Skip to content
AppDuo
ReviewsComparisonsBest ofCollections
Source-backed analysis13

Review basis

Research-based review: the AppDuo Editorial Team compiled it from official pages, documentation, app stores, press and user feedback, without hands-on testing. Every claim links to a source with the date it was checked.

13 reference sources

Information updated Nov 11, 2026

How we review
Beta
Sesame logo

Sesame Review

Voice-first AI agents with natural-sounding speech, from the founders of Oculus

Editorial Team6.9/10Write the first review

By Official AppDuo editorial team · Updated

  • iOS
  • Android
  • Web
Free · Free
Visit Sesame
Compare side by side
On this page

Decide at a glance

Our verdict

Suits people who want to talk to an AI to think out loud, brainstorm or look things up, with no payment required for now. The trade-offs: it is still a preview, no limits or future pricing are published, and logged-in users' data may be used for training unless they opt out.

Best for: People who prefer talking to typing prompts into a chatbot

Skip it if: Anyone who needs a work tool with clear pricing, limits and service commitments

Pros

  • iOS and Android apps, rated 4.9 out of 5 on the App Store and 4.8 on Google Play
  • Four characters (Maya, Miles, Simone, Charlie), each with its own memory
  • Incognito mode saves nothing to memory or servers, and training use can be switched off

Cons

  • Still a preview; new sign-ups may face a waitlist, and no limits or pricing are published
  • Only English is officially supported; other languages are early and may be less reliable
All pros and cons · Who is it for?

Pros

  • Free at this stage with no ads, and connects to Gmail, Calendar, Drive and MCP servers

Cons

  • Training use is on by default for logged-in users, who must opt out in settings

Best for

  • Those who want a sounding board for brainstorming or preparing for a difficult conversation

Skip it if

  • Users who mainly work in languages other than English: only English is officially supported

Problems it solves

Experience & key features

Sesame is a voice-first AI assistant app from Sesame AI, Inc. TechCrunch describes it as co-founded by Oculus' founders and others from the VR company; the team page lists Brendan Iribe, Ankit Kumar and Nate Mitchell among its leaders. The company unveiled its "Maya" and "Miles" demos in February 2025, launched an iOS preview in May 2026 and later added Android. The App Store shows 4.9 out of 5 from 1,993 ratings; Google Play shows 4.8 with 50K+ downloads.

You pick one of four characters (Maya, Miles, Simone or Charlie) and talk or text. Each has its own personality and memory, kept consistent across voice and text. The assistants can search the web, create notes, set reminders and run Deep Dives. You can connect Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive or OAuth-based MCP servers, and create "skills" through conversation to run on demand or on a schedule. The App Store release notes for version 47.1 say assistants now have access to their own computer.

On price, the App Store lists $0 and TechCrunch reported the full experience is free "for the time being". The Getting started guide says nothing about pricing or limits and points readers to the support email, so it is best treated as a product with no pricing commitment yet. Sesame is also building smart glasses, planned for 2027 and made in Japan.

Compared with ChatGPT or Gemini, Sesame is narrower but centred on spoken conversation. Compared with Character.AI, it targets a personal assistant for thinking and lookups rather than roleplay. English is officially supported, while French, Italian, German, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese and Korean are described as early support.

Screenshots

First product image on the App Store listing
First product image on the App Store listing
Second product image on the App Store listing
Second product image on the App Store listing
Third product image on the App Store listing
Third product image on the App Store listing

Plans & pricing

Prices last verified Nov 11, 2026

Free

Personal

Free

The US App Store lists a price of $0 with no in-app purchases. At the iOS launch (May 2026) Sesame said the full experience is free during the initial phase, with a possible short waitlist after sign-up. The pages read do not publish usage limits or paid plans.

Free plan limits
The pages read state no call or message limits. TechCrunch reported the full experience is free "for the time being", so pricing may change.
Free trial
No free trial
Cancellation & refunds

Not applicable: the pages read list no paid plan.

