Jump to a section
About BellaBear
What is BellaBear?
BellaBear is a personalized bedtime story service for young children. Each night, your child gets a brand-new story featuring their own character (called a Bear Persona) — narrated in a voice that sounds like yours. It's screen-free audio, designed for cozy bedtimes.
How does it work?
It's three simple steps:
- Record your voice — spend 5-10 minutes reading a provided script. This creates your personal voice model.
- Create a Bear Persona — your child picks a bear name, favorite animal, favorite color, and interests. This character stars in every story.
- Get stories — each night, BellaBear creates a brand-new, personalized story and narrates it in your voice. Download the MP3 or play it directly.
What ages is it for?
BellaBear stories are designed for children ages 2-8 years old. Story complexity adjusts automatically based on the age range you set for your child's Bear Persona (2-4, 5-6, or 7-8).
Technology
Are the stories written by AI?
We use AI (specifically Anthropic's Claude) to create each unique story. Every story passes through our multi-layer safety filters designed specifically for children's content. We chose AI because it allows us to create a brand-new, personalized story every single night — something no human author could do at this scale.
The AI never has access to your child's real name — only their Bear Persona character details.
Is the narration really my voice?
We use voice synthesis technology (Fish Audio) to create a voice model from your recording. The narration sounds like you — warm and familiar — but it is generated by technology, not a recording of you reading each story. For young children especially, the resemblance is enough to feel like Mommy, Daddy, or Grandma is reading to them. It's not perfect, and we won't pretend it is — but it's pretty magical.
Is my data safe?
We take data security very seriously. All data is encrypted at rest (AES-256) and in transit (TLS 1.3). We are fully COPPA compliant, meaning children's privacy gets the highest level of protection. Voice recordings are stored in encrypted cloud storage and never on local servers.
For full details, read our Privacy Policy.
Voice Cloning
How much do I need to record?
We recommend 5-10 minutes of you reading aloud from a script we provide. A quiet room works best. The more you record, the better the voice model captures your unique speech patterns and tone — but even 5 minutes produces good results.
How good will the voice sound?
The voice model will be recognizably similar to your real voice — your tone, pacing, and warmth come through. It won't be a perfect clone (voice synthesis technology isn't quite there yet), but for young children, it sounds like you. Most parents tell us their kids respond to it just like the real thing.
Can grandparents record their voice?
Yes! On the Dreamland plan, up to 4 different people can create voice models — perfect for grandparents, aunts, uncles, or other loved ones. Each person must sign their own voice consent form — you can't consent on behalf of another adult. We'll send them a simple link to record and consent.
Can I delete my voice?
Absolutely. You can delete your voice recording and voice model at any time from your account settings, or by emailing privacy@bellabear.co. Your voice data will be permanently removed from all systems within 30 days of your request. You'll receive confirmation when it's done.
Bear Personas
What is a Bear Persona?
A Bear Persona is a character your child creates — their bear name, favorite animal, favorite color, and personality. This character stars in every single story as the hero. Think of it as your child's storybook alter ego. Instead of "Once upon a time, there was a child named [real name]," it's "Once upon a time, Captain Sparkle the brave bear set off on an adventure..."
Why not use my child's real name?
Bear Personas keep stories deeply personal without ever exposing your child's real identity. Your child's real name is never entered into our system, never sent to AI providers, and never stored in any database. The Bear Persona name is just as magical to your child — and it keeps them safe.
Pricing
What's included in each plan?
| Feature | Moonbeam $9.99/mo | Starlight $16.99/mo | Dreamland $24.99/mo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stories per month | 20 | 30 | Unlimited |
| Voice clones | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Bear Personas | 1 | 2 | Unlimited |
| "What happened today" | -- | Yes | Yes |
| Yoto/Tonies export | -- | Yes | Yes |
| Sibling stories | -- | -- | Yes |
| Holiday specials | -- | -- | Yes |
| Printable illustrations | -- | -- | Yes |
Annual pricing: Moonbeam $89/yr, Starlight $149/yr, Dreamland $219/yr — save up to 27%.
Is there a free trial?
Yes! Every new user gets a 7-day free trial. No credit card required to start. You'll get to create a Bear Persona, record your voice, and receive sample stories before deciding.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes, absolutely. You can cancel your subscription at any time from your account settings or by emailing support@bellabear.co. Your cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period — you'll keep access until then.
Do you auto-charge after the trial?
Content Safety
What if a story is inappropriate?
While our multi-layer safety pipeline catches the vast majority of issues, no automated system is perfect. If you receive a story that feels off, you can report it immediately by clicking "Report Story" in the player or emailing safety@bellabear.co. We review every report within 24 hours and take corrective action to prevent similar issues.
Can I preview stories before my child hears them?
Yes, and we recommend it — especially for children ages 2-3. Every story can be previewed (read or listened to) by the parent before being shared with your child. You're always in control.
What themes are in the stories?
BellaBear stories feature gentle adventures, animal friends, cozy bedtimes, kindness, bravery, and wonder. Stories are designed to wind down, not ramp up. Our content guidelines strictly prohibit:
- Scary or frightening content
- Violence of any kind
- Inappropriate language or themes
- Content that could cause nightmares
- Themes involving death, loss, or separation anxiety
Compatibility
Does it work with Yoto?
Yes! Download your story as an MP3 file and upload it to a Make Your Own Yoto card using the Yoto app. Available on Starlight and Dreamland plans.
Does it work with Tonies?
Yes! Download your story as an MP3 file and upload it to a Creative-Tonie through the mytonies app. Available on Starlight and Dreamland plans.
Can I use it on a smart speaker?
We're working on it! An Alexa skill is currently in development. In the meantime, you can download stories as MP3s and play them through any speaker, smart display, or device that supports audio playback.