Increasingly, users can communicate with AI agents directly via text instead of downloading dedicated applications.
Simply send a message detailing your request, and these agents can maintain context, interface with existing apps and services, and perform tasks on your behalf. This can include arranging appointments, managing calendars, conducting trip research, sending emails, making reservations, shopping online, or setting reminders for future tasks.
Instinct is currently one of the most talked-about AI agents, recently achieving a valuation of $10 billion following a substantial funding round of $1 billion. However, many other competitors are also entering this growing market.
Here are some standout options available today, ranging from general personal assistants to those specifically designed for families, travel, and professional settings.
Caddy
Caddy acts as an AI assistant, consolidating the information on your device into actionable items. It operates within iMessage for iPhone users and RCS for Android users, eliminating the need for an additional app.
For instance, it can recognize events mentioned in emails or tasks sent by friends and add them directly to your calendar. Caddy seamlessly connects with your calendars and chats to identify what needs attention, allowing it to set reminders and conduct research on your behalf.
Caddy has been publicly available in beta since April 2026.
Comma
Comma is tailored for managing tasks both at work and in daily life. It not only tracks tasks through their completion but also checks its work and marks when a task is done.
Completed tasks are presented for review whenever decisions or approvals are needed, and users receive proactive notifications along with suggested next steps.
It can operate across browsers, computers, and various files while remaining accessible through messaging platforms like Signal, Telegram, and WeChat. Comma remembers context across devices and conversations, offering daily summaries and highlighting urgent issues.
Comma is open-source and free to start.
Fambot
Fambot serves as an AI-powered “chief of staff” for families, organizing various aspects of family life—school communications, sports activities, meals, calendars, and other tasks—into a cohesive plan.
Accessible via both an app and texts, Fambot provides summaries of the next day’s events, including to-dos and packing requirements, and allows parents to interact by responding to messages for further clarifications or changes.
Currently, Fambot integrates with Gmail, Google Calendar, and Outlook, with forthcoming support for Apple Calendar.
Having entered beta in September 2026, Fambot has successfully raised $3.5 million in pre-seed funding and is currently offered free during the beta phase, with future plans to charge a fee similar to a Netflix subscription model.
Folk
Accessible via iMessage, WhatsApp, and Telegram, Folk functions as a memory-driven AI assistant, managing reminders, conducting research, and executing real-world tasks.
Folk runs on its own private cloud and can perform multi-step tasks in addition to routine conversational responses.
The beta version launched in May 2026, and while it is free to use, there’s a Pro subscription option available at $8.33 per month for unlimited background tasks.
Instinct
Instinct gained traction after securing $350 million at a $2.5 billion valuation, escalating to $1 billion in funding, achieving a valuation of $10 billion in September 2026.
Available via text or voice, this continuous assistant can perform various tasks instead of just responding to inquiries. Instinct connects with numerous apps and services like email and calendars, enabling users to utilize it for diverse tasks such as trip planning, grocery shopping, ordering tickets, and even cancelling subscriptions.
Instinct has begun allocating dedicated email addresses to users for its functionality, allowing it to handle account management without cluttering personal inboxes. The agent can sign up for services, follow up with businesses, and perform tasks requiring email interaction. The rollout of calling support has also commenced, although its autonomous capabilities have raised privacy concerns. Currently, the company operates in private beta.
Iris
Iris, powered by the Hermes Agent, allows users to delegate tasks by sending simple messages via iMessage. It can integrate with various apps, executing tasks while retaining context from previous discussions and prompting users for follow-ups as necessary.
Martin
Martin is a versatile personal assistant accessible via various platforms including SMS, phone, WhatsApp, email, and its own iOS app.
It aids in calendar management, email handling, reminder postings, notes, and communication tasks. It can also send messages or make calls on behalf of users while offering daily summaries of actions requiring attention.
Its subscription model starts at $21 per month.
Miso
Miso specifically tailors its personal-assistant capabilities to travel planning.
It works through iMessage, combining AI-driven trip planning with support from a dedicated travel team. Users can book flights through messaging while Miso caters to their preferences, loyalty points, and priorities, offering personalized insights and updates during their journeys.
