Frequently Asked Questions
Who signs up — the patient or the caregiver? +
Anyone can sign up — it does not have to be the patient. Typically, a Primary Caregiver signs up, creates the care group, names the patient, and then invites family members and other caregivers by email. The patient can also have their own account if they'd like.
Does everyone on the care team have to pay? +
No — only one person pays. The subscription is tied to the care group, not individual users. Everyone invited to the care group gets the same plan access. If the Primary Caregiver is on the Family plan, all invited members get Family plan features at no additional cost.
How do I invite family members? +
Open the app and tap the Family tab. Tap "Invite Member" and enter their email address. They'll receive an invitation to download Carelyn and join your care group. Once they accept, they can see and contribute to the shared care record.
Is my health data private? +
Yes. Your data is only visible to members of your care group — people you explicitly invite. We use bank-level encryption and row-level security to ensure no one outside your care group can access your data. We never sell your health information or use it for advertising.
Is Carelyn HIPAA compliant? +
Carelyn is a consumer care coordination tool, not a covered entity under HIPAA. Like Apple Health, CaringBridge, and similar consumer apps, we are not a healthcare provider, health insurer, or clearinghouse. Your data is protected by our Privacy Policy and strong security practices, but Carelyn is not designed to serve as a clinical records system.
How does medication tracking work? +
When you add a medication, Carelyn searches the RxNorm database (from the US National Library of Medicine) to auto-complete the correct drug name and dosage. You set the scheduled time, and Carelyn sends daily reminders. Anyone on the care team can mark a medication as taken — and everyone else sees it immediately. The app also checks for drug interactions between all medications in the care group.
Can I cancel my subscription anytime? +
Yes. You can cancel anytime through the app Settings screen. Your access continues until the end of the current billing period. We do not charge cancellation fees and do not offer refunds for partial months.
What's the difference between Free and Family plans? +
The Free plan supports up to 5 family members with core features: medications, tasks, journal, and vitals. The Family plan ($8.99/mo or $85.99/yr) adds unlimited members, care scheduling, AI health insights, drug interaction warnings, FDA side effects, wearable sync, and data export. Both include a 7-day free trial.
What devices does Carelyn support? +
Carelyn is currently available on iOS (iPhone). Android is coming soon. Wearable device sync (Apple Watch, Fitbit) is on the roadmap for a future update.