Comparisons
Meta Muse alternatives for calls, messages and everyday tasks
Try Arlo for personal calls, bookings and research from Messages or WhatsApp, with Slack available for work. Pally offers messaging and optional Mac access, Poke offers Recipes and human-assisted errands, and Hark Pro centers tasks in its app. OpenClaw is a self-hosted option. Choose around the job you want handled.
Looking for a Muse alternative you can text in Messages, or an assistant that can take a business call off your list? Start with the task and the conversation you want to use. Arlo handles personal calls, bookings and research from Messages or WhatsApp, with Slack for work.
We make Arlo. This guide compares the providers’ published features and plans, checked 3 November 2026.
The alternatives at a glance
| What you want | Consider | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Calls and everyday tasks from Messages or WhatsApp | Arlo | Phone menus, hold time, connected apps and websites; also works inside Slack |
| Messaging with connected chats or a hosted Mac | Pally | Direct messaging, calls and optional Cloud Mac access |
| Reusable app workflows or a person to handle an errand | Poke | Recipes and Poke Human under Ultra |
| A dedicated app for projects and browser tasks | Hark Pro | Projects and the Handoff browser agent |
| An assistant you host and maintain | OpenClaw | Control over the host, workspace and connections you configure |
Arlo: hand over the call from your text thread
Send Arlo the business you need called and what you want to find out. It can navigate the phone menu, wait on hold and speak to the business, then keep the outcome and transcript with your conversation.
You can use Messages or WhatsApp for personal errands and Slack for work. Connect email, a calendar or a website when your task needs it. Your private conversations stay private by default; sharing information with a team is a separate, authorized action.
Example request: “Call the restaurant and ask whether six people can sit together on Friday after seven. Check the vegetarian options and bring me the choices before booking.” Arlo checks unclear requests, spending and actions that cannot be undone.
For a completed research example, read the Rome dinner-shortlist case, with the saved output and recorded usage. Start free with Arlo and give it one errand you want handled. No card is needed to start; pricing lists the current allowance and call rates.
Pally: messaging and optional Mac access
Pally’s pricing page lists iMessage, RCS, WhatsApp and Telegram messaging, calls and connected apps. Its free use has limits that refill through the week. Cloud Mac is an optional $95-a-month hosted Mac signed into your Apple Account; invitation-only VIP offers higher limits.
Texting the assistant and giving it access to your existing chats are separate choices. General texting does not require Cloud Mac. See Arlo vs Pally for personal tasks and work.
Poke: Recipes and a human errand option
Poke offers connected apps and reusable Recipes through messaging. Its FAQ describes Poke Human, a person handling calls, reservations and other errands under Ultra at $199 a month. Real-world expenses remain separate. Poke also lists free use and a $19 Pro plan.
That gives you a choice between an AI call and a person handling the errand. See Arlo vs Poke for the different routes.
Hark Pro: a dedicated task app
Hark organizes work in its own app with Projects and Handoff, a browser agent on its own computer. Its pricing lists free use with all features and $20 and $100 monthly web tiers for more usage.
Consider it if you prefer an app-based home for browser tasks. The Hark vs Muse comparison covers the app and WhatsApp distinction.
OpenClaw: run the assistant yourself
OpenClaw is a self-hosted option for people who want to configure and maintain their own assistant. Its official documentation distinguishes local state and workspace from traffic sent to external models and messaging services. Hosting the assistant does not keep every request on your device.
You handle setup, hosting and model costs. Arlo is the managed option here when you want to start with a message instead of running infrastructure.
What to check before leaving Muse
Meta’s announcement describes Muse’s own app, WhatsApp access and cloud computer. Its subscription help lists free usage, Power at $20 a month and Max at $100 a month, with account and location eligibility. Muse remains in limited testing.
Compare the task, channel, required accounts and allowance. A restaurant deposit or purchase is separate from assistant usage. For a first Arlo task, send the outcome you want, your budget and the point where you want to decide.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Meta Muse alternatives? Try Arlo for personal calls and everyday tasks by text, Pally for messaging and optional Mac access, Poke for Recipes or human-assisted errands, Hark for a dedicated task app, or OpenClaw for self-hosting.
Is there a Muse alternative I can text in iMessage? Yes. Arlo works in iMessage and SMS, so you can send a call, booking request or reminder from Messages. Pally and Poke also offer messaging channels.
Can I use Arlo for personal tasks and work? Yes. Use Messages or WhatsApp for personal errands and Slack for work. Private user conversations stay private by default; team sharing is a separate authorized action.
Is Meta Muse free? Meta lists free usage with a limit, plus Power at $20 a month and Max at $100 a month. Account and location eligibility apply; check your current subscription options.
Does self-hosting keep every request on my device? No. OpenClaw can store state and workspace on your host, while data sent to external models and messaging services follows those providers’ policies.