for whom the newsletters are intended, from the website, by selecting your preferred subscription mode (monthly, bimonthly, or weekly). In this case, each person added to the family group can then choose to contribute to the payment pool if they wish.

🔸 Give a gift box for a duration of six months for $39:

This gift box is very handy if you want to make your present more tangible: in addition to six months of a monthly subscription to the newsletter, the recipient will also receive a box to store their newsletters. You can order it directly from the homepage of the website.

📚 After a year, you can also have all the newsletters printed in a lovely bound book. There's nothing better for cherishing those precious memories and sharing them with loved ones!

➡️ Who should you give Famileo to?

👵 The Famileo box makes a perfect gift for seniors who aren't very connected on social media and messaging apps. It's an ideal present for your parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents. It’s also great for your in-laws or uncles and aunts.

👩‍🦽 The Famileo journal can also be sent to a person with a disability living in a care facility, or a person who is hospitalised for an extended period.

🌍 If your family is spread across the globe, the Famileo newsletter is a fantastic way to stay connected and share your daily adventures. In fact, Famileo delivers worldwide!

What do our subscribers think? Check out customer reviews of Famileo!

Whether you're looking to buy a gift or treat yourself, customer feedback is a valuable indicator of whether the product meets your expectations. To help you understand what people are saying about Famileo, I've summarised customer reviews from various online platforms for you.

On the Famileo Website

On the homepage of the site, there are video reviews that give an insight into customer satisfaction:

🔸 Newsletter recipients express their eagerness to receive the magazine each month and the joy of staying connected with the rest of their family.

🔸 Families using Famileo praise its user-friendly design, the joy of seeing their loved ones happy, and the delight of receiving monthly updates from all family members in the newsletter.

On Famileo's Facebook Page

The platform where Famileo customers leave the most feedback is Facebook.

The excellent rating of Famileo and the large number of reviews suggest that most customers are happy with this newsletter.

💚 Customers have loved

• Keeping their elders happy by regularly updating them with news,
• The practicality of Famileo,
• The ease of use of the app and website, even for those who aren't comfortable with technology,
• The contact with the customer service, which is very efficient,
• The cost of the subscription,
• The fact that it is a French company.

An example of a positive review from the Famileo Facebook page

❌ They enjoyed it less

• The fact that the newsletter does not allow writing in Asian characters or Arabic,
• The print quality of photographs (only affecting a minority of users, and it seems they have recently changed their printing service),
• Some delivery delays caused by postal services.

Example of a mixed review taken from the Famileo Facebook page and the response provided by another user

About Trustpilot

Currently, there are very few reviews for Famileo on the verified review site Trustpilot. The ratings received are average, primarily due to a negative review from a person who experienced delivery issues (mostly due to the courier), which has lowered the overall score. However, there are also very positive reviews that help to balance out this negative experience.

Famileo on Social Media

You can find the company Famileo at:

• Instagram, featuring examples of the newsletters in photos, competitions, user experiences, and more...

Extract from Famileo's Instagram account

• Facebook has over 50,000 followers and features competitions, updates on the latest from your newsletter, and more.
• Twitter is perfect for getting straight to the point and sending your questions directly to Famileo.
• Lastly, check out YouTube, which offers quick and comprehensive tutorials (on YouTube Shorts) and videos explaining the Famileo concept and its benefits for older adults.

Can we trust the company Famileo or is it a scam?

Famileo has been around since August 2015. The service was launched by the French start-up Entourage Solutions. According to the official site "Société.com", this company has been operating since 2014, which provides it with a degree of stability. It employs around thirty staff and has over 700,000 active users.

Excerpt from the website Société.com regarding Entourage Solutions, the company behind the Famileo service

The company takes the time to respond to customer reviews and inquiries on Facebook and via messaging, and has a customer service team available by phone, on a standard-rate number. Furthermore, the quality of this support is praised by users in their Facebook reviews.

Finally, the company has won two prestigious awards in the field of entrepreneurship:

• "France Takes Action" in 2017,
• "French Tech Pass" in 2019.

✅ Famileo is part of a French company that is easy to contact, with reliable customer service, which ensures its trustworthiness.

My verdict on Famileo

I chose to use Famileo to keep in touch with my grandmother, who lives over three hours' drive away from me. At first, it was more of a personal project, as I was worried that other family members, especially my mother, wouldn't be able to contribute content to the newsletter.

However, as soon as the first newsletter arrived, the rest of my family wanted to know how they could be involved in creating this journal. So, I passed the family code to my sister first, then to my mum, and to my aunt and uncle. Each of them chose the option that suited them best. The mobile app is very handy for those with a smartphone: it's very user-friendly, allowing you to easily add photos and text without needing any tech skills.

