Chorus vs Martin
Martin is a consumer personal AI assistant from Y Combinator-backed Martin AI (DCWU, Inc.) that you reach by phone call, SMS, WhatsApp, email, Slack, or Telegram. It manages your calendar, email inbox, reminders, to-dos, and notes, and can make calls and send texts on your behalf. It is actively maintained as of 2026, available as an iOS app and web app, and raised a $2M seed round in January 2025.
Chorus is a platform for hiring AI employees — autonomous AI agents that each run on their own always-on computer, connect to 70+ tools, and handle real work end to end. Here’s how the two compare, honestly.
At a glance
| Comparison dimension | Chorus | Martin |
|---|---|---|
| Always-on computer | Every agent runs on its own dedicated always-on machine (4 vCPU / 8 GB) with a real browser — it keeps working when your laptop is closed. | No. Martin is a hosted assistant service acting through your connected accounts and the phone network; there is no per-user persistent machine, browser, or file system it operates. |
| Tool integrations | 70+ integrations out of the box — Gmail, Slack, Notion, GitHub, Linear, Stripe, and more. The agent handles the auth. | Small set: calendar (read/create/update events), email inbox (read/draft/reply), and Slack, plus built-in search (Google, Perplexity, Twitter, news/weather); a Google Drive integration launched in beta in September 2024 but is absent from the current docs, and there is no Notion, ClickUp, GitHub, Linear, or Stripe support. |
| Messaging channels | Web chat, iMessage/SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and Telegram — and it messages you proactively when work is done. | Phone calls, SMS, WhatsApp, email, Slack, and Telegram (added in the January 2026 iOS release), plus iOS app with voice mode and a web dashboard; it can also call and text other people on your behalf. |
| Persistent memory | Persistent memory and files live on the agent's own disk, so it remembers last week's work. | Learns your preferences over time and keeps notes, to-dos, and reminders it can read and edit from any channel; no user-visible files or disk. |
| Background automations | Scheduled jobs (crons) and background automations are built in — agents work while you're away. | Proactive background actions: daily/weekly email briefings, email triage with auto labels, proactive email drafts, Cc-to-schedule, wake-up calls, reminders, and Shortcuts (custom multi-step action triggers); proactive actions are limited on Basic and unlimited on Pro. |
| Pricing | Free plan to start (no card). Pro $20/mo for one always-on agent; Max $200/mo; extra agents $50/mo. | Basic $35/mo or $21/mo annual; Pro $49/mo or $30/mo annual (App Store: $250/yr Basic, $359/yr Pro); 7-day free trial, no free tier. |
Where Martin shines
- Real outbound phone calling: Martin can call you (wake-up calls with weather and schedule) and make calls or send texts to other people on your behalf, e.g. for reservations and scheduling.
- Unusually broad channel coverage for a consumer app: phone, SMS, WhatsApp, email, Slack, Telegram (added January 2026), plus an iOS voice mode and web dashboard.
- Polished, low-setup email and calendar automation: auto drafts and labels, email triage, daily/weekly email briefings, and Cc-Martin-to-schedule meetings.
- Simple flat subscription with unlimited proactive actions and custom tasks on Pro, so there are no usage credits to track.
- Active development and traction: YC-backed, $2M seed (January 2025), 4.3 stars from 264 App Store ratings, steady feature releases through early 2026.
Where it falls short
- Narrow integration surface: the current docs list calendar, email inbox, and Slack (plus built-in search via Google, Perplexity, and Twitter); a Google Drive integration shipped only as a beta in September 2024, and there is no Notion, ClickUp, GitHub, Linear, Stripe, or similar business-tool coverage.
- No dedicated computer or browser: Martin cannot log into arbitrary websites, run code, or work with files on its own machine, so it is limited to its built-in skills rather than open-ended work.
- The Basic plan restricts you to 2 tasks at a time with limited proactive actions and basic AI models; even Pro is a single assistant, not multiple agents working in parallel.
- iOS and web only; there is no Android app.
- Underlying models are not disclosed or selectable; plans only distinguish basic AI models from our most advanced AI models.
Choose Martin if…
- You want an assistant that literally uses the phone: wake-up calls, calling restaurants or contacts, and texting people on your behalf.
- Your needs are personal life admin (calendar, inbox zero, reminders, to-dos, notes) and you want a zero-setup consumer experience on iPhone.
- You prefer a flat, predictable subscription with unlimited proactive actions rather than metered usage credits.
- You mainly want to talk to an assistant over WhatsApp, SMS, or voice, not manage a workspace of agents.
Choose Chorus if…
- You need an agent that operates a real browser on its own always-on computer, logging into web apps and completing multi-step work while you are away.
- You need broad tool coverage for business work: Chorus has 70+ integrations including GitHub, Linear, Stripe, Notion, and Google Workspace, versus Martin's calendar, inbox, and Slack.
- You want multiple specialized agents with persistent files, typed memory, and scheduled crons running long background jobs, not one personal assistant.
- You want to pick your model (Claude Opus 4.8/Sonnet 5, GPT-5.6, Grok 4.5, Gemini 3.1 Pro) or generate images, or start free without a card, which Martin does not offer.
Common questions
Is Martin better than Chorus?
They solve different problems. Martin is a phone-first personal assistant that excels at calendar, inbox, reminders, and making calls or texts on your behalf, for a flat $21-49/month. Chorus gives you autonomous AI employees that each run on their own always-on cloud computer with a real browser, 70+ integrations, and scheduled background work, which suits broader business and personal workloads.
How much does Martin cost?
Martin Basic is $35/month (or $21/month billed annually) with basic AI models, limited proactive actions, and 2 tasks at a time; Pro is $49/month (or $30/month billed annually) with the most advanced models and unlimited proactive actions and custom tasks. There is a 7-day free trial but no permanent free tier. Chorus, by comparison, has a free plan with $10 in one-time credits, Pro at $20/month, and Max at $200/month.
Can Martin make phone calls?
Yes, outbound voice is Martin's signature feature: it gives wake-up calls with your weather and schedule, and can call or text other people for things like reservations and scheduling. Chorus agents communicate over web chat, iMessage/SMS, Slack, WhatsApp, and Telegram and message you proactively, but Martin is the stronger pick if you specifically want an assistant on the phone.