The Best Replika Alternatives in 2026: 8 AI Companion Apps Compared

Updated November 5, 2026. Prices are US App Store or official prices checked that week. Companion apps change their plans often, so check before you pay.

The best Replika alternatives in 2026 are Nomi and Kindroid if you want one deep companion with strong memory and voice calls, Character.AI if you want lots of characters for free (with a strict filter), Pi if you want a free, supportive AI friend with no romance, and Cleus if you want characters that text you first, remember you and allow adult roleplay with fictional adults. Below: why people leave Replika, what it still does well, and how eight apps compare on memory, voice, photos, content rules and price.

One disclosure up front: Cleus is our product, so weigh that. We list it first, but every app here is judged on the same facts, and we say where each one is weaker.

Why people look for Replika alternatives

Replika is the best-known AI companion app. It launched in 2017, and its homepage now shows more than 42 million users. But a few problems keep sending people elsewhere.

• The 2023 erotic roleplay removal. In February 2023, Italy's data protection authority, the Garante, ordered Replika blocked, citing risks to minors and emotionally vulnerable people. Within days, Replika removed erotic roleplay. Many users said their companion's personality changed overnight. In late March 2023, Reuters reported that CEO Eugenia Kuyda restored the old behaviour, but only for people who signed up before February 1, 2023. Newer accounts were not offered it.
• Paywalls. On the free tier, your Replika is a "friend". Partner, spouse and other roles are paid features. In an analysis of 1–3 star App Store and Google Play reviews published in July 2026, review-analysis firm Unstar estimated that about 24% of complaints were about the paywall cutting off chats, and 20% about refunds refused after large charges.
• Privacy and regulators. In April 2025, the Garante fined Luka Inc., Replika's maker, €5 million. It found Replika had no legal basis for processing data before February 2023, an inadequate privacy policy, and no age verification at the time. The regulator said the current age checks are still deficient in several ways, and it opened a separate inquiry into how the AI was trained.
• Memory and updates. The same Unstar analysis put about 22% of complaints on a "2.0" update that longtime users say changed their companion, and 16% on memory failures, even on paid plans. These are one firm's rough estimates, not official figures, but they match what many users say.

What Replika still does well

To be fair, Replika is still a polished app. Its App Store listing has a 4.4 rating from about 228,000 ratings. The company says your Replika remembers your people, plans and goals. You can call it, it sends selfies, it can make images, and you can customise its avatar. It's also simple: one companion, not a library of bots to sort through.

Replika pricing as of November 2026 (US App Store): monthly plans at $7.99 and $14.99, yearly plans at $49.99 and $69.99, a "Replika Platinum" purchase at $89.99, plus gem packs from $0.99. The listing doesn't label which plan is which, so check the in-app screen before you subscribe.

Replika alternatives compared

1. Cleus Characters: best for a companion that texts first and remembers you

Disclosure: this is us.

Cleus is an AI app with chat, image, video and story tools. Its Characters section is built to feel like texting a real person. Chats sit in an Instagram-style DM inbox, and replies arrive as natural texts, usually one short message and sometimes a few, with typing and "Seen" beats.

• Bonds: each character has a bond level from 1 to 10, from Stranger to Soulmates. It grows with XP as you chat, with daily streaks and level-up moments.
• Memory: characters save memories about you and keep a running summary of the chat. You can make them forget things or reset the bond.
• Texting first: characters can check in on their own, at sensible daytime hours.
• Voice: voice notes, a voice picker, and voice calls with a character that remember your earlier texts. Premium users can design a custom voice for a character from a text description.
• Photos: characters send selfies, and "locked" private photos you unlock with credits. These are only ever of fictional characters, never real people.
• Import: bring characters from Character.AI exports, Tavern or SillyTavern character cards (.png or .json, V1–V3) or pasted text. Paste an old chat log and the character starts with memories of you.
• Content: adult roleplay with fictional adult characters is allowed, and NSFW characters are kept off public listings (link only). The lines Cleus doesn't cross: no sexual content involving minors, and no explicit images of real people. Anyone can ask for non-consensual intimate imagery to be taken down through the report form.
• Price: free accounts get a small daily credit refill with no card required. Premium plans give a larger daily credit allowance.
• Weak spots: photos cost credits, and the public character library is much smaller than Character.AI's. There's no single "official" companion like Replika's Rep; you pick or build characters.

