The Machine vs Meta Muse

Muse searches your mail in Meta’s cloud. The Machine: all of it.

Muse searches your mail when a task needs it, from a virtual machine in Meta’s cloud, and trains Meta’s AI on your chats unless you turn that off. The Machine reads every new message on your own server or computer, and never trains AI on it.

The Machine giving a thumbs up

Coverage depends on the sources you connect, their collection limits and your noise filters. Collected signals stay queued for review; large backlogs can take more than one review.

The Machine

Meta Muse

Where your data lives

✓The Machine: Your own server in the EU, or your own computer

✕Muse: A virtual machine in Meta’s cloud

Covers all your mail, calendar and chats

✓The Machine: Every new message from every source you connect

–Muse: Searches your mail as needed. Not your whole inbox by default.

Trains AI on your chats

✓The Machine: Never. We have no AI of our own.Your AI provider’s own setting applies

✕Muse: On by default, for Meta’s AI. You can turn it off.

Take it with you

✓The Machine: Everything in one file. Import it at home or on another host.

–Muse: Download your chats and files

Open source, run it yourself

✓The Machine: Yes, AGPL-3.0. Free on your own computer.

✕Muse: No

Available in Europe

✓The Machine: Yes, hosted in the EU

✕Muse: Not in Europe. US and Canada only.

Works with other people’s assistants

✓The Machine: Yes, on The Machine Network: friends, family and team

✕Muse: Not mentioned in its docs

Cost

–The Machine: Free on your own computer, or €25 a month hosted, excl. VAT, 7 days free. Plus your AI plan.

–Muse: Free with a usage limit. $20 or $100 a month for more.

Based on their public information as of 22 October 2026: Introducing Muse, Muse in the US and Canada, Muse privacy, Muse data, Muse subscriptions. Something changed? Tell us.

More than a reader

And beyond reading everything

Open source

Read the code and run it yourself.

Read more →Graph

The people and companies it learned from your messages.

Read more →Work Fleet

Your team’s Machines ask each other and hand work off.

Read more →The Machine Network

Friends, family and colleagues, end-to-end encrypted.

Read more →

Try it

Tap the buttons

A card as it reaches your phone, ready for your yes. Made-up data, nothing is sent.

Get your Machine Try the demo

Hosted: €25 a month, excl. VAT. 7 days free, cancel any time. Free: try the demo or run it yourself.

More comparisons · How we keep it safe

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The MachineDemo · nothing is sent

Follow up with Alex about pricing

Alex asked about the annual plan on Tuesday and hasn’t had a reply. Their trial ends Friday. I can draft a short answer with the numbers.

Source: email from Alex · Tue 13 Oct