{ "schema_version": "1.0", "generated_at": "2026-10-30T15:09:49.951Z", "evidence_note": "Vendor documentation researched, not hands-on tested. Unknown values are not free or absent features. Record last_checked is not the API generation time.", "documentation_url": "https://agentcomparison.net/api/", "agent": { "id": "folk", "name": "Folk", "vendor": "Folk", "kind": "product", "category": "personal agent in iMessage, Telegram and WhatsApp", "group": "personal-assistants", "summary": "Folk is an assistant you text on iMessage, Telegram or WhatsApp. Its FAQ describes habit and goal check-ins, email search, web browsing, reminders, meeting notes, phone calls to your own number and background tasks. As of 22 October 2026 its pricing page says folk is free with every feature included, subject to a 100-message daily limit.", "one_liner": "A texting coach and assistant that tracks goals, email and reminders, now free with every feature included.", "best_fit": "People who want a texting assistant that nudges them on goals and habits and connects to common work apps.", "poor_fit": "Anyone who needs an independently audited security attestation; we did not find one in this check.", "decision_note": "Folk is now free (100 messages a day, every feature included) rather than $9.99 a month, which removes the cost barrier to trying it with one reminder or goal check-in and minimum account access. Its referral programme pays $15 cash per qualifying signup. The pricing-page FAQ says messages are never sold and never used to train AI models, with one-tap account wipe; third-party calling details remain inconsistent across official documents, so do not depend on them.", "availability": "iMessage and Telegram documented; WhatsApp is switching on country by country, per the FAQ. Check local signup availability.", "last_checked": "2026-10-22", "evidence_status": "documentation_researched_not_tested", "capabilities": [ { "name": "Texts reminders, goal check-ins and habit streaks", "source_url": "https://www.folk.com/faq", "observed_at": "2026-10-22", "evidence_type": "vendor_documentation", "confidence": "medium", "plan_restrictions": "See pricing notes", "region_restrictions": "Not stated" }, { "name": "Connects Gmail, Google Calendar, Notion, Slack and more", "source_url": "https://www.folk.com/faq", "observed_at": "2026-10-22", "evidence_type": "vendor_documentation", "confidence": "medium", "plan_restrictions": "See pricing notes", "region_restrictions": "Not stated" }, { "name": "Calls your own number (10 minutes a week included)", "source_url": "https://www.folk.com/pricing", "observed_at": "2026-10-22", "evidence_type": "vendor_documentation", "confidence": "medium", "plan_restrictions": null, "region_restrictions": null }, { "name": "Calls companies on your behalf with your approval (businesses only, discloses it is an AI, does not use plan minutes)", "source_url": "https://www.folk.com/docs/calls", "observed_at": "2026-10-22", "evidence_type": "vendor_documentation", "confidence": "medium", "plan_restrictions": null, "region_restrictions": null }, { "name": "Joins iMessage or Telegram group chats and plans when tagged", "source_url": "https://www.folk.com/pricing", "observed_at": "2026-10-22", "evidence_type": "vendor_documentation", "confidence": "medium", "plan_restrictions": null, "region_restrictions": null } ], "permissions": [ "Folk's FAQ lists one-tap connections to Gmail, Google Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Outlook, Teams, Notion, Slack, Linear, Todoist, Strava and bank accounts. These are vendor statements; review each connection you grant.", "The privacy policy documents optional Google read-only access and read-only Plaid bank data. Check every account permission; disconnect does not delete previously saved emails/files/notes." ], "limitations": [ "Free background work is limited to 3 simultaneous tasks; one-off reminders do not count, per FAQ.", "Company-calling is documented with consent gating (folk only dials after you say yes, businesses only, numbers from the company's own website); reliability of those calls is untested. The calls documentation still lists a Pro minutes tier (120/month) that no longer appears on the pricing page.", "The pricing.md mirror conflicts with the live pricing page and FAQ on prices and phone allowances.", "Vendor documentation only; no reliability or independent security audit is claimed." ], "runtime": [ "Messaging: iMessage, Telegram, WhatsApp", "Folk says it runs on its own private cloud computer (TechCrunch, 3 Oct 2026)" ], "privacy_security": "The privacy policy (updated 20 October 2026) says no AI-model training and no data sales. Model requests route through OpenRouter to providers including Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Together AI, Fireworks AI, Z.ai and Sail Research on paid API terms that prohibit training; zero-data-retention routing covers eligible requests only, not every connected service. Observability vendors (Langfuse, Lemma, Raindrop) process message content for reliability, and OpenAI processes voice-call audio. Direct Google connections can be read-only; Plaid bank access is read-only and cannot move money. Folk runs on hosted agent servers, with a