Replies run on Cleus's own uncensored chat models. If you're curious what "uncensored" means in practice, see what an abliterated model is.

2. Nomi: best for memory and group chats

Nomi is the closest match for people who loved Replika's "one companion who knows me" feel. Its homepage advertises short, medium and long-term memory, voice messages and hands-free calls, real-time selfies, and group chats with several Nomis. It also says Nomi is built on freedom of expression and that chats are unfiltered.

• Price: on the US App Store, Standard is $15.99 a month or $99.99 a year, and a Launch Plan is $9.99 a month or $59.99 a year. Credit packs cost extra.
• Free tier: free to start, no credit card required. Nomi doesn't publish the free limit.
• Weak spots: the App Store rates it 18+, but Nomi's homepage doesn't explain how it checks age. It has far fewer App Store ratings (about 3,000) than Replika, so there's less public feedback.

3. Kindroid: best for one deeply customised companion

Kindroid lets you write a companion's personality, backstory and key memories yourself. Its docs describe "Cascaded Memory", enhanced long-term memory and journal recall on paid plans, plus voice and video calls, selfies and video selfies, group chats and proactive messages.

• Price: $15.99 a month, $42.99 for three months or $159.99 a year on the US App Store. Ultra ($28.99) and MAX ($68.99) add more memory. Kindroid says buying on the web is usually cheaper.
• Free tier: effectively a trial. New accounts get a one-time preview of 50 messages and 5 selfies, then become read-only unless you subscribe.
• Content: according to RoboRhythms' summary of its moderation guidelines, Kindroid doesn't filter the AI itself, and adult roleplay in private chats is allowed for users 18+. Since an October 17 update, suggestive shared characters and Social posts are hidden by default.
• Weak spots: no real free tier, and the add-ons get expensive.

4. Character.AI: best for lots of characters for free, if you can live with the filter

Character.AI has a huge library of user-made characters and unlimited free messaging. Its September 2026 "lite" plan costs $4.99 a month and adds premium chat styles, fewer ads and more memory pins. c.ai+ is $9.99 on the App Store. The app also offers live voice calls.

But two things matter for Replika refugees:

• No adult content. Its community guidelines bar pornographic content and nudity, and a filter enforces it.
• The bankruptcy. Character.AI filed for Chapter 11 on October 12, 2026. Reuters reported that Disney is the opening bidder at $20 million for a license to its IP, and the sale should close by late November or early December. The company says the app keeps running for now, but "the platform will be wound down" if no bid keeps it going.

Under-18 users lost open-ended chats in November 2025. For the full picture, read our guide to the best Character.AI alternatives.

5. Pi: best free, low-pressure AI friend

Pi, from Inflection AI, isn't a romantic companion. It's a supportive "personal AI" that talks things through with you. It's free on the App Store, with no in-app purchases listed. A July 2026 update improved voice, conversation and memory, and added reminders, to-do lists and shopping help. Voice mode has hands-free and tap-to-talk options.

• Good for: venting, thinking out loud, everyday advice.
• Weak spots: no avatar, selfies or roleplay characters, and it's not built for romance or adult content. Some App Store reviewers report that it mixes up details.

6. Talkie: best for casual, game-like chats

Talkie Lab (developer SUBSUP PTE. LTD.) is rated 18+ on the US App Store and has a 4.7 rating from about 61,000 ratings. The developer advertises voice ("audio synthesis") and image creation with its characters.

• Price: $9.99 a month, $49.99 a year, or $24.99 a month for Talkie+ Pro. Gems cost extra.
• Weak spots: App Store reviewers say characters forget context and that memory is tied to a subscription. Its listing doesn't spell out an adult-content policy, so check its rules.

7. Candy.ai: best if you want AI girlfriend images and video

Candy.ai, run by EverAI Limited in Malta, calls itself an "AI Girlfriend App" and markets "uncensored" experiences. Its homepage advertises generated images with custom outfits and poses, chosen voices, AI video, and "memory retention".

• Price: subscriptions (monthly, quarterly, yearly) include tokens for voice, images and video, with top-ups on sale. We couldn't find an official price page, so check current pricing on the site.
• Free tier: its terms say free users can send 5 messages.
• Rules: its terms set a zero-tolerance policy on child sexual abuse material. Refund requests have to be made within 24 hours of payment.
• Weak spots: token costs add up, and the free tier is tiny.

