Replika alternatives: 6 AI companion apps compared

The best Replika alternatives depend on what you want more of. For a richly customizable character, look at Nomi or Kindroid. For structured mental health tools, try Wysa. For something simple and free, try Pi. For emotional support with journaling and mood tracking in one place, there's WTMF, which we make, so read that entry with that in mind.

Prices below are from the US App Store in November 2026. They change often, so check before you subscribe.

Why people look for Replika alternatives

Replika has been around since 2017 and it's still a capable app, with text, voice calls and video. If it works for you, there may be no reason to move. People usually start looking for one of a few reasons:

• Price. Its App Store listing shows monthly plans from $7.99 to $14.99, annual plans from $49.99 to $69.99, and a Platinum tier at $89.99, plus in-app gems.
• Privacy. In 2025, Italy's data protection authority fined Replika's maker €5 million, citing the lack of a legal basis for processing data until February 2023, an inadequate privacy policy and missing age verification. Replika's current privacy policy says data is encrypted in transit and that it shares de-identified conversation data with third-party AI providers, which aren't allowed to train on it.
• A different kind of support. Some people want more structure, more control over personality, or something that feels less like a relationship and more like a check-in.

Replika alternatives compared

The 6 best Replika alternatives, by what you need

Nomi: for memory and group chats

Nomi puts memory front and center, with short- and long-term recall across private and group chats. It also offers voice messages and selfies, and says it can be anything from a mentor to an AI partner. Plans start with Launch at $9.99 a month or $59.99 a year, and Standard at $15.99 a month or $99.99 a year. Its last App Store update was in March.

Kindroid: for customization and live calls

Kindroid lets you shape your AI's personality, backstory, key memories, voice and looks. It has real-time voice calls, live video calls, group chats and proactive messages, and it can search the internet. It's the most feature-heavy option here, and the priciest on an annual plan: $15.99 a month or $159.99 a year, with Ultra and Max tiers above that.

Pi: for a simple, free chat

Pi, from Inflection AI, is designed to help you talk things through, prep for a hard conversation or just vent, with a voice mode for talking it out live. The App Store lists no in-app purchases. If you don't want to build a character or manage a subscription, it's the easiest place to start.

Wysa: for structured mental health tools

Wysa isn't really a companion. It's a self-help app using techniques inspired by CBT and DBT, plus meditation, for low mood, stress, anxiety and sleep. Premium is listed at up to $99.99 a year, with paid guided support and coaching on top. Choose it if you'd rather work through exercises than chat with a friend.

Character.AI: for roleplay and storytelling

Character.AI is about creating and talking to characters, stories and worlds, not emotional support. It's a good fit if you came to Replika for imagination and play. The paid Character.AI+ plan is $9.99 a month or $94.99 a year. Character.AI is now in a court-supervised sale, so read our guide to Character AI alternatives before you commit.

WTMF: for support, journaling and mood tracking in one app

We built WTMF for emotional support rather than romance or roleplay. You get chat, voice calls, private journaling and two-tap mood check-ins that show patterns over weeks. Chats and journal entries are end-to-end encrypted and never used to train models. You get 150 free XP a day, and Pro is $3.99 a month or $29.99 a year. The trade-offs: it doesn't offer Kindroid-style avatars or character building, and there's no published clinical trial. If you want a direct comparison, see WTMF vs Replika.

What about ChatGPT? Plenty of people use a general assistant for this. ChatGPT is free to start, with paid plans from $8 a month, but it's built for everything rather than for companionship. Our full comparison of AI friend apps goes deeper on how general assistants differ.

How to choose: a quick decision guide

Start with the reason you're leaving:

• "It's too expensive." Try Pi, or WTMF's free daily allowance.
• "I want it to feel more like my character." Try Kindroid or Nomi.
• "I'm worried about privacy." Compare the checklist below before you decide.
• "I want to actually work on my anxiety." Try Wysa, and consider a therapist too.
• "I want to vent and spot patterns." Try WTMF.
• "I just want stories and fun." Try Character.AI.

For a closer look at what separates a good companion from a gimmick, see our guide to the features that matter in an AI friend app.

A 3-question privacy check

Before you share anything personal with any app, open its privacy policy and find out:

1. Is it end-to-end encrypted, or only encrypted in transit?
2. Are your conversations used to train AI models? Who else receives them?
3. Can you delete your data and memories? How?

If you can't find clear answers, treat that as your answer.

Can an AI companion actually help?

It can help, within limits. In research published in the Journal of Consumer Research, AI companions eased loneliness on par with talking to another person, and more than activities like watching YouTube. A longitudinal study in the same paper found consistent momentary relief.

There's a caution, though. In a four-week randomized study of 981 people, participants who chose to use a chatbot more had consistently worse outcomes, regardless of how they were assigned to use it. So use a companion as one source of support, alongside the people in your life. Our piece on AI chat vs traditional therapy covers where each fits.

None of these apps are a substitute for professional care. Most are for adults only: Replika's policy requires users to be 18 or over, and Replika, Nomi, Kindroid, Pi and Character.AI are all rated 18+ on the App Store.

Whichever you try, give it a week before paying for anything, and notice how you feel after you close it.