2026 Comparison
Be My Eyes brings two unique things to the table: a global network of sighted volunteers (a model unmatched anywhere, free), and Be My AI — the integration of OpenAI's GPT-4 that reads, describes, and identifies. Lumyeye takes a different path: a direct subscription to fund a native warm voice, fluid VoiceOver integration, iPhone voice control (Pro), Vision Live, and EU hosting with ephemeral memory. Two complementary approaches rather than opposing ones.
Side by side
| Criterion | Lumyeye Pro | Lumyeye Classic | Be My Eyes |
|---|---|---|---|
| User price | $16.99 / month | $14.90 / month | Free (volunteers + Be My AI) |
| Business model | Direct subscription (independence) | Direct subscription | Volunteer network + OpenAI partnership |
| Platform | iOS 16+ | iOS · Android | iOS · Android |
| AI response time | Instant | Instant | A few seconds (OpenAI request) |
| Volunteer wait (video) | — | — | 30 sec to several minutes |
| Human volunteer help | - | - | ✓ (unique in the world) |
| Visual AI (description, identification) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ Be My AI (GPT-4) |
| OCR text reading (mail, labels) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ via Be My AI |
| Continuous Vision Live | ✓ | - | - |
| iPhone voice control (Spotify, Maps, Mail) | ✓ | - | - |
| AI voice | Native warm voice | Native warm voice | Synthetic GPT / VoiceOver voice |
| Fluid VoiceOver integration | ✓ (months of work) | ✓ | Standard |
| Tap / double-tap activation (auto-sleep) | ✓ | ✓ | Standard menus |
| Email the result | ✓ | - | - |
| Hosting / data | EU, strict GDPR, ephemeral memory (20 actions) | EU, strict GDPR | Be My AI via OpenAI (outside EU) |
| Account required | No (Pro) | Sign in with Apple / Google | Account required |
| Voice onboarding at first launch | ✓ | - | - |
30 free queries on Lumyeye Classic, 40 on Pro. No credit card required.
Download Lumyeye →Sources: official websites and App Store listings, verified on May 12, 2026. If anything is inaccurate, please email contact@lumyeye.com.
Why switch
Be My AI runs on OpenAI's GPT-4 infrastructure (hosted outside the EU). In volunteer mode, your live video feed is transmitted to an unknown volunteer. Lumyeye sends a single photo to an EU-hosted AI, with no human in the loop, and an ephemeral memory of 20 actions that wipes when you close the app.
Be My AI speaks with GPT's synthetic voice. Lumyeye ships its own native warm and natural voice for its answers, readings, and descriptions, and integrates seamlessly with VoiceOver for those who use it (months of work). It feels less mechanical, more lively in daily use.
Be My Eyes and Be My AI focus on visual description — their core expertise, which they do well (Be My AI also reads text via GPT-4). Lumyeye Pro adds iPhone voice control: tap or double-tap to launch Spotify, Maps, Mail, read notifications, or email a reading result. A complementary layer beyond description.
Be My Eyes serves every visual impairment profile — see the conditions Lumyeye is designed for.
In all honesty
Be My Eyes brings two unique things. First, a global network of sighted volunteers — a model with no equivalent in the world, addressing a deeply human need: talking to someone, sharing a tricky situation, having a kind social contact. Second, Be My AI (launched in 2023 through the OpenAI / GPT-4 partnership) which describes scenes, reads mail, and identifies objects — a full visual AI, free.
Many users keep multiple apps installed: Lumyeye for everyday speed, native warm voice and EU hosting; Be My Eyes for the moments when talking to a human volunteer feels right; and Be My AI for certain tasks where it's handy. Each app answers a slightly different need.
Frequently asked questions
Be My Eyes is free thanks to its volunteer model and the OpenAI partnership for Be My AI. Its "Specialized Help" service connects users to brands (Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, etc.) for their products. Lumyeye chose a direct subscription model ($14.90 or $16.99/month) that funds independence, fast innovation, and lets it invest in the native warm voice, fluid VoiceOver integration, iPhone voice control on Pro, and strict EU GDPR hosting. Two complementary models rather than opposing ones.
Yes, and many users do. Lumyeye day-to-day for speed, native warm voice and EU hosting (a piece of mail, a label, a medication, the color of a shirt). Be My Eyes for the moments when you want to talk to a human volunteer, share a tricky situation, or simply have social contact. Be My AI can complement depending on the use case.
Yes in volunteer video mode: during the video call, the volunteer sees live what your camera is filming (unavoidable for them to help you). For personal content (home interior, sensitive documents), Be My AI (AI mode, no human) addresses that — the data then flows through OpenAI's GPT-4. Lumyeye sends a single photo to an EU-hosted AI; no human sees the image, and the data is ephemeral.
Be My AI is a real visual AI: it reads text (mail, labels), describes scenes and identifies objects via OpenAI's GPT-4 — hosted outside the EU. Lumyeye uses a strict-GDPR European infrastructure with ephemeral memory (20 actions, reset on close). Plus a native warm voice (vs synthetic GPT voice), fluid VoiceOver integration (months of work), and on Pro, iPhone voice control after a simple tap or double-tap (Spotify, Maps, Mail, calls). Two valid approaches depending on your priorities.
No. With Lumyeye Pro you download and it's immediately active: no password, no sign-up. Your email is only requested at first payment, after the 40 free queries. Be My Eyes requires account creation at startup (consistent with its volunteer matching and OpenAI partnership).
On first launch, a voice onboarding introduces and explains every feature. You don't have to read anything on screen: Lumyeye speaks to you directly. Then the only gesture to remember is unique — tap or double-tap to speak, auto-sleep at the end of the answer, tap to interrupt.
User testimonials
★★★★★
"I've been using Be My Eyes since 2019, and honestly the volunteers are lovely. But at 11 p.m. to check a medication label, it's complicated: either no answer, or a volunteer from a distant time zone who doesn't speak English well. With Lumyeye Pro I tap, I ask, I get the answer in 3 seconds, and nobody sees my living room. Huge relief."
Christine, 67 — Boston — AMD
★★★★★
"What bothered me with Be My Eyes was the idea that a stranger would see inside my home over video — my mail, my papers, the kitchen clutter… Be My AI fixed that but the service is still US-based with OpenAI. Lumyeye is hosted in Europe, I tap once and the iPhone describes my scene. My occupational therapist recommended it and I'm not disappointed."
Bernard, 72 — Chicago — Advanced glaucoma
40 free queries on Lumyeye Pro. About 30 free queries on Classic (1-click Sign in with Apple or Google available). No credit card required.