Muse vs Instinct vs Lucie

Three personal agents for everyday tasks, compared.

The short answer

Muse, Meta’s personal agent, is US only and free to start, lives in its app and WhatsApp, and by default asks before important actions like sending email or buying.

Instinct works by text and phone call, goes far on real-world errands and is built to act with little checking in. It is US-only and invite-only, and its Terms say agreements it makes for you are binding on you.

Lucie is a personal agent too: it books, drafts, follows up and plans, and always asks first. Its proactive support connects your calendar, inbox and health, so it can step in before something becomes urgent. On iPhone and Mac.

Sources · How we compared

How Muse, Instinct and Lucie compare

Muse, Instinct and Lucie compared
MuseInstinctLucie
Type of productPersonal agent for errandsPersonal assistant you textPersonal AI for your whole life
Questions and researchYesYesYes
Everyday requestsYesYesYes
Email and calendarVia integrationVia integrationYes
Connected appsVia integrationNoVia integration
Multi-step tasksRequires approvalYesRequires approval
What it isA personal AI agent from Meta that runs errands on its own cloud computerA personal assistant you text or call, which uses a phone and computer the way you wouldA personal AI assistant that gets things done and helps before you ask
How you use itChat in the Muse app or in WhatsAppText or phone call, including WhatsAppChat or talk in the Lucie app
What it does bestMulti-step errands: email, travel, shopping, forms. Keeps going after you close the appErrands end to end: groceries, tickets, reservations, inbox clean-upsEmail, calendar, research, follow-ups and bookings, connected to your health and goals
How much it does aloneWorks in the background and pings you when it needs youLimitedBuilt to act with little back-and-forth; press testers saw it send an email without askingProactive support helps before you ask, and many agents work on your goals. It acts only when you confirm
Before it actsRequires approvalBy default it asks before important actions like sending email or buying. You can change thisNo general confirm-first promise. Terms: confirmations may apply to “certain Actions”; agreements are “binding on you”Requires approvalNothing is sent, booked or bought until you confirm
Proactive helpYesWorks in the background on goals you give it and pings you when it needs youLimitedMostly acts on requests; users report it flagging calendar conflictsYesProactive support reads your calendar, inbox, health and memory, and speaks up only when something matters
Connects toVia integrationGmail and other email, calendar, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Apple HealthVia integrationGmail, Google Calendar and Drive; messaging appsVia integrationGmail, Outlook, iCloud, Google Calendar, Apple Health, Oura, WHOOP, Garmin and more
What users report on XUsers praise shopping and bill savings. Complaints: robot checks, slow tasks, a reported chat leakPraised for real errands in iMessage. One user lost about $350 on a wrong refund deadlineOur own product, so we left it out of this row. It is only on iPhone and Mac
Who can get itLimitedUS only, adults 18+. Card needed at sign-upLimitedUS only, by invite or waitlist. 18+YesOn the App Store and for Mac
PriceFree with usage limits; Power $20/mo; Maximum $100/moNo published price. Free during private access, per press7-day trial, then a subscription

How Muse, Instinct and Lucie differ

01Who decides before it acts?

Muse

It asks before important actions, by default

Instinct

Not promised; its agreements are binding on you

Lucie

You do. Every send, booking or change waits for you

02How do you reach it?

Muse

Muse app or WhatsApp

Instinct

Text or phone call

Lucie

Lucie app on iPhone and Mac

03What happens to your data?

Muse

Trains by default, with an opt-out

Instinct

Trains by default; opting out applies from then on

Lucie

Never trains on your chats, never sells your data

04Can you get it?

Muse

US only, free to start

Instinct

US only, by invite

Lucie

On the App Store and for Mac

Reactive or proactive?

Most AI waits for you to ask, Lucie helps before you need to.

