No. You can start asking questions immediately without entering anything. Your conversations are HIPAA protected either way.

Adding your medications and conditions makes the AI more helpful because it can factor in your specific situation. But you can add information gradually, or not at all. Many users start with questions and add details over time as they see the value.

Yes. BentoBox is fully HIPAA-compliant with signed Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) with all our vendors. We have implemented HIPAA-required safeguards and maintain our compliance program using Vanta. Your Protected Health Information (PHI) is legally protected. Read our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices →

We don't recommend it. ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and other general-purpose AI chatbots are NOT HIPAA-compliant. They don't have the legal protections required for health data, and your conversations may be used to train their AI models. BentoBox is purpose-built for healthcare with HIPAA compliance, zero AI data retention, and signed BAAs.

BentoBox combines three things no other app offers: (1) HIPAA-compliant AI that knows your complete medical history, (2) zero AI data retention (your data is never used to train AI models), and (3) personalized answers based on YOUR medications, conditions, and history, not generic advice.

Never. Our AI provider retains nothing: your question is processed, your answer is generated, and the provider discards everything immediately, guaranteed by our Business Associate Agreement. Your records stay encrypted in BentoBox, where you control them.

Caregiver features let you manage health information for family members who need assistance, like aging parents, children, or anyone in your care. You can view their medications, conditions, allergies, and health history, and ask BentoBox questions on their behalf. Each family member has their own private profile, and you control who has caregiver access.

No, the Individual plan is for managing your own health only. To view and manage health information for family members, you'll need the Family plan which includes caregiver features and supports up to 5 family members. Each person's data stays private and separate. You'll only see information for those who grant you caregiver access.

Contact us! We'd be happy to accommodate larger families. Just reach out to [email protected] and we'll work with you to find the right solution.

Absolutely. Your health data is encrypted at rest and in transit. We never sell your identifiable data. BentoBox is built with privacy-first principles. Your health information is yours alone. We use industry-standard security practices to protect your sensitive medical information.

No. BentoBox is not a replacement for professional medical care and cannot diagnose conditions. BentoBox helps you understand your existing health information, track medications, and get general health guidance. Always consult your doctor for diagnoses, treatment decisions, and medical emergencies.

Yes. Core features: tracking medications, appointments, vitals, and todos are always free, with no credit card required. The free plan also includes 10 AI messages, 5 document interpretations, and 2 scribe recordings. If you need more, the Personal ($15/month) or Family ($50/month) plan unlocks unlimited use. Your health data is yours. We never sell your identifiable data. Any AI processing happens under strict HIPAA agreements that prohibit any reuse.

You can link your provider's patient portal to BentoBox, and your records, like allergies, medications, and visits, are pulled in automatically. You review everything before it's added to your profile, so you're always in control of what becomes part of your history.