Savi vs Countersign: detecting scams vs verifying it’s really them
Updated October 14, 2026 · 6 min read
Savi and Countersign sound similar because both help families with voice-clone scams, but they answer different questions. Savi asks “does this look like a scam?”. Countersign asks “is this really my relative?”. We make Countersign, so we’re not neutral. Facts about other products come from their public listings and press coverage on 14 October 2026, are linked below, and may have changed. If something here is wrong, email support@gocountersign.com and we’ll fix it.
At a glance
| What we compare | Savi | Countersign |
|---|---|---|
| The question it answers | Does this text, voicemail or call look like a scam? | Is this person really my family member? |
| Approach | AI that filters scam texts, screens voicemails and can listen to a call you add it to | A request to the real person’s own phone, confirmed with Face ID or a text reply; a safe word; practice calls |
| Live calls | “On Call”: you add Savi to a call and it listens for scam patterns and warns you; blocking scam calls before they ring was announced for fall 2026 | Doesn’t listen to calls. You ask the real person while the call is happening (or after you hang up) |
| Platforms | iOS and Android; reported as US-only at launch | Any phone with a browser; works by text for a parent without a smartphone |
| Price | $7.99 a month or $62.99 a year for the whole family, per launch coverage | Free for your first family of 3. First Class $1.99 to $5.99 a month by country |
| Free tools | Scamwise, a free web checker for screenshots, texts and emails | A free scam-text checker, a safe word generator |
| Strength | Catches scam patterns, including ones that don’t claim to be a relative | Settles the “is it really them?” question, which detection alone can’t when the caller sounds exactly right |
They’re complementary
A voice-clone call can be convincing enough that pattern detection may not flag it: the words are ordinary and the voice is right. That’s the case a verification step is built for. In the other direction, plenty of scams don’t impersonate a relative at all (a fake bank, a parcel text, a tech-support call), and a detection tool is better placed to spot those.
If you can only choose one: use a detection tool if your main worry is scam texts and calls in general; use Countersign if your main worry is someone impersonating your family. Many families would reasonably want both.
Where Savi may suit you better
- You want protection from scam texts and voicemails automatically, without anyone doing anything.
- You want a tool that can listen to a call and warn you in real time.
- Your worry is broader than family impersonation.
Where Countersign may suit you better
- You want a definite answer to “is it really them?”, not a probability.
- A parent uses a basic phone and texts.
- You want your family to practise and agree a safe word.
- You’d like a lower price for a small family.
Caveats
- Most of Savi’s performance claims come from the company; we haven’t independently tested it.
- Countersign needs the real relative to answer, so it can’t help if they can’t be reached; the fallback is to call back on a saved number.
- Neither replaces the basics: don’t send money because of an incoming call.
Frequently asked questions
Is Savi the same as Countersign?
No. Savi is built to detect scams in texts, voicemails and calls. Countersign is built to verify that a person is really who they claim to be, by asking them on their own phone.
How much does Savi cost?
Launch coverage reports $7.99 a month or $62.99 a year for a whole family. Check Savi’s site for current pricing.
Can I use Savi and Countersign together?
Yes. They address different parts of the problem: one flags suspicious content, the other confirms identity.
Does Countersign listen to my calls?
No. It never listens to or records your calls. It asks the real person a question on their own phone.