Dottie vs ElliQ: an honest comparison

ElliQ and Dottie at a glance

Checked October 2026 on elliq.com and aging.ny.gov. Prices in US dollars, before tax, and they may change.

Device and setup

ElliQ is a small tabletop robot that sits beside its own touchscreen. ElliQ describes it as an all-in-one, voice-activated device that arrives pre-configured: you plug it in and connect it to Wi-Fi. The subscription includes a lease of the device, shipping, installation support and an ongoing warranty for as long as you keep it.

Dottie has no hardware of her own. She runs in the web browser on an iPad, an Android tablet or a phone, as long as it has a microphone and an internet connection. There's nothing to install. You set it up once from your own phone, then connect your parent's device with a link or QR code. Your parent never has to log in.

In practice, if your parent already has a tablet, or there's a spare one in the family, Dottie costs nothing extra to get going. If they don't, you'll need to buy one. ElliQ arrives as one finished object that does one job, which some families find easier to explain and easier to leave alone.

Conversation style

ElliQ is designed to be proactive. New York State's Office for the Aging describes it as starting conversations, recommending activities and remembering details people share with it. ElliQ also hosts group activities such as bingo and virtual tours with other ElliQ members, and offers games on its screen.

Dottie works the other way round. Your parent taps a friendly animated character, Dottie or her friend Teddy, and they chat, like a friend over tea. Dottie remembers names and important things between chats. There's internet radio, guided breathing, stories, word games and the weather. Stories your parent agrees to keep are written up in their own words in a story book, and family can add questions for Dottie to ask.

The big difference is who speaks first. ElliQ will pipe up; Dottie won't. For some people a companion that speaks up unprompted is welcome company. For others it can feel like an interruption. You know your parent best.

Family features

ElliQ's caregiver app is the fuller of the two. ElliQ says it lets you start a video call, get alerts if your parent reports pain or a change in mood, set medication and hydration reminders, create exercise or wellness goals, see when they were last active and send photos to the screen. You can invite other family members too.

Dottie's family dashboard is lighter by design. It shows when your parent chatted and a short summary of each chat. Full conversations are shown only if your parent agrees and you turn sharing on. If your parent mentions a fall, chest pain, trouble breathing, feeling very unwell or self-harm, a red help card appears with press-and-hold buttons to call the local emergency number or the family contact, and it shows on your dashboard. Dottie doesn't call or notify anyone automatically.

Neither is an emergency service. ElliQ says it is not a medical device. Dottie is not a medical, care or emergency service, and she doesn't detect falls.

Privacy

ElliQ's site says it is designed for HIPAA compliance and has a published code of AI ethics. Its caregiver app gives family a fairly detailed view, including activity and reported pain or mood.

Dottie keeps the family view to summaries unless your parent agrees to more. Dottie is honest that it's an AI, never asks for money or passwords, and warns about scams. It's worth reading both privacy policies and talking it through with your parent before you choose.

Price over 12 months

Here is the arithmetic, using the prices each company published when we checked.

ElliQ figures from elliq.com, checked 16 October 2026. ElliQ's device is included in its subscription; Dottie's price doesn't include a tablet or phone.

A few things to know. ElliQ's annual plan needs a 12-month commitment, then carries on month to month. When we checked, ElliQ was also showing a "WELCOME" code for a first month free; the terms weren't stated, so we've left it out of the sums. Dottie Daily gives up to 30 minutes of chatting a day and you can cancel any time. There's also a Plus plan with up to 1 hour a day for $59 a month.

If your parent qualifies for a funded programme, ElliQ may cost you nothing at all, which changes the sums completely.

When ElliQ is the better choice

For some families ElliQ is the right choice. It's likely to suit you better if:

• Your parent would enjoy a companion that speaks first. ElliQ starts conversations and suggests activities without being asked. Dottie doesn't.
• You want wellness features in the package. ElliQ offers medication reminders, health and pain tracking and gentle exercise suggestions. Dottie has none of these.
• You'd prefer dedicated, always-on hardware. One device on the table that does one job, rather than a tablet that also has other apps on it.
• You want video calls and photos through the same device. ElliQ's caregiver app lets family video call and send photos to its screen.
• Your parent may qualify for a funded programme. New York State's Office for the Aging offers ElliQ at no cost to eligible people while funding lasts; ask your local Area Agency on Aging. ElliQ also has an eligibility form for its state partner programmes.

When Dottie may suit better

• Your parent already has a tablet or phone, and you'd rather not pay an enrolment fee or lease a device.
• They'd like to choose when to chat, rather than be prompted.
• They'd be more comfortable in Hungarian, German, Spanish or French. Dottie speaks all four, as well as English (English is the most polished; the others are still improving).
• You'd like a lighter family view that keeps the details of their chats private by default.
• You'd like to try it free for a week before paying anything.

Questions families ask