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

Today, it’s easier than ever to stay connected with your loved ones through instant messaging services or video calls! Despite this seeming simplicity, it’s quite common for some family members to feel isolated: indeed, not many elderly folks use WhatsApp or social media.

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

What is Familéo?

👍 I loved it

• The concept of Famileo, which has charmed my entire family,
• Seeing my grandmother delighted and being able to chat with her about her newsletter,
• The user-friendly Famileo app,
• The affordable pricing and the option to share the cost,
• The final look of the newsletter,
• The ability to adjust the subscription based on your budget.

❌ What I Liked Less

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

How Does Famileo Work?

Famileo offers to send a printed newsletter to your chosen recipient every month, twice a month, or weekly, featuring 30 messages and photos. This service can be used in various situations, but it is primarily designed for keeping your parents, grandparents, or even great-grandparents updated with news.

Every family member who wants to join can download the app or log in directly on the website, then enter their family code provided by the person who registered the family during the sign-up process. After that, they can easily fill out their newsletter by uploading photos and adding messages of their choice.

Every family member can participate: there is a maximum of 60 people allowed to contribute to each newsletter. So, don’t hesitate to create your own personal account to make the outcome varied and enjoyable.

👉 For example, you can share a photo from a family gathering, a place you visited during your holiday, or a moment that reminds you of your grandmother or grandfather.

Excerpt from a Famileo newsletter

The layout is done automatically afterwards, and the newsletter is sent directly to its recipient, by mail, regardless of which country they live in.

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

📅 On your end, every family member involved in putting together the newsletter will receive an email three days before it's published, so they can complete their contributions.

💲 Famileo offers a funding system: anyone can easily contribute to the subscription without the hassle of bank transfers or handling cash.

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

✅ Famileo is a fantastic invention that helps your whole family stay connected, allowing seniors to get updates from their loved ones. Be careful, it's a bit addictive: grandparents love receiving the newsletter and ask for more!

Who is the Famileo newsletter for?

A Famileo subscription is a genuine family gift. Of course, the newsletter is primarily aimed at the elderly person it is sent to. If they live alone, they will be delighted to hear about the latest adventures of their family members and will feel very much surrounded by love. If they are a couple, your grandparents or great-grandparents can discuss their newsletter together.

Lastly, if your loved one lives in a nursing home or a seniors' residence, you can definitely subscribe them to this newsletter to brighten their day and show that you're thinking of them.

How much does Famileo cost?

Famileo offers three different subscription plans:

These subscriptions come with no commitments: you can suspend or cancel your plan whenever you like.

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

👉 If you have a large family, the S$17.99 per month offer allows you to send out a newsletter every week. It's perfect if many people are contributing to the newsletter, as it gives everyone the chance to post messages regularly.

No matter what, you can easily upgrade your subscription to suit your needs and budget. Just head to the "My Account" section, then go to "Subscription Management," 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 like a small A4-sized newspaper (similar to a standard 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 appear one after the other, with each one featuring:

• A large format photograph printed in colour,
• A message written by a loved one, easily readable (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 give a Famileo subscription, you have two options:

🔸 Subscribe directly to the person who will receive the newsletters, right from the website, by choosing your preferred subscription option (monthly, bi-monthly, or weekly). In this case, each person added to the family group can then, if they wish, contribute to the payment pool.

🔸 Give a gift box that lasts for six months for S$39:

This gift set is really useful if you want to give a thoughtful present: in addition to six months of monthly subscription to the magazine, the recipient will also receive a box to store their magazines. 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 quite like preserving those beautiful memories and sharing them with your loved ones!

➡️ Who should I give Famileo to?

👵 The Famileo box makes a great gift for seniors who aren't very tech-savvy when it comes to social media and messaging apps. It's an ideal present for your parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents. Of course, it's also suitable for your in-laws, uncles, and aunts.

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

🌍 If your family is spread out 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 subscribers think? Check out customer reviews on Famileo!

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

About Famileo

On the homepage of the site, you'll find video reviews that give you a glimpse of customer satisfaction:

🔸 The recipients of the newsletters express their eagerness to receive the magazine every month, and the joy of staying connected with the rest of their family.

🔸 Families who write appreciate the user-friendly nature of Famileo, the joy of seeing their loved ones happy, and the delight of receiving updates about the entire family every month in the newsletter.

On Famileo's Facebook Page

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

The impressive score of Famileo and the numerous reviews suggest that most customers are happy with this newsletter.

💚 What our customers loved

• Keeping their elders happy by giving them updates regularly,
• 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 subscription cost,
• The fact that it is a French company.

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 in Arabic,
• The quality of printed photographs (only for a select few, and it seems they have recently changed their printing service),
• Some delivery delays due to postal services.