When it comes to payment, we’ve recently started using a pooled fund system, which allows us to share the costs. It's really handy and works well!

My grandmother is always thrilled to receive her newspaper. She enjoys flipping through it and having a look every now and then. When we visit her, she shows it to us, and it's a fantastic conversation starter! So far, we've had no delivery issues.

Source: Instagram (@labulledesevy, @odrai_et_louis, @louiseetleskids)

Some photos are truly beautiful, and the journal format isn’t always the best way to showcase them. I’m thinking about reprinting them on photo paper. I’ve also noticed that Famileo offers the option to have the gazettes printed in a bound book after a year, so I might consider that as well.

Finally, this subscription has had an unexpected effect: in addition to staying connected with my grandma, we now all enjoy the newsletter that we can download with each issue. This keeps us updated on what's happening in the family and everyone's daily lives: it's really unifying!

✅ I highly recommend the Famileo experience, especially for families that are geographically dispersed. It's an adventure to share together, easy to use, and brings all family members closer! 😉

Frequently Asked Questions about Famileo: I'm here to answer YOUR questions!

👉 In the following lines, I will address the questions you have about Famileo. If you don't find the answers you're looking for, feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of this page to contribute your thoughts. I would be more than happy to assist you!

How to connect to Famileo?

If you already have a Famileo account, simply head over to the website and log in by clicking on "My Account" at the top right. You can also download the app available on Android and iPhone.

If you want to join your family who are already subscribed to Famileo, you'll need a family code, which has been sent to the person who subscribed. Then, simply scroll to the very bottom of the homepage, click on "I’m joining my family", and follow the instructions. You can also do this from the app!

Lastly, if your relative lives in a partner facility of Famileo, they should provide you with a code that you can also enter on the website, on the homepage, in the section titled: "Does your loved one reside in a subscribed facility?".

Who prints Famileo?

When you're subscribed, it's the Famileo company that handles the printing and sending of the newsletter. Once it's filled with your photos and messages, you don't have to do a thing. 😉

How can I get a Famileo promo code?

When you sign up, you can enter the promo code "COUPDEPOUCE", which gives you 70% off your first month. This offer applies to both monthly and bi-monthly subscriptions. It’s a great deal if you want to try out Famileo for a month with no commitment, as it only costs around $1.80 NZD.

Does Famileo offer a referral system?

Yes! Famileo has set up a referral program. All you need to do is ask your referrer for their referral code, which they should have received by email and can find in their "My Account" section. By entering this code when you sign up, you'll receive one month free. Additionally, the grandparents of the referrers can win prizes!

Source: Instagram (@welovecharliandcapucine, @magicaroh, @cynthiakanaie)

What happens to the personal data (photos, messages, etc.) that we send to Famileo?

Famileo is committed to not selling your data: photos, messages, personal information... The site is ad-free and promises to remain that way. Your data is kept securely, on dedicated servers for Famileo's service and is encrypted.

If you would like to delete your data after cancelling your account, you can contact Famileo and request that they remove it. This will be done quickly and at no cost to you.

How to get in touch with Famileo?

There are several options available to you:

• Through social media, on Facebook or Instagram,
• Directly on the website, using the form,
• By email at: contact@famileo.com,
• By phone at 📞02 46 84 02 82 (local call rate).

Is there a commitment with Famileo?

No, Famileo is no-strings-attached. This means you can cancel at any time.

How to Cancel Your Famileo Subscription?

Only the family member who is the manager (by default the one who created the subscription) can cancel it. This person just needs to log in to their account, go to the "subscription management" section, and unsubscribe.

👉 If you have any money left in your account, feel free to get in touch with Famileo's customer service to find out how to withdraw those funds.

Are you a professional in an aged care facility: How to become a Famileo partner establishment?

Famileo allows care facilities for the elderly (such as aged care homes, long-stay services, retirement homes...) or for individuals with disabilities to provide their residents with a way to stay in touch with their family through the Famileo newsletter. If this type of service interests you, feel free to contact Famileo directly, either by phone at 📞02 46 84 02 82, or by email at contact@famileo.com.

👉 At the bottom of the homepage, you'll find a link to a section called "Famileo for Professionals", which will give you a detailed overview of the offerings for establishments.

For professional organisations: What diary service does Famileo offer?

If you work in a facility that accommodates elderly or disabled residents, you can also turn to Famileo to quickly and easily create a newsletter to share what’s happening in your organisation. It’s a fantastic way to foster connections between your residents and their families, while also showcasing your engagement initiatives.

I hope you found the answers to all the questions you had about the Famileo service. Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments, or share your experience! 😉