Muse

Yes

Works in the background on goals you give it and pings you when it needs you

Instinct

Limited

Mostly acts on requests; users report it flagging calendar conflicts

Lucie

Yes

Proactive support reads your calendar, inbox, health and memory, and speaks up only when something matters

  • An important meeting tomorrow: it helps you prepare
  • An email that needs a reply: it drafts one for you
  • A restaurant that’s fully booked: it watches in the background and tells you when a table opens, even on another date
  • A friend’s birthday coming up: it suggests a gift and can order it with your OK
  • A request nobody answered: it follows up
  • A refund or insurance claim you’re owed: it spots it in your email and helps you claim it

An agent that acts is useful.
One that knows when to act is better.

Proactive support spots what needs you, and you approve.

A double-booked morning, sorted.

Lucie spots the clash and offers a better slot. If you let it act on your calendar, it makes the change and gives you one-tap Undo.

See how Lucie helps organise your day

A renewal, caught before it charges you.

With mail connected, Lucie spots trials about to convert and payments due, and warns you 3 days and 1 day before.

Muse, Instinct and Lucie, feature by feature

Feature comparison including Lucie
MuseInstinctLucie
Type of productPersonal agent for errandsPersonal assistant you textPersonal AI for your whole life
How you use itMuse app or WhatsAppText or call itChat or talk in the Lucie app
EmailVia integrationGmail and other email; asks before sending by defaultVia integrationReads and acts on GmailYesGmail, iCloud Mail and Outlook: inbox overview, drafts and follow-ups. You send
CalendarVia integrationConnects to calendarVia integrationGoogle CalendarYesGoogle, iCloud and Outlook calendars. Morning briefing and day-ahead plan
Taking actionsRequires approvalErrands on a cloud computer; asks before important actions by defaultActs for you; Terms make its agreements binding on youRequires approvalBooks tables, buys tickets, places orders, drafts replies and works on your Mac. Only after you confirm
Background agentsYesOne agent with its own cloud computerLimitedOne assistant that uses a phone and computer for youYesMany agents that work on your goals in the background
Proactive helpYesWorks in the background on goals you give it and pings you when it needs youLimitedMostly acts on requests; users report it flagging calendar conflictsYesProactive support reads your calendar, inbox, health and memory, and speaks up only when something matters
Sleep insightsLimitedCan read Apple Health; dedicated sleep features not confirmedNot currently supportedYesSleep duration, stages and history, with patterns you can ask about
Workout supportNot currently supportedNot currently supportedYesWorkouts and a weekly plan around your recovery
Meal trackingNot currently supportedNot currently supportedYesSend a photo of a meal for calories and macros, linked to your day
Breathwork and meditationNot currently supportedNot currently supportedYesGuided breathing and meditation in the app
Focus and app blockingNot currently supportedNot currently supportedYesFocus sessions, app and website blocking, daily allowances. Within iOS and macOS limits
WearablesLimitedApple Health onlyNot currently supportedVia integrationApple Health, Oura, WHOOP, Garmin, Polar, Suunto, Fitbit, Google Health Connect
PlatformsMobile, Mac, WhatsAppMessages and phoneiPhone (iOS 18+) and Mac (macOS 14+, Apple silicon)

Who are they working for?

Privacy and data, side by side
MuseInstinctLucie
Is advertising part of the business?Meta is ad-funded. Muse chats and cloud-computer data are not shared with Meta’s ad systems, per MetaNot publicly confirmedNoNo ads, and it never sells your data. Paid by subscription
Can your chats train its models?YesOn by default when you start using Muse, per its privacy pageYesOn by default, per its privacy policyNoNo. Lucie does not train on your chats
Can you opt out of training?YesYes, under Settings > Data controlsLimitedYes, in settings, but only from then onNothing to opt out of. You also choose what to connect and can disconnect any source
Can you delete your data?YesDelete messages and files, ask it to forget, or reset MuseLimitedYou can request deletion; disconnecting an account does not delete its dataYesEdit or remove memories; request deletion of your account and data
What does it connect to?Email, calendar, Meta apps, Apple Health; a browser on its cloud computerGoogle Workspace, messages, and what it reaches through a phone and computerMail, calendars, contacts, tasks, wearables and Screen Time, each with its own permission
Where is data stored?A dedicated cloud computer per user. Country not publishedNot publicly confirmedOperated in the US; storage location not publishedMade and hosted in the EU: servers and team offices are in Europe. The holding company is in Delaware, US
What happens before it acts?Requires approvalAsks before important actions by default; adjustableTerms: confirmations “may” apply to certain actionsRequires approvalNothing is sent, booked or bought until you confirm