dedicated cloud sandbox for some accounts and temporary computers for some tasks. Disconnecting an app stops new access but saved content remains until deleted. Account deletion (settings, then privacy) revokes access and removes account data with external cleanup retried; encrypted backups expire on their retention schedule and limited records may be kept for payments, taxes, security or legal obligations. Optional iPhone connections can sync a screenshot library and match contacts via one-way hashes (opt out by email). These are vendor claims, not an independent audit.", "pricing": { "amount": 0, "currency": "USD", "billing_period": null, "allowances": "100 messages a day, reset at local midnight; every feature included: apps, memory, browsing, research, the builder, Gmail/Calendar/bank and 1,000+ app connections, 3 background tasks, 10 minutes of phone calls a week", "usage_charges": null, "verified_at": "2026-10-22", "source_url": "https://www.folk.com/pricing", "note": "Folk's pricing page (read 22 October 2026) now says 'folk is free': $0 a month, no card or subscription, 100 messages a day resetting at local midnight, with every feature included (apps, memory, browsing, research, the builder, 3 background tasks, 10 minutes of phone calls a week). The earlier Pro tier ($9.99/month, $99.99/year, verified 10 October 2026) is no longer published. A referral programme pays $15 cash when an invited friend signs up, sends 15 messages and passes checks.", "class": "free" }, "sources": [ "https://www.folk.com/faq", "https://www.folk.com/docs", "https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/03/all-the-ai-agents-that-can-live-in-your-text-messages/", "https://www.folk.com/privacy", "https://www.folk.com/docs/calls", "https://www.folk.com/pricing" ], "changelog": [ { "date": "2026-10-10", "change": "Expanded source-linked feature evidence and narrow setup; clarified access, permissions, costs and unresolved limits. Documentation research only, not a product test." }, { "date": "2026-10-03", "change": "Added from the TechCrunch roundup of 3 October 2026 (used as a lead only) after checking the vendor's own pages. Documentation research only." }, { "date": "2026-10-22", "change": "Field-level audit: privacy policy re-read (updated 20 October 2026; OpenRouter provider routing, observability vendors, ZDR limits, iPhone screenshot/contact features, deletion flow). Company-calling and group-chat capabilities added from docs/calls and pricing FAQ; call limitation corrected (company calls are documented with consent gating)." } ], "coverage_rows": [ [ "Text channels", "Documented, rollout varies", "iMessage and Telegram are listed. The FAQ says WhatsApp is switching on country by country, so do not promise universal WhatsApp access.", "https://www.folk.com/faq" ], [ "Background tasks", "Documented", "Vendor FAQ: up to 3 background tasks on Free, unlimited on Pro; one-off reminders do not count. No reliability test was run.", "https://www.folk.com/faq" ], [ "App connections", "Documented", "Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Outlook, Teams, Notion, Slack, Linear, Todoist, Strava and bank connections are listed, plus MCP tools. Review the permission for each account.", "https://www.folk.com/faq" ], [ "Read-only access", "Documented", "Privacy policy says direct Google connections can be read-only. Plaid bank data is read-only balances/transactions; Folk says it cannot move money.", "https://www.folk.com/privacy" ], [ "Phone calls", "Own-number calls documented; company calls conflict", "FAQ and privacy policy limit calls to the user's verified number. Calls documentation separately advertises calls to companies after approval. Third-party calling remains unverified due to this conflict.", "https://www.folk.com/docs/calls" ], [ "Training and processing", "Vendor policy, not audit", "Policy says no AI model training on user data. AI providers and observability services still process message content; no-training does not mean no processing or human access.", "https://www.folk.com/privacy" ], [ "Disconnect and deletion", "Documented with exceptions", "Disconnect stops new app access, but saved emails/files/notes remain until deleted. Account deletion removes live data; backups and required legal records can remain, with no exact backup deadline stated.", "https://www.folk.com/privacy" ], [ "Price sources", "Live price verified; mirror conflict", "FAQ and live pricing page show Pro $9.99/month or $99.99/year. The pricing.md mirror differs on price and limits; use the current live checkout offer before paying, not the conflicting mirror.", "https://www.folk.com/pricing" ] ], "setup_steps": [ "Start through the official site and a supported texting channel.", "Use one reminder or goal check-in before adding account access.", "Inspect each connected account's allowed actions; choose Google read-only if that fits the task.", "Review active background tasks and memory in settings. Disconnecting an app is not the same as deleting saved content." ], "price_tags": [ "free" ], "price_summary": "Free ($0), 100 messages a day, every feature included; $15 referral programme (vendor pricing page)", "page_url": "https://agentcomparison.net/agents/folk/" } }