Last updated: 2026-09-25
Luzia is a free AI assistant built into WhatsApp and Telegram, reaching more than 65 million users across over 40 countries by 2026. Founded in Madrid in 2023, it was built for Spanish and Portuguese speakers first, offering chat, voice transcription, image generation and a beta agent mode called LuziClaw for reminders and email.
About Luzia
Luzia is a free AI assistant that runs directly inside WhatsApp and Telegram, built by the Madrid-based startup Luzia (founded in 2023 by Alvaro Martinez Higes) to bring AI to the two messaging apps that already dominate daily communication across Latin America, Spain and parts of Africa. Instead of asking users to download a new app or create an account, Luzia works the moment someone saves its number and sends a first message, and it has grown to more than 65 million users across over 40 countries by 2026.
The product was built for Spanish and Portuguese speakers first, so its answers use idiomatic, regionally natural phrasing rather than the English-first tone of assistants adapted for those languages after the fact. Core chat, voice note transcription, image generation and image analysis, PDF uploads and web search are all free with no ads and no mandatory subscription. A newer agent mode called LuziClaw, still in beta, extends this to setting reminders, organizing email and calendar items, and handling invoices.
Luzia fits everyday tasks: students translating a phrase or checking homework, freelancers drafting a quick reply or invoice, and anyone who wants an AI answer without switching apps. It is not built for regulated, business-sensitive workflows, since the company has not published SOC 2 or ISO 27001 attestations, though its EU-hosted infrastructure and published privacy policy commit to GDPR rights including data access, correction and erasure requests.
The free tier has no usage cap on core chat. Luzia+, the optional premium tier, is priced regionally through app store billing (commonly cited between $3 and $6 a month depending on country) and adds longer responses and images, an ad-free experience, an advanced reasoning mode, and multiple custom AI companions. Beyond WhatsApp and Telegram, Luzia is also available as a web chat at chat.luzia.com and as native iOS and Android apps.
Luzia has raised roughly $48.3 million in total funding, including a $13.5 million round led by Prosus Ventures with Khosla Ventures and Monashees participating. In January 2026 it joined a competition complaint that led Brazil's CADE antitrust authority to suspend new WhatsApp Business Terms that would have restricted third-party AI assistants like Luzia on the platform.
Pricing
Core chat, voice transcription, image generation and web search inside WhatsApp, Telegram, web and the mobile apps carry no charge and no usage cap. Luzia+ is an optional upgrade, charged via the Apple or Google app store at a rate that shifts by country (roughly $3 to $6 a month), and it removes ads, lengthens responses and images, switches on an advanced reasoning mode, and allows multiple custom AI companions.
| Tier | Monthly price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | |
| Luzia+ | $5.99/mo |
Key Features
- WhatsApp and Telegram native: No separate app or account is required; saving Luzia's contact number and sending a first message on WhatsApp or Telegram starts a free chat immediately.
- Voice note transcription: Voice messages are transcribed to text automatically, useful for anyone who prefers speaking over typing in a messaging thread.
- Image generation and analysis: Users can request an AI-generated image or upload a photo for Luzia to describe or analyze directly inside the chat.
- Spanish and Portuguese first: Built for Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking markets first, producing idiomatic, regionally natural responses rather than an English-first assistant retrofitted with translation.
- LuziClaw agent mode (beta): A beta agent mode that sets reminders, organizes email and calendar items, and handles invoices on the user's behalf.
Pros
- Works inside WhatsApp and Telegram, apps already installed by over 2 billion people combined, with no separate download or account creation.
- Free core tier carries no ads and no mandatory subscription, an unusual combination among venture-backed consumer AI assistants.
- Built for Spanish and Portuguese speakers first, giving more natural, idiomatic responses in those languages than assistants localized after the fact.
Cons
- No published SOC 2 or ISO 27001 attestation, so it is not positioned for business-sensitive or regulated workflows.
- Luzia+ premium pricing is billed regionally through the app store and varies by country, making the exact cost unpredictable across markets.
- LuziClaw agent mode is still in beta, with more limited task automation than dedicated agent platforms built for that purpose.
Data Handling
- Training-data policy
- States it does not store conversation history permanently and does not share data with third parties for advertising; personal data is processed and hosted on AWS servers within the European Economic Area.
- Compliance
- GDPR
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Luzia cost in 2026?
Luzia's core chat, voice transcription, image generation and web search inside WhatsApp and Telegram are free with no usage cap. Luzia+, the optional premium tier, is billed through the app store and priced regionally, commonly between $3 and $6 a month depending on country, unlocking longer responses and images, an ad-free experience and an advanced reasoning mode.
Is Luzia free to use?
Yes. The core assistant is free, with no account creation required beyond having WhatsApp, Telegram, or the Luzia app installed, and Luzia states it carries no mandatory subscription or advertising. The free tier does not include the longer response lengths, ad removal or advanced reasoning mode reserved for Luzia+.
What are the best alternatives to Luzia?
Zapia is Luzia's closest direct competitor, another WhatsApp-native assistant built for Latin American users; choose it if you want a similar messaging-first experience from a different vendor. Meta AI is the built-in alternative on WhatsApp itself, better if you want a single-vendor experience without adding a second contact. ChatGPT offers deeper reasoning and a larger toolset for users willing to use a dedicated app instead of messaging.
How does Luzia compare to ChatGPT in 2026?
Luzia's advantage is distribution: it works inside WhatsApp and Telegram with no new app or account, while ChatGPT requires its own app or website but offers a broader set of tools, plugins and reasoning modes. Pick Luzia for quick, everyday tasks inside a messaging app already in use, and ChatGPT for deeper or more technical work.
How do you get started with Luzia?
Save Luzia's contact number and send it a first message on WhatsApp or Telegram, or open chat.luzia.com or the iOS or Android app; no account creation is required. From there you can ask questions, request a translation, upload a voice note or PDF, or ask it to generate or analyze an image directly in the chat.
Top Alternatives
- Meta AI: Pick Luzia if you want a WhatsApp assistant built specifically for Spanish and Portuguese speakers; choose Meta AI if you prefer the option built natively into WhatsApp by Meta itself.
- ChatGPT: Pick Luzia for quick everyday tasks with zero setup inside a messaging app you already use; choose ChatGPT when you need deeper reasoning, plugins or a dedicated app experience.
- Gemini: Pick Luzia if you're on WhatsApp or Telegram and want a Spanish/Portuguese-first assistant; choose Gemini if you're already inside Google's ecosystem of Android, Workspace and Search.