A natural voice without VoiceOver
Seeing AI and Be My Eyes need VoiceOver to be truly usable without looking at the screen. Lumyeye speaks for itself, warmly, with a voice that isn't the mechanical system voice.
Comparison 2026
Lumyeye vs Seeing AI,
Be My Eyes, Aira, Envision.
Pricing, features, platforms. The factual comparison of apps for blind and visually impaired users — no fluff, verified public sources.
The table
12 criteria, 6 solutions, the facts.
Horizontally scrollable on mobile.
| Criterion | Lumyeye Pro | Lumyeye Classic | Seeing AI | Be My Eyes | Aira | Envision Glasses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | €16.99 | €14.90 | Free | Free | Free / paid plans | $1,899 purchase + Envision App plan |
| Platform | iOS 16+ | iOS · Android | iOS · Android | iOS · Android | iOS · Android | Proprietary glasses |
| OCR reading (mail, books, labels) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | Via agent | ✓ |
| Scene description (photo) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | Via agent | ✓ |
| Live Vision streaming (real-time) | ✓ | - | - | - | Live video w/ agent | ✓ |
| Natural voice without VoiceOver | ✓ | - | - | - | - | ✓ |
| Fluid VoiceOver integration (months of work) | ✓ | ✓ | Partial | Partial | Partial | N/A |
| Activate by tap or double-tap anywhere | ✓ | - | - | - | - | Physical button |
| Voice onboarding on first launch | ✓ | - | - | - | - | - |
| Account required on open | None email at 1st payment | 1-click Apple / Google | Microsoft account | Signup required | Signup required | Envision account |
| Spotify, Maps, Mail by voice command | ✓ | - | - | - | - | - |
| Smart glasses | Ray-Ban Meta (soon) | - | - | - | - | Proprietary |
| Built-in color detector | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | Via agent | ✓ |
| Human volunteer required | - | - | - | Yes | Paid agents | - |
| Main languages | EN · FR · AR | EN · FR · AR | EN + 10 more | 180+ languages | EN | EN + 60 more |
| European hosting / strict GDPR | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - | - |
| Data retained on publisher side | None | None | Possible (training) | Possible (training) | Sessions recorded | Video sessions recorded |
| Memory wiped on close | ✓ 20 max actions, full reset | - | - | - | - | - |
Sources: official websites and App Store listings, verified May 13, 2026. If information is incorrect, write to us at contact@lumyeye.com.
Why Lumyeye
Three things no other solution combines.
One gesture for the whole iPhone
Spotify, Google Maps, Mail, calls. Where other apps cover only one function, Lumyeye Pro drives your whole iPhone by voice after a double-tap. No menu, no relearning.
Built in France, strict GDPR, ephemeral memory
No data resale, no ads, European hosting. Seeing AI sends your photos to Microsoft. Be My Eyes puts an unknown volunteer on video. Lumyeye stays private, on your iPhone: 20 max actions in memory, everything wiped on close, nothing kept server-side.
Frequently asked
Everything we're asked about alternatives.
Lumyeye is paid while Seeing AI and Aira are free — why?
Lumyeye runs on a direct subscription (€14.90 or €16.99 / month) because Seeing AI (Microsoft) and Aira are funded differently — Microsoft amortizes its app via its global ecosystem, Aira via grants and institutional partnerships. Lumyeye chooses independence via direct subscription to fund innovation speed, strict-GDPR European hosting, and ephemeral memory, with no ads or data resale. Each model has its logic.
Be My Eyes connects you with a volunteer — is that better?
Be My Eyes meets a different need: a human, free connection, but one that depends on the availability of an unknown volunteer and that involves sharing your video. Lumyeye is private, instant, no wait, no third party. The two solutions can complement each other — Lumyeye daily, Be My Eyes when you want to talk to someone.
Envision Glasses cost $1,899 — why not Lumyeye + Ray-Ban Meta?
Lumyeye Pro + Ray-Ban Meta compatibility (soon) is announced. Ray-Ban Meta cost about $379 (gen 2) and will work with your existing iPhone. Expected total: ~ $380 in hardware + €169.99/year Pro plan, i.e. ~ $580 in year one and $190 after that. Envision Glasses are proprietary and require their own subscription. 3-year math once compatibility is live: Lumyeye Pro + Ray-Ban ≈ $1,000; Envision ≈ $2,500.
Is Lumyeye really independent from other apps?
Lumyeye opens the apps you already use (Spotify, Google Maps, Mail). It doesn't replace them. You continue using the apps you know, but the command goes through Lumyeye by voice. Faster than learning VoiceOver in each app.
What about Android?
For now, Lumyeye Pro is iOS 16+ exclusive. Lumyeye Classic is available on iOS and Android and covers reading, photo vision, object ID, OCR, translation. The Pro Android version is in development — get notified of the launch.
Why doesn't Lumyeye Pro require an account on open?
So you can test immediately. On Lumyeye Pro, you download and it's instantly active — no Sign in, no password to dictate. Email is only asked at the first payment, after the 40 free queries. Compare: Lumyeye Classic offers a 1-click Apple or Google Sign-in on open; Seeing AI requires a Microsoft account; Be My Eyes a signup; Envision an account.
How is Lumyeye Pro activated?
A simple tap or double-tap anywhere on screen triggers listening. Sleep mode is automatic at the end of the answer. To interrupt an ongoing answer, a single or double tap is enough. The whole screen is the active zone — you don't have to target anything, unlike apps that demand a specific button.
Try it yourself.
40 free queries on Lumyeye Pro. No credit card. No account to create.