Frequently Asked Questions

At minimum, you need ReadToMe stamps and books to place them in. Stamps work with any smartphone—just scan the QR code to record and play.

The ReadToMe Player is optional but recommended if you want your child to play books independently without using your phone.

Absolutely! Many families start with stamps to create keepsakes, then add the player later when they're ready for the independence feature. Stamps work great with just smartphones.

Nope! Here's the difference:

• Stamps only: Perfect for keepsakes. Anyone can scan with a smartphone to record or play.
• Stamps + Player: Gives your child true independence. They can play books without needing your phone.

No! You don't need to sign in to record or play stamps. Everything works with just your phone's camera scanning the QR code.

However, signing in gives you some nice benefits:

• Keep track of all the stamps you've accessed
• Play recordings later without needing the physical stamp
• Access your recording history from any device

But if you prefer to stay anonymous, that works perfectly fine too!

Each stamp has a unique QR code. When you scan it with any smartphone, it takes you to a recording page. If no recording exists, you can record one. Once recorded, anyone who scans that stamp will hear your recording.

Forever! Recordings are stored in our cloud with lifetime access. No subscription, no expiration. Create a recording today, and your great-grandchildren could listen to it decades from now.

By design, no. Once recorded, a stamp's audio is permanent. This protects precious recordings from being accidentally overwritten. Each stamp = one permanent recording.

You can record up to 50MB of audio per stamp, which is roughly 50 minutes. Most children's books take 5-15 minutes to read, so you'll have plenty of space.

Yes! They're designed to stick on any book cover—hardcover, paperback, board books. Just place them inside the front or back cover.

Yes! After recording, you can add page turn timestamps through the editing interface. We'll insert page turn sounds at those moments, making the experience more immersive.

It's a dedicated device with an NFC scanner that reads ReadToMe stamps. Your child taps their stamp on the player, and the story plays through connected speakers. No phone, no screen, no asking for permission.

No, but it works with speakers you probably already have. It has a standard 3.5mm audio output (aux jack). Connect it to:

• Old computer speakers
• Portable bluetooth speakers with aux input
• Any speakers with a 3.5mm jack

Yes, the player needs Wi-Fi to fetch recordings from the cloud when stamps are tapped. This is how it knows which recording to play for which stamp.

Very little! It's based on a Raspberry Pi, which uses minimal power. You can leave it on 24/7 for just a few dollars per year in electricity.

We recommend ages 2-8, but families use it outside this range too! If your child can tap a stamp and hold a book, they can use it. Some older kids still enjoy it for bedtime.

1. Place a stamp inside your book's cover
2. Scan the QR code with your smartphone
3. Press record and read the book
4. Submit the recording

Yes! The easiest way is to share the recording link:

1. Place a stamp in your book and scan it with your phone
2. Share that link with your family member (via text, email, etc.)
3. They open the link on their phone and record themselves reading
4. The recording is now tied to that stamp in your book!

Alternative: They can order stamps, record books at their location, then mail the stamped books to you. We're exploring more remote recording features for future updates!

As many as you want! Start with 6 stamps (one pack), then order more whenever you're ready to add books to the library. Build your collection over time.

Stamps: 4-6 business days via USPS

Player: Ships within 1-2 business days, arrives in 4-6 business days

We're a small family operation, so orders are packed by hand after we clear the dinner table.

Yes! Free shipping within the United States for both stamps and the player.

If you're not satisfied, contact us within 30 days and we'll make it right. We're a small family business that stands behind our products.

The system accepts most common audio formats: MP3, WAV, WEBM, M4A. We automatically convert files for optimal compatibility.

Yes! Your recordings are private to your family. Only people with the physical stamp (the QR code) can access the recording. We don't share or sell your data.

Golly please let us know if that happens. We'll troubleshoot with you and make it right. Your recordings are safe in the cloud—they're not stored on the device itself.

Nope! One-time purchase, no subscriptions ever.

We're a small family business and we read every message. If you have a question not answered here, please reach out!

Or learn more about our story and why we built ReadToMe.