Apps that got harder to get in 2026

• Chai left the iPhone App Store on October 22, 2026. As of November 2, it was still missing in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, according to CompanionHunt. The founder says installed copies still work. The Android app and a web app (app.chai-ai.com) are unaffected.
• PolyBuzz disappeared from the iPhone App Store on October 15, 2026 in 17 storefronts, with no reason given. Its Android app and website still work, and its terms don't allow sexual content even between adult characters.
• Paradot: we couldn't confirm its current US App Store listing or prices from an official page, so it isn't ranked.

Which AI companion fits you?

Age rules and healthy use

Every app here with a US App Store listing is rated 18+ there, and age checks are getting stricter. New York's AI companion law takes effect on January 1, 2027. It switches off 12 companion features, including sexual content and claims of a relationship, for anyone the app hasn't confirmed is an adult. Expect more age checks next year.

A short note on healthy use, without the lecture: a companion app can be a good place to vent, practise talking or just have fun. It works best alongside the people in your life, not instead of them. Set your own limits on time and spending, keep real names, addresses and money details out of chats, and if you're in crisis, contact a crisis line or someone you trust rather than an app.

If you want to write longer stories with your characters, see our guide to uncensored AI story generators.

Replika alternatives FAQ

What is the best Replika alternative in 2026?

It depends on what you miss. Nomi and Kindroid are the closest to Replika's single, long-term companion, with strong memory and voice calls. Character.AI is best for many characters for free. Pi is a free, supportive friend. Cleus offers characters that text you first, remember you, and allow adult roleplay with fictional adults.

Is there a free Replika alternative?

Yes. Pi is free. Character.AI has unlimited free messaging. Nomi is free to start with no card, and Cleus gives free accounts a daily credit refill. Kindroid has only a one-time 50-message preview, and Candy.ai allows 5 free messages.

Which apps like Replika allow adult roleplay?

Among the apps here, Nomi says its chats are unfiltered, Kindroid's guidelines reportedly allow adult roleplay in private chats for users 18+, Candy.ai markets "uncensored" experiences, and Cleus allows adult roleplay with fictional adult characters. Character.AI and PolyBuzz don't allow sexual content. Replika restored erotic roleplay in 2023 only for accounts made before February 1, 2023.

Which AI companion app has the best memory?

Kindroid documents the most detailed system, with cascaded memory and journals on paid plans. Nomi advertises short, medium and long-term memory. Cleus saves memories about you per character and keeps a running chat summary. Replika says it remembers your people and plans, though some users report memory problems.

How much does Replika cost in 2026?

On the US App Store as of November 2026, Replika's monthly plans are $7.99 and $14.99, yearly plans are $49.99 and $69.99, and a Platinum purchase is $89.99. Prices vary by region and platform, so check the in-app screen.

Why was Replika fined?

In April 2025, Italy's data protection authority fined Luka Inc. €5 million. It found no legal basis for processing data before February 2023, an inadequate privacy policy and missing age checks.

Is there an AI friend app that isn't romantic?

Yes. Pi is designed as a supportive personal AI, not a partner. Replika's free tier keeps your Replika as a friend, and on Cleus you can build a character as a friend rather than a partner.

Sources

• AI chatbot company Replika restores erotic roleplay for some users (Reuters, via ThePrint)
• AI: the Italian Supervisory Authority fines company behind chatbot "Replika" (EDPB)
• Replika (Wikipedia) and Replika homepage
• Is Replika legit? App reviews analysis 2026 (Unstar)
• App Store listings: Replika, Nomi, Kindroid, Character.AI, Pi, Talkie Lab
• Nomi
• Kindroid subscriptions (Kindroid docs) and Is Kindroid NSFW now? (RoboRhythms)
• An update on Character.AI and new styles, new plan (Character.AI blog)
• Character.AI files for bankruptcy, agrees to sell some assets to Disney (Reuters, via The Star)
• Character.AI to ban teens from talking to its chatbots (Engadget)
• Character.AI community guidelines tracker (ConductAtlas)
• Inflection AI is shaping the future of personal intelligence (Inflection AI)
• Candy.ai and Candy.ai terms of service
• Chai pulled from the App Store and PolyBuzz pulled from the App Store (CompanionHunt)