Privacy

The privacy policy (last edited 6 October 2026) says Sesame collects voice recordings and transcripts of conversations, usage information, approximate location and account details. For logged-in users, Sesame may use content to train its models unless they opt out in account settings. Data retrieved directly from connected apps such as Gmail or Calendar is not used for training. Data from unregistered web users is deleted automatically within 30 days. The policy says Sesame does not sell or share personal information as defined under the CCPA/CPRA. The App Store privacy label lists precise location as data linked to the user, used for personalisation. The Getting started guide says Sesame shows no ads and reviews calls only in rare cases, such as investigating a critical bug or a ban appeal the user requested. The Google Play listing says Incognito mode saves nothing to memory or servers. The service is not directed at children under 13.

Sesame alternatives

Gemini logo7.5/10

Gemini

Google's AI assistant, tied into Gmail, Drive, Android and Google storage plans

Freemium
ChatGPT logo7.5/10

ChatGPT

OpenAI's flagship AI assistant for writing, research, coding, images and voice

Freemium
All alternatives

Frequently asked questions

Is Sesame free?

The App Store lists $0 and TechCrunch reported the full experience is free for the time being. The pages read publish no limits or later pricing.

Does Sesame support Vietnamese?

Vietnamese is not on the list. Sesame officially supports English, with French, Italian, German, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese and Korean described as early support.

Is my conversation used to train AI?

For logged-in users, the policy permits training use unless you opt out in account settings. Incognito mode saves nothing to memory or servers.

Is there an Android app?

Yes. The official guide says the app is on the App Store and Google Play, and the 6 October 2026 post says the preview is available on iOS and Android.

Review evidence & sources13

Scores

Ease of use
8.2
Why this score

You talk instead of writing prompts. Ratings of 4.9 out of 5 on the App Store and 4.8 on Google Play suggest users find it approachable. New sign-ups may face a short waitlist.

Features
6.8
Why this score

Web search, notes, reminders, Deep Dives, per-character memory, skills and app connections are included. The version 47.1 notes say assistants now have their own computer. Scope remains narrower than general assistants such as ChatGPT or Gemini.

Value for money
7.5
Why this score

Free and ad-free for now. No future pricing is published, which makes long-term comparison difficult.

Performance
7.2
Why this score

The company stresses low latency and running parallel searches while speaking. No independent evaluation of answer accuracy appeared in the sources read. Some Google Play reviews report the assistant forgetting earlier calls, repeating questions, or echoing and laughing at odd moments.

Support
5.5
Why this score

There is a Getting started guide, a support email and a Discord community. No live chat, phone support or response-time information was seen on the pages read.

Privacy & security
6.3
Why this score

Incognito, a training opt-out, data deletion and a no-sale pledge are offered. Voice recordings are sensitive data, though, the policy permits training use of logged-in users' content by default, and the App Store label lists precise location as linked to the user.

What users say

Sources

Specs & compatibility
Developer
Sesame AI, Inc.
Headquarters
United States
Launched
2025
Category
AI

Capabilities

  • AI features
  • Mobile app
  • Integrations
  • Open source

Platforms

  • iOS
  • Android
  • Web

Interface languages

  • English

Integrations

  • Gmail
  • Google Calendar
  • Google Drive
  • MCP (OAuth)

Support

  • Email
  • Community forum
  • Help center

Change history

  1. Feature.iOS version 47.1: assistants get their own computer, plus intelligence, voice and personality upgrades.
  2. Feature.Shares a new voice model on iOS and Android and details its Made-in-Japan smart glasses plan.
  3. Launch.Public iOS preview launches in 39 countries, adding Simone, Charlie and Incognito mode.
Full change history (6)
  1. Company.Raises a $250M Series B and opens an iOS beta to select testers.
  2. Feature.Releases CSM-1B (1B parameters, Apache 2.0), the base model behind Maya.
  3. Launch.Sesame unveils its research preview with two voices, Maya and Miles.
About the author

Reviews & comments

Written by readers with a verified email address.

No reviews yet. Have you used Sesame? Share your real experience.

Reader reviews are counted separately and do not affect the Editorial Team’s score.

No comments yet. Be the first to share your experience.

Comments are readers’ opinions, not content from the AppDuo Editorial Team.