Read the privacy policies yourself: Muse · Instinct · Lucie

Price and who can get it

Muse

Free with usage limits. Power $20/mo. Maximum $100/mo.

US only, adults 18+. Card needed at sign-up.

Instinct

No published price. Free during private access, per press.

US only, by invite or waitlist. 18+.

Lucie

7-day trial, then a subscription. See the App Store for prices where you live.

On the App Store and for Mac.

Also built in: health, focus and wellbeing

Lucie connects your body to your plans.

Need to focus?
It keeps the noise out.

Start a focus session and Lucie blocks the apps and websites you choose until it ends. Blocking works within what iOS and macOS allow.

Explore focus and app blocking

Two minutes of breathing.

Ask for a short guided breathing exercise, or let Lucie suggest one when your day gets heavy.

Explore breathwork and meditation

Our honest take

Pick Muse when

  • You want an errand agent that asks before it buys
  • You are in the US and want to start free
  • You don’t mind trusting your data and attention to Meta, an ad-funded company

Pick Instinct when

  • You have an invite and want errands handled end to end
  • You would rather text or call than open an app
  • You are comfortable with it acting on your behalf

Pick Lucie when

  • You want everything they do: errands, email, calendar and bookings
  • You also want your health, sleep and relationships connected to your plans
  • You want it all in one place, with your data kept private
  • Want an errand agent that asks before buying?Muse, if you are in the US.
  • Have an invite and want errands done for you?Instinct, once you have read its Terms.
  • Want an agent that knows when to act?Lucie. It books, drafts and follows up with your approval, and its proactive support flags what matters first. Available on iPhone and Mac today.

What people report on X

Muse

What works

What goes wrong

Instinct

What works

What goes wrong

Your life is more than a to-do list.

Your inbox, calendar, sleep and workouts in one AI.

Discover LucieGet it on iPhone

iPhone and Mac.

Questions people ask

Is Muse better than Instinct?

They take different approaches. Muse asks before purchases and is free to start in the US. Instinct is invite-only and built to act with very little checking in. Choose based on how much you want to approve yourself.

What is Lucie’s proactive support?

Proactive support is how Lucie helps before you ask. It connects signals from your calendar, email, health and daily life, recognises what matters and suggests the next step. Anything it sends, books or changes waits for your yes.

Can I use Instinct or Muse outside the US?

No. Both are US only for now, and Instinct also needs an invite. Lucie is on the App Store and for Mac.

Does Muse train on my chats?

Yes, by default, per Meta’s Muse privacy page. You can turn it off under Settings, Data controls.

Do Muse or Instinct connect to my wearable?

Muse can connect to Apple Health, per Meta. We found no health connection for Instinct. Lucie connects to Apple Health, Oura, WHOOP, Garmin, Polar, Suunto and Fitbit.

Does Lucie train on my chats or sell my data?

No to both. Lucie is paid for by subscription, has no ads, and is made and hosted in the EU.

Is there a longer read on this?

Yes. Our essay Instinct vs Muse vs Lucie looks at where personal AI is heading.

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More about Lucie

Sources

How we compared. We read each product’s own website, help pages, terms and privacy policy, then reputable press where official pages were missing or unreachable. Anything we could not confirm is labelled. Lucie is our product, so we have tried to describe the others the way we would want to be described. The Lucie screens on this page are illustrations, not screenshots.