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

About Trustpilot

There are currently very few reviews for Famileo on the verified review site Trustpilot. The overall ratings are average, primarily due to a negative review from a customer who had delivery issues (mostly due to the courier), which brings down the overall score. However, there are also quite a few positive reviews that balance out this negative experience.

Famileo on Social Media

You can find Famileo on:

• Instagram, featuring photo examples of the newsletters, contests, and user experiences...

Excerpt from Famileo's Instagram account

• Facebook, with over 50,000 followers, where you can find contests, updates on the latest news from your gazette, and more.
• Twitter, for quick access to the essentials and to send your questions directly to Famileo.
• And finally, Youtube, featuring quick and comprehensive tutorials (on Youtube Shorts) along with videos about the Famileo concept and its benefits for the elderly.

Can we trust Famileo, or is it a scam?

Famileo has been around since August 2015. The service was launched by the French start-up Entourage Solutions. On the official site "Société.com", it states that this company has been in operation since 2014, which ensures a certain level of stability. It employs about thirty staff members and has over 700,000 active users.

Excerpt from the site Société.com about Entourage Solutions, the company behind the Famileo service

The company takes the time to respond to customer reviews and questions on Facebook and via message, and it has a customer service that can be reached by phone on a non-premium rate number. Additionally, the quality of this support is praised by users in Facebook reviews.

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

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

✅ Famileo is a French company, easily reachable, with a reliable customer service, which ensures its trustworthiness.

My Verdict on Famileo

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

However, from the moment the first newsletter arrived, the rest of my family wanted to know how they could get 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 convenient for those who have a smartphone: it's user-friendly and allows you to easily add photos and text, without needing any tech knowledge.

Regarding payment, we recently started using a pooling system that allows us to share the costs. It's very convenient and works like a charm!

My grandmother is always delighted to receive her newspaper. She enjoys flipping through it and looking at it from time to time. When we visit her, she shows it to us and it makes for great conversation! So far, we haven’t had any delivery issues.

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

Some photos are really lovely, and the journal format isn't always ideal for showcasing them. I'm thinking of reprinting them on photo paper. I also noticed that Famileo offers to print the newsletters into a bound book after a year, so I might consider that too.

Finally, this subscription had an unexpected effect: besides staying connected with my grandma, we all now 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 very unifying!

✅ I highly recommend the Famileo experience, especially for families who are far apart geographically. It's a wonderful journey to share together, easy to use, and it brings all family members closer! 😉

FAQs on Famileo: I'm here to answer YOUR questions!

👉 In the following lines, I will answer the questions you may have about Famileo. If you can't find the answers to your queries, feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of this page to contribute your thoughts. I’ll be more than happy to assist you!

How to Connect to Famileo?

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

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

Finally, if your loved one resides in a partner facility of Famileo, they should provide you with a code that you can enter on the website. You'll find this on the homepage under the section titled: "Does your loved one live in a subscribed facility?".

Who prints Famileo?

When you subscribe, it's Famileo that takes care of printing and sending the newsletter directly. 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 the first month. It's valid for monthly and bi-monthly subscriptions. This is a great deal if you want to try out Famileo for a month without any commitment, as it will only cost you about S$1.80.

Does Famileo offer a referral system?

Yes! Famileo has introduced a referral program. Just ask your referrer for their referral code, which they should have received via email and is available in their "My Account" section. By entering this code during your registration, you'll get one month free. Additionally, grandparents of the referrers can win prizes!

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

What happens to the personal data (photos, messages...) 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 securely stored on dedicated servers for Famileo and is encrypted.

If you wish to delete your data after cancelling, you can reach out to Famileo and request them to erase it. This will be done quickly and at no cost.

How to contact Famileo?

There are several options available to you:

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

Is there any commitment with Famileo?

No, Famileo is without commitment. This means you can cancel at any time.

How to Cancel Famileo?

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

👉 If you still have money left in your account, feel free to contact Famileo's customer service directly to find out how to withdraw it.

You are a professional in elderly care: How to become a Famileo partner establishment?

Famileo allows facilities that accommodate elderly people (like nursing homes, long-stay services, and retirement homes) or individuals with disabilities to provide their residents with a way to stay in touch with their families through the Famileo newsletter. If you're interested in this service, feel free to reach out to Famileo directly, either by phone at 📞02 46 84 02 82 or via email at contact@famileo.com.

👉 At the bottom of the homepage, you will find a link to a section called "Famileo for Professionals", which will provide you with detailed information about the offerings for institutions.

For Professional Institutions: What Journal Service Does Famileo Offer?

If you work in a facility that supports elderly or disabled residents, you can also turn to Famileo to quickly and easily create a newsletter to share updates about your establishment. It’s a great way to strengthen the bond between your residents and their loved ones, as well as highlight your engaging activities.

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