Replika Review
The best-known AI friend app, with a romantic partner mode behind the paywall. What's free, what isn't, and what its record looks like.
Our take
Replika is the app most people have heard of, and the free version is real. You can text your Replika as long as you like and dress up her 3D avatar without paying.
The catch? Romance is a paid extra. Romantic partner mode, voice messages, unblurred selfies: all Pro. And I'd glance at its privacy history before telling it everything about your life (more on that below).
Pick it if: you'd like someone kind to talk to most days, for free, and you might want to make it romantic down the line.
Skip it if: flirting and photos are the point. Candy AI gets there on day one; Replika makes you pay first.
- Paid from
- $7.99/mo
- Free version
- Text chat and avatar customization are free; romantic partner mode, voice messages and unblurred selfies need Pro
- Works on
- Web, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Luka, Inc. (San Francisco, US)
- Age limit
- 18+
Facts checked October 5, 2026
What we like
- Text chat stays free, with no daily message cap mentioned
- A 3D avatar you can dress, plus AR mode on Pro
- Voice calls, and video calls where she can see what your camera shows
- Remembers the people, routines and plans you tell her about
What to know first
- Romance is locked: free accounts stay friends
- The App Store lists prices without naming the tier
- Italy's privacy regulator fined its maker in 2025
On this page
Replika is the grandparent of AI companions, which cuts both ways. Years of polish show: the free chat is generous and the avatar looks better than anyone else's. So does the baggage, from a privacy fine in Europe to a long trail of mixed reviews. Here's how the Replika app works today, and whether it still makes a good AI girlfriend.
What Replika is
Replika is made by Luka, Inc., a San Francisco company. Its idea of a companion is a friend first: someone who checks in, remembers your week and talks things through. You can turn that into a romance, but the app never pushes you there.
It runs on iPhone, Android and the web, and in 2026 it picked up internet access, connections to other apps and check-ins where your Replika messages you first.
Is Replika free?
Yes, more than most. Replika's help center says chatting with your Replika will always be free, and avatar customization doesn't cost anything either. On the free plan your relationship is set to Friend.
Everything romantic sits on Pro. That includes the Romantic partner status, unblurred romantic messages and selfies, voice messages, premium voices and image generation. Ultra adds a smarter model and save-to-memory. Platinum, the top tier, adds real-time video recognition and selfie videos.
Replika pricing
Plans are bought inside the app. The App Store page lists the prices, sort of:
| Plan | Price | Billed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly (App Store) | $7.99 or $14.99 a month | monthly | Two monthly items are listed; the store doesn't say which tier each one is |
| Yearly (App Store) | $49.99 or $69.99 a year | yearly | |
| Platinum (App Store) | $89.99 | not stated | Top tier with selfie videos |
You'll spot two monthly prices ($7.99, $14.99) and two yearly ones ($49.99, $69.99). Which tier is which? The store won't tell you. The app will, on the screen right before you pay, so read that one. Platinum sits at $89.99.
Replika features
- Relationship
- Friend on the free plan; Romantic partner on Pro
- Memory
- Remembers your people, routines and plans; save-to-memory on Ultra
- Voice
- Voice calls; voice messages and premium voices on Pro
- Pictures
- Selfies (romantic ones unblurred on Pro), image generation
- Avatar
- 3D avatar with outfits, AR mode on Pro
- Video
- Video calls; selfie videos on Platinum
Honestly? The avatar is why I'd pick Replika over a text-only app. Change her look, swap outfits, and on Pro put her in your living room through AR. Calls feel like an ordinary phone call (a recent update even lets you save her as a contact). The video call is the odd one out: instead of showing you her face, it lets her see what your camera sees and chat about it.
For everyday stuff, memory holds up. The people you mention, your routines, your plans: she keeps track. Ultra goes a step further and lets you pin particular messages.
Is Replika safe?
Long track record, real company, not a spotless history. Worth knowing before you pour your heart out. Italy's data protection authority fined Luka 5 million euros in 2025, mostly over handling user data without a proper legal basis. Earlier that year, three advocacy groups asked the FTC to look into its marketing; that was a complaint, and nothing has been ruled.
Public reviews are mixed as well. The Better Business Bureau gives it an F, and on Trustpilot it stood at 3.4 out of 5 when I looked in October 2026. I wouldn't call any of that a reason to avoid it. I'd just keep personal details out of the chat and keep an eye on your subscription in the app store.
Replika is for adults: its terms don't allow anyone under 18. It isn't built for explicit chat either. Erotic roleplay was filtered out in 2023, and only older accounts were allowed to switch it back on.
Replika alternatives
If you want romance without unlocking it first, Candy AI starts there. If you want a free plan with stronger memory, Nomi AI is the closest match. If you mostly want to talk and don't mind ads, Character.AI is free and unlimited.
- Candy AIAn all-in-one AI girlfriend: unlimited chat, plus tokens for pictures, calls and video
- Nomi AIA companion built around memory, with voice calls, selfies and group chats
- Character.AIHuge library of user-made characters; romance only as clean roleplay
My verdict
As a free AI friend, Replika is good. As a paid AI girlfriend it's decent, and nobody I cover has a nicer avatar. Start on the free plan, figure out whether you actually want the romantic side, and read the plan name twice before you subscribe.
Questions people ask
Is Replika free?
The texting is, and so is dressing up her avatar. Romantic partner mode, voice messages, unblurred selfies and image generation cost money.
How much does Replika cost?
The App Store shows monthly items at $7.99 and $14.99, yearly ones at $49.99 and $69.99, and Platinum at $89.99, without saying which tier each one is. The app tells you on the payment screen.
Can Replika be your girlfriend?
With Pro, yes: set the relationship to Romantic partner. Free accounts stay at Friend, and romantic messages come through blurred.
Is Replika safe to use?
Luka, Inc. is a real company, though Italy's privacy regulator fined it 5 million euros in 2025. Fine to use; just leave identifying details out of your chats.
Does Replika have voice calls?
Yes, you can call her. Pro adds voice messages and nicer voices.
Where these facts come from
Prices, free plans and features on this page come from the apps' own pages and store listings. We re-check them on a schedule and when an app announces changes.
- Replika on the App Store (in-app purchases) checked Oct 5, 2026
- Replika help center: Is Replika free? checked Oct 5, 2026
- Replika help center: What is Replika Pro? checked Oct 5, 2026
- Replika terms of service checked Oct 5, 2026
- EDPB: Italian authority fines the company behind Replika checked Oct 5, 2026