Ohai
Ohai focuses on managing daily family chores, handling everything from calendar coordination to meal organization.
Users can send tasks or requests via text or voice, allowing the assistant to create schedules and reminders accordingly. It is tailored to connect multiple family members’ schedules and responsibilities seamlessly.
Ohai provides a free basic version along with several subscription plans that depend on family size, starting at $9.99 per month.
Ollie
Ollie aims to consolidate household information scattered across various platforms, ensuring that families utilize existing data efficiently.
Its key feature is achieving SOC 2 compliance, a recognized security standard, making it a standout option for families. Launched in June 2026, Ollie offers free and paid plans, starting at $25 per month for limited message usage.
Orbits
Orbits similarly provides an AI assistant focused on household management, unifying calendars, to-do lists, and conversations. This assistant is capable of executing various tasks, such as booking services, web searching, and coordinating household responsibilities.
Orbits emphasizes communication with service providers and managing responsibilities beyond just the immediate household.
The platform has garnered the support of notable investors, including Andreessen Horowitz and N49P.
Pally
Users can interact with Pally like they would with a friend, having the assistant navigate through connected apps. It helps keep track of plans, receipts, and important dates from services such as Gmail and Google Drive.
Pally offers a free plan that includes limited call time, with additional paid plans starting at $25 for more extensive use.
Poke
Launched in March 2026, Poke is a general-purpose assistance app that operates through text, facilitating a range of tasks involving scheduling and smart home controls. Notably, Poke became the first AI agent approved on the Apple Messages for Business platform.
In June, it was acquired by AI startup Cognition in a lucrative deal.
Rene
Rene focuses on forming strong interactions with users, facilitating a range of tasks from managing reminders to generating content like slides or images.
Designed for platforms such as iMessage and Telegram, it engages in natural conversations, retaining context and remembering important details across discussions.
Skye
Skye acts as an “agentic homescreen” for the iPhone, providing proactive suggestions and daily briefings based on user interactions with connected services.
With seed funding of approximately $3.6 million raised in 2025, it is currently undergoing private testing with no public release date confirmed.
Stanley
Stanley is specifically crafted for content creators, functioning as an AI content head available through multiple platforms, helping users produce posts and maintain a streamlined publishing calendar.
It can integrate with social media accounts, convert voice notes into structured content, and simplify the creative process by automating many of the manual tasks associated with content production.
Szn
Szn is designed to streamline task coordination within a single conversation thread. Users can communicate through various formats, and the assistant will carry out tasks like making calls or sending emails for them.
The company boasts having supported a significant number of businesses and completed various tasks across numerous countries.
Tab
Tab empowers users to assign daily tasks through popular messaging applications, with the assistant handling everything from ordering groceries to finding gifts.
The company announced its venture out of stealth mode with a $300 million valuation, bolstered by notable investments from various firms.
Tomo
In contrast to many personal assistants, Tomo can join group conversations, enhancing collaboration by helping users set goals and manage their schedules collectively.
Offering various organizational capabilities, its basic subscription starts at $19.99 each month.
Town
Town is geared towards enhancing professional productivity, providing users with an AI assistant to streamline their workflows across various platforms.
In June 2026, it attracted a $55 million Series A investment led by major venture capital firms.
Underdog
Focusing on user privacy, Underdog launched an invite-only beta test in early October 2026. This AI model operates entirely on users’ devices without relying on cloud support, thus keeping personal data secure.
The company intends to introduce the application for free initially and has committed to not including ads.
Wajo
Wajo’s first consumer agent, Fo, is designed to take care of everyday tasks, including making reservations and coordinating actions among people.
A distinctive feature of Wajo is giving Fo its unique identity with its own email and phone credentials, thus allowing it to independently interact with businesses and coordinate tasks. Should Fo encounter tasks beyond its abilities, Wajo can enlist a human assistant to complete the task.
Launched in September 2026, Fo offers a free tier along with premium options for users with heavier workload requirements.
