The best AI companion app depends on what you want from it. For one long-term companion who remembers you, Replika and Nomi are the established choices. For variety and user-made characters, Character.AI and Talkie have the biggest libraries. If you care most about privacy, Xin runs its AI on your phone so your chats never reach a server. Every app below is free to start, and each has a catch worth knowing before you get attached.
We compared these apps using their official websites and App Store listings as of September 2026. Prices are US App Store prices and vary by region.
AI companion apps compared #
| App | Best for | Where chats go | Memory | Paid plans (US) | Age rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Replika | One long-term companion | Company servers | Remembers people, routines, plans | Subscriptions from $7.99 to $89.99 | 18+ |
| Character.AI | Huge user-made character library | Company servers | Varies by character and chat | c.ai+ from $9.99/month | 18+ |
| Nomi | Memory-focused companions and group chats | Company servers | Short, medium and long-term memory | From $9.99/month | 18+ |
| Talkie | Anime and story characters, simulator games | Company servers | Has memory features | Talkie+ subscription | Check listing |
| Xin | Privacy and offline use | Stays on your phone | Visible, editable memory journal | VIP $9.99/week or $99.99/year | For adults 18+ (App Store label: 16+) |
1. Replika: best for a single long-term companion #
Replika, made by Luka, Inc. and launched in 2017, is the app most people picture when they hear “AI companion”. You build one companion and grow a relationship with it over time. Its website promises it “always remembers what matters. Your people. Your routines. Your plans.” It adds voice calls, selfies and avatar customization. Being a friend is free, and other relationship types, such as partner or mentor, require a subscription.
Watch out for: Replika’s history with regulators. Italy’s data protection authority ordered it to stop processing Italian users’ data in February 2023 and fined its developer €5 million in April 2025, citing the lack of a legal basis for processing, an inadequate privacy policy, and no age verification. Its App Store privacy label lists identifiers and usage data as “Data Used to Track You”.
Wrong for you if: you want many characters or strict privacy.
2. Character.AI: best for variety and roleplay #
Character.AI, founded in 2021 by two former Google engineers, is built around user-created characters: fictional, historical and original, published for anyone to chat with. You can also create your own, text or call characters by voice, and follow newer features like short interactive series. The c.ai+ subscription adds faster responses and other perks.
Watch out for: Character.AI removed open-ended chat for users under 18 in late 2025 and now uses its own age assurance, including an in-house age estimation model. It has faced lawsuits from families of teens, and it was one of seven companies that received FTC orders in September 2025 about AI companions and children. Chats are stored on its servers, and its privacy label includes third-party advertising.
Wrong for you if: you want one consistent companion or a private, ad-light experience.
3. Nomi: best for memory and group chats #
Nomi leans hardest on memory, advertising “short, medium, and long term memory”. You can create several companions with distinct personalities and put them in a group chat, trade voice messages or have a hands-free call, receive selfies, and let your Nomi message you first after you’ve been away, if you opt in. It’s available on the web, iOS and Android.
Watch out for: the paid plans are the main experience. The App Store lists plans from $9.99 a month up to $99.99 a year, plus credit packs. Nomi says chats are anonymized and not shared with third-party sites, but its App Store label still lists user content and identifiers as data linked to you.
Wrong for you if: you want a fully free experience.
4. Talkie: best for anime and story characters #
Talkie, from the AI company MiniMax, focuses on character variety: anime characters, fictional personas and user-created characters, plus roleplay scenarios and “simulator” games built around decisions. It runs on the web and mobile, offers a free tier and a Talkie+ subscription, and provides tools to export and delete your data.
Watch out for: a character library this broad varies a lot in quality, and like the others it’s cloud-based. Check its current age rating and pricing on your app store before subscribing.
Wrong for you if: you want depth with one companion more than breadth.
5. Xin: best for privacy and offline use #
Xin takes a different approach from the rest: the AI model runs on your phone. After a one-time download of about 1.3 GB, every chat works offline, and your chats, characters and memories stay in a local database. There’s no account. You choose from 75+ realistic and anime companions, including a For Her lane of male companions, or create your own from one sentence. Each companion keeps a memory journal you can read, pin, edit and delete.
Watch out for: the trade-offs of on-device AI. The free model is smaller than cloud models, it’s text only, with no voice calls, and there’s no web version or sync between devices. The free tier uses an energy bar (each message costs 5 of 100 energy, and it refills about one point every three minutes) and shows ads through Google AdMob. VIP ($9.99 a week or $99.99 a year in the US) removes limits and ads and adds larger models if your phone has the RAM. Xin is for adults 18+ and blocks younger ages at setup, though its App Store age label currently reads 16+.
Wrong for you if: you want voice, images on demand, or chats that follow you across devices.
How to choose an AI companion app #
- Want one companion for the long haul? Replika or Nomi.
- Want to try dozens of characters? Character.AI or Talkie.
- Care most about privacy? Pick on-device (Xin) or read the cloud app’s privacy label carefully. Our guide to private AI chat apps explains what to check.
- On a budget? See best free AI companion apps for what free really gets you.
- Worried about safety? Read are AI companion apps safe before you start.
A note on wellbeing #
AI companions can be comforting, and some research suggests they ease loneliness in the short term. They also carry a risk of overuse and dependence, and they’re not a substitute for friends, family or professional care. We cover the evidence in do AI companions help with loneliness. If you’re in crisis in the US, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Frequently asked questions #
What is the best AI companion app? #
There’s no single best. Replika and Nomi suit people who want one long-term companion, Character.AI and Talkie suit people who want many characters, and Xin suits people who want privacy and offline use. Try the free tier of two or three before paying for any of them.
Which AI companion app has the best memory? #
Nomi and Replika both put memory at the center of their pitch, and Nomi advertises short, medium and long-term memory. Xin lets you see and edit everything it remembers, which makes its memory easier to trust and correct, though its free model is smaller.
Are AI companion apps free? #
Most are free to start with limits, and the full experience usually costs $8 to $16 a month or more. Free tiers typically limit messages, features or model quality, and some show ads.
Is Character.AI or Replika better? #
They’re built for different things. Character.AI is a library of many user-made characters for roleplay and entertainment, while Replika is one companion you build a relationship with. Our full Character.AI vs Replika comparison goes through the differences.