Martin vs Pally
We give Martin a 2.6 GPA and Pally a 3.4, out of 4.0. Pally grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Martin
Personal AI assistant you text, call, email or message in Slack
Free trial · from $21/mo
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAMartinGood | 3.4GPAPallyVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CBasic is $21 a month billed yearly, but $35 if you pay monthly, and it's limited to basic AI models and 2 tasks at a time. The parts that make it feel like an assistant, email triage, Cc to Schedule and wake-up calls, need Pro at $30 a month billed yearly or $49 monthly. | AFree for everyone, with every feature included, so there's no price to weigh. The one paid plan, Pally VIP, is $1,000 a month and by invitation only. A Cloud Mac add-on is paid too, but its price isn't published. |
| Free plan and trial | DNo free plan. New users get a 7-day free trial, and the plan you picked is charged when it ends. So it rolls into a bill unless you cancel in time. | BEvery connection, unlimited automations, calls and web research are free. But there's one usage limit that refills through the week, and the listing can't say how big it is. Raising it means Pally VIP, which is invitation-only. Chat keeps working if you hit it. |
| Features | AText him, call him, email him or DM him in Slack. He drafts and replies across up to 5 Gmail and 5 Outlook accounts, runs Google, Apple and Outlook calendars, keeps to-dos and notes, and sends reminders by text, call or Slack. He'll also text or phone other people for you, say to book a reservation. | AIt reads across Gmail, Outlook, calendars, WhatsApp and Slack to flag what needs a reply and send a morning brief. It runs automations the moment something happens, makes bookings and purchases through a wallet you connect, and phones businesses. It checks first on anything you haven't approved. |
| Ease of use | BThere's nothing to learn: you text or call him like a person. A saved shortcut runs a multi-step request whenever you ask for it. No rating is on record to go by, so a B. | BThere's no app to install and no sign-up form: you text it like a person. To be useful it needs your email, calendar and chat accounts connected. There's no rating on record to go by, so a B. |
| Platforms and integrations | BText, WhatsApp, phone, email and Slack, plus a web dashboard and an app for iPhone and iPad. Inboxes are Gmail and Outlook only, and the site and docs mention no Android app. | BYou text it from an iPhone, an Android phone, an iPad or a Mac, or message it on Telegram. There's a web dashboard and a Mac app, but no phone app. It connects to Gmail, Outlook, WhatsApp, Slack, Notion and Linear. Reading iMessage history needs the Mac app, with the Mac awake. |
| Best for | running your day by text or phone call | a free assistant you reach by text message |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Martin and Pally. How we grade
Where they differ
- Pally has a free plan. Martin does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Martin lists an iOS app.
- Only Pally lists a macOS app.
- Pally also covers workflow automation.
In commonWebChat assistantTasksInbox filteringAI agents
At a glance
| Martin | Pally | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $21 per month, billed yearly (Basic); $35 billed monthly | Not published |
| Free plan | None | Free for everyone with every feature included. One usage limit refills continuously through the week; Pally warns you before you reach it and chat keeps working if you do. |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial for new users; the chosen plan is charged when the trial ends | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Martin AI (DCWU, Inc.) | Pally Technologies, Inc. |
| Price read from | trymartin.com | pally.com |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Martin
- People who want to run email, calendar and reminders by text or phone call
- Scheduling meetings by copying an assistant on an email thread
- iPhone users who want reminders delivered by SMS, call or Slack
Pally
- People who want an assistant in their text thread instead of another app
- Catching up on WhatsApp, iMessage and email and chasing replies
- Personal errands such as bookings, purchases and calls to businesses
Worth knowing
Martin
- There is no free plan: every plan is paid after a 7-day trial, from $21 a month billed yearly or $35 billed monthly.
- Wake-up calls, Cc to Schedule, email triage and proactive drafts are available only to Pro users, according to Martin's documentation.
- The only mobile app listed is for iPhone and iPad; the site and documentation mention no Android app.
- Inbox connections cover Gmail and Outlook only, and the Basic plan limits Martin to 2 tasks at a time.
Pally
- Pally has no mobile app: it works over text messages and Telegram, with a web dashboard at my.pally.com and a Mac app for iMessage and Mac access.
- The Cloud Mac add-on is paid, but its price is not published; the terms say fees are shown before you are charged.
- The free plan's usage limit can be raised only with Pally VIP, which is invitation-only at $1,000 a month or $10,000 a year.
- Reading iMessage history needs the Pally Mac app on macOS 13 or later and works only while that Mac is awake.
Key features
Martin
- Reachable by text, call, email and Slack
- You can text Martin by SMS or WhatsApp, phone him, email or forward messages to him, or DM him in Slack. He can also text and call other people for you, for example to book a reservation.
- Inbox drafting and triage
- Connects up to 5 Gmail and 5 Outlook accounts to read, draft and reply to email. Email triage, a Pro feature, labels incoming mail and takes the follow-up steps you define.
- Calendar and Cc to Schedule
- Reads, creates and updates events in Google, Apple and Outlook calendars. On Pro, copying Martin on an email thread has him propose times and add the confirmed meeting.
- Reminders, to-dos and notes
- Keeps a to-do list and notes for you, and delivers reminders by app notification, SMS, phone call, email or Slack at the time you ask for.
- Briefings and wake-up calls
- Sends daily or weekly email briefings on the topics you choose. Pro users can also get a phone call each morning with the weather and the day's schedule.
- Shortcuts
- A saved shortcut runs a multi-step instruction on demand, such as checking your calendar, reminders, to-dos and unread email and texting you a summary.
Pally
- An assistant in your texts
- You text Pally from an iPhone, iPad, Mac or Android phone, or message its Telegram bot. It keeps a memory of the people, plans and details you mention and tidies it nightly.
- Connected accounts
- Links to Gmail, Outlook and iCloud mail, calendars, WhatsApp, Slack, Google Drive, Notion, Linear, GitHub, Jira, Todoist, Granola and X, plus a read-only bank connection.
- Briefs, alerts and automations
- Sends a morning brief and alerts for important messages across what you connect, and runs unlimited custom automations, including ones triggered the moment something happens.
- Bookings, purchases and calls
- Completes bookings and orders on the web, paying through a payment wallet you connect, and phones businesses for you. It checks first on anything you have not asked for or approved.
- Teams and group chats
- A team links members' assistants so they coordinate with each other, with each person choosing what to share. Pally can also be added to an iMessage or Telegram group chat.
- Pally Mac app
- On macOS 13 or later, the Mac app connects your iMessage history and lets Pally see the screen, reach folders you grant and run steps you ask for while the Mac is on.
Plans
Martin
Basic$21
per month, billed yearly; $35 billed monthly
Basic AI models, limited proactive actions, and Martin handles 2 tasks at a time.
Pro$30
per month, billed yearly; $49 billed monthly
Martin's most advanced AI models, unlimited proactive actions and unlimited custom tasks.
Business$36
per month, billed yearly; $59 billed monthly
Everything in Pro, plus centralized billing and adding Martin to your Slack. The page does not say whether the price is per user.
Pally
Free$0
Every connection, unlimited custom automations, calls, tasks, reminders, web research, and a phone number and email address for the assistant.
Pally VIP$1,000
per month, or $10,000 per year; by invitation only
Higher usage limits than the free plan, on the same AI models. The terms say it is offered only to users Pally invites.
Ways to pay less
Martin
- Annual discount
About 40% less with yearly billing
Basic is $21 a month billed yearly against $35 billed monthly, Pro is $30 against $49 and Business is $36 against $59, a saving of roughly 39% to 40%.
Pally
No public discounts listed.
