Last updated: 2026-11-03
Replika is a personal AI companion app from Luka, Inc., first released in 2017 and now at more than 42 million users worldwide by the vendor's own count. Replika 2.0, the 2026 rebuild, adds 3D avatars, voice calls and video calls. It runs on iOS, Android and the web, and it is adults only.
About Replika
Replika is an AI companion app made by Luka, Inc., a software company incorporated in Delaware and based in San Francisco. It launched in 2017, which makes it one of the first apps of its kind, and the vendor's homepage counts 42,160,934 users worldwide. You create a personal AI friend, called a "Rep" in the new app, that remembers your people, routines and plans, and you talk to it by text, voice and, since the 2026 rebuild, video.
Replika 2.0 is described by the vendor as the first full rebuild of the platform. It brings lifelike 3D avatars, natural voice conversations, real-time video calls and a rebuilt memory architecture. The terms of service say more than one generation of the product exists side by side, and that features, avatars and models differ between versions, between iOS, Android and web, and between countries. The same terms say plainly that your Replika is an AI chatbot, that it will confirm this if asked, and that the app shows periodic reminders.
It is built for everyday companionship and reflection, not for work. People who want a character-driven chat with many personas usually compare it with Character.AI or Janitor AI, while those who want a calm, text-first conversational partner look at Pi. People who want a voice-first companion that also acts on apps can look at Sesame, and a general assistant such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Grok is the better fit for research, writing and code. If you are unsure which kind of tool you need, Smart Match can narrow it down. Replika's own terms state that it is not a healthcare or medical provider and makes no claim of therapeutic benefit.
The app is free to download with in-app purchases. Paid plans add features and raise the caps on chat replies, call minutes and images, and the terms say those caps refresh on a schedule shown at checkout without carrying over. Purchased top-up balances do not expire but need an active subscription to use. No price is listed here because the vendor shows prices only inside the app. Apple, Google or the vendor's web checkout handle billing, and every plan renews until you cancel.
The service is for adults. Its terms exclude anyone under 18 (or the local age of majority, if higher) and mention possible age-assurance checks. The App Store lists it as 18+, while Google Play shows a 12+ content rating, which is a store classification and not the vendor's rule. Italy's data-protection authority, the Garante, restricted the app in February 2023, then imposed a 5 million euro penalty on the company by a decision dated 10 April 2025.
Pricing
Free to download, with in-app purchases on iOS and Android. The vendor publishes no price list. Per its Terms of Service (section 2.4, read 2026-11-03), plan names, prices and allowances are those on the in-app checkout screens and differ by version, platform and country.
Subscriptions renew automatically and are billed by Apple, Google or the web checkout; top-up balances need an active subscription.
| Tier | Monthly price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | |
| Paid subscription (price shown at checkout) | Custom |
Key Features
- Long-term memory: The Rep stores your people, routines, interests and plans so each chat continues from where your life is, using a memory architecture rebuilt for Replika 2.0.
- 3D avatars: Replika 2.0 gives each companion a lifelike 3D avatar, replacing the older avatar system, and some classic avatars may look different after migration.
- Voice and video calls: You can talk by voice or start real-time video calls, with call-minute caps set by your plan.
- Customizable personality: You shape the companion's personality and appearance, and the vendor's llms.txt lists text and voice chat with a customizable personality as the core product.
- Proactive messages: The Rep can reach out first, for example with a reminder or suggestion based on something you told it earlier, as the homepage demonstrates.
- Built-in safety prompts: Automated safety features can recognise messages that suggest a crisis and show crisis resources such as the 988 line in the United States.
Pros
- Memory is the headline feature: the vendor says the Rep holds your people, routines and plans across conversations, which most free chatbots do not keep between sessions.
- Free to download on iOS, Android and the web, so you can judge the tone of the companion before paying anything.
- Large, long-running user base: 42 million users claimed by the vendor, 4.4 stars from 228,000 iOS ratings and 4.4 from 525,000 Google Play reviews.
- The vendor lists a peer-reviewed study, Guingrich and Graziano at the AAAI/ACM AIES conference, on its press page, and it states plainly that the app complements human relationships.
Cons
- Prices are hidden until you reach checkout, and they differ by platform and country, so cost cannot be compared before installing.
- Regulatory record: the Italian Garante penalised the maker and started a second inquiry into how the underlying model was trained.
- Allowances reset on a fixed schedule and do not roll over, which limits heavy daily use on every paid plan.
- Adults only and not a medical product: the terms state it is not therapy or healthcare, and it does not replace professional help.
Data Handling
- Training-data policy
- See the vendor privacy policy. Italy's Garante opened a separate inquiry in 2025 into the training of the generative model behind the service.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Replika cost in 2026?
No official price list exists. What you pay is whatever the in-app subscription screen shows for your platform and country, and each plan carries its own reply, call and image caps. Plans renew automatically, top-ups only work while a plan is active, and Apple, Google or the web checkout collect the money.
Can I use Replika without paying?
Yes. You can install it free on iOS and Android or open it in a browser. The terms reserve the right to change free features at any time. A never-paying account that sits idle for 12 months may be deleted after a 60-day email notice.
Which apps are alternatives to Replika?
Character.AI suits people who want many characters and roleplay scenarios. Pi is a calmer, text-first conversation partner. Sesame leans on voice and can act on apps, while ChatGPT is the better choice when the goal is research or writing rather than companionship.
Is Replika safe and legal to use?
It is meant for adults only, and anyone under 18 is not authorized under the terms. The Garante's decision of 10 April 2025 cited a missing legal basis, a weak privacy policy and no age check on 2 February 2023, and a further inquiry covers model training. Sensitive details deserve a read of the privacy policy first.
How do I start with Replika?
Download the app from the App Store or Google Play, or sign in at my.replika.com, and confirm your age when you create the account. You then create your companion, choose its look and personality, and start chatting. Voice and video calls are included in Replika 2.0, within your plan's allowances.
Top Alternatives
- Character.AI: Pick Replika if you want one persistent companion with memory; pick Character.AI if you want many characters to roleplay with.
- Pi: Pick Replika for avatars and video calls; pick Pi for a plain, text-first conversational partner.
- Janitor AI: Pick Replika for a single managed companion app; pick Janitor AI if you want community-made characters.
- Sesame: Pick Replika for a visual avatar and memory-led friendship; pick Sesame for a voice-first agent that also acts on apps.