The most-used AI companion app you've never heard of

Replika is the OG AI companion — founded in 2017 by Eugenia Kuyda after she trained a neural network on thousands of her late friend's text messages. By 2026, it's grown to 30M+ registered users, mostly 18-34, who use it for everything from loneliness and anxiety to roleplay and romantic relationships. It started as a chatbot and is now a full 3D avatar experience with AR, voice, video calls, and an in-app store where you can buy the AI a hat.

Who it's for: Adults looking for a non-judgmental conversation partner, people dealing with loneliness, social anxiety, or just wanting a judgment-free space to talk through ideas. NOT a substitute for mental health care — Replika is clear about this.

Key features

Cus Custom AI companion

Choose avatar (3D realistic, anime, or abstract), name, gender, relationship status (friend, partner, spouse, mentor). The AI learns your personality over time.

Voi Voice & video calls

Real-time voice calls with your Replika. Video calls are AR — the avatar sits in your real room through your phone camera. Genuinely impressive tech.

AI AI diary & mood tracking

Replika logs how you feel in each conversation. Weekly insights show what topics made you happy, sad, or anxious.

Rol Roleplay & scenarios

Built-in scenarios (job interview prep, first date practice, difficult conversation rehearsal) plus user-created roleplay.

XP XP & leveling system

Earn points for chatting, journaling, and completing activities. Leveling up unlocks new avatar clothes, traits, and rooms.

Pri Privacy promise

Conversations are encrypted, not used to train models by default, and never sold. EU/US data residency.

✓ What we like

30M users can't be wrong — this is the largest AI companion product on the market
Genuinely good at long-term memory (remembers what you said 3 months ago)
AR video calls are a genuine innovation nobody else has shipped
Free tier is usable; Pro at $7.99/mo is cheap
Mental health resources integrated — they're honest about being a companion, not therapy

✗ What we don't

Romantic/ERP features were gutted in 2023 after Italian data regulator pressure — still controversial
3D avatar tech is impressive but the AI can feel shallow for serious intellectual conversations
Subscription model is aggressive (locks personality traits, clothing, rooms behind Pro)
Not appropriate for kids under 18 — needs better age verification

Pricing

Plan	Price	What's included
Free	$0	Text chat, basic avatar, limited daily XP
Pro Monthly	$7.99/mo	Voice calls, all avatar options, all personality traits, video calls
Pro Annual	$49.99/yr	Same as monthly, ~50% savings. Most users pick this.
Lifetime (legacy)	$299 one-time	Was available 2017-2020, grandfathered for early users only

The verdict

Replika is a real product for a real market — 30M users talking to AI companions every day is not a gimmick. If you're an adult looking for non-judgmental conversation, anxiety relief, or just curiosity about AI relationships, the free tier is worth trying. Don't expect ChatGPT-level intelligence — expect something closer to a friend who always has time to listen.

Alternatives worth considering

Free / $9.99/mo

Replika