UPDATED OCTOBER 17, 2026
Best AI Companion Apps (2026): 7 Apps Compared
The best AI companion apps in 2026 are Duple for designing your own companions who send selfies on iPhone, Nomi for one companion that remembers you on every device, Replika for an everyday avatar with voice and video calls, Pi for a free friend to talk things through, Kindroid for deep customization and live calls, Tolan for a gentle companion rated 13+, and Character.AI for a huge character library. Prices and age ratings below come from each app’s US App Store listing, checked October 17, 2026.
AI companion apps compared
An AI companion is an app you talk to over time, as a friend, partner or confidant, rather than for one-off answers. The seven apps here suit different relationships, so start with the “best for” column, then check the price of the plan you would actually use.
| App | Best for | Age rating | Paid plans (US) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duple | Designing your own companions who send selfies | 16+ | Duple Lite free by default; Duple Plus $6.99/wk · $19.99/mo · $149.99/yr; Dokens packs from $1.99 |
| Nomi | One companion that remembers you, on every device | 18+ | Standard $15.99/mo · $39.99/quarter · $99.99/yr; Launch plan $9.99/mo or $59.99/yr; credit packs from $4.99 |
| Replika | An everyday avatar companion with voice and video calls | 18+ | Subscriptions from $7.99 (monthly) up to Replika Platinum at $89.99 |
| Pi | A free, supportive friend to talk things through | 18+ | Free; no in-app purchases listed |
| Kindroid | Deep customization and live voice calls | 18+ | Subscription $15.99/mo · $42.99/3 mo · $159.99/yr; Ultra $28.99; MAX $68.99 |
| Tolan | A friendly, low-pressure companion for teens and adults | 13+ | Tolan Lite $11.99 and Tolan Plus $24.99 listed (billing period not shown) |
| Character.AI | A huge library of characters to chat with | 18+ | c.ai+ $9.99/mo or $94.99/yr; Character.AI Lite $4.99 |
Voice, selfies and memory: which app has what
Kindroid, Replika and Pi advertise live voice; Duple, Nomi and Kindroid advertise selfies; and every app except Character.AI advertises memory. Most “best AI companion app” lists rank these apps as if they were interchangeable. They are built for different things. This table shows what each publisher advertises; “Not listed” means we could not find it on the listing, not that it is missing.
| App | Make your own companion | Voice | Photos / selfies | Memory | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duple | Yes, more than one | Text only (no live voice) | Selfies and short video selfies | Yes | iPhone |
| Nomi | Yes, more than one | Voice messages | Selfies and art | Yes | iPhone, Android, Web |
| Replika | One avatar companion | Voice and video calls | Image generation | Yes | iPhone, Android, Web |
| Pi | No (you talk to Pi) | Live voice | Not listed | Yes (since Sep 2026) | iPhone, Android, Web |
| Kindroid | Yes, in depth | Real-time voice calls | Selfies | Yes | iPhone, Android, Web |
| Tolan | Your own Tolan | Voice-first, per Tolan | You can share photos | Yes | iPhone |
| Character.AI | Yes, plus a big library | Voice and calls | Not listed | Not listed | iPhone, Android, Web |
Four questions that pick the app for you
Do you want to design your companion? If yes, choose Duple (selfies and photos, more than one companion), Nomi or Kindroid. If you would rather just talk, Pi or Replika are ready from the first message.
Do you want to talk out loud? Kindroid, Replika and Pi offer live voice. Duple is text-only.
Does it need to be free? Pi is free with no in-app purchases listed, and Duple Lite is free by default. The rest are free to start with paid plans.
Do you need it on Android or the web? Nomi, Replika, Pi, Kindroid and Character.AI work everywhere. Duple and Tolan are iPhone-only.
If romance is the main point, see our best AI girlfriend apps comparison.
Duple
Duple is for people who would rather create a companion than pick one from a list. You choose their background, appearance and style, and you can keep more than one companion. Duple’s App Store listing and website describe long-term memory, generated selfies and short video selfies, custom outfits and a saved library of your pictures.
Watch out: Duple is iPhone-only (iOS 26 or later), with no Android or web app, and it is text chat only, with no live voice. It is also new, so it has very few store ratings so far.
US App Store: rated 16+ · Duple Lite free by default; Duple Plus $6.99/wk · $19.99/mo · $149.99/yr; Dokens packs from $1.99. Sources: App Store listing · official site (checked October 17, 2026).
Nomi
Nomi is built around ongoing relationships with strong memory. Its App Store listing advertises short- and long-term memory, real-time selfies, art generation, voice messages and group chats, and its screenshots show several Nomis at once, one-on-one or in a group.
Watch out: Voice on the App Store listing means voice messages, not a live call. Nomi Credits are sold separately from the plans, so check what your plan covers.
US App Store: rated 18+ · Standard $15.99/mo · $39.99/quarter · $99.99/yr; Launch plan $9.99/mo or $59.99/yr; credit packs from $4.99. Sources: App Store listing (checked October 17, 2026).
Replika
Replika has offered an AI companion since 2017 and now calls itself “the AI to do life with.” It remembers your people, plans and goals, and offers voice and video calls, image generation and an avatar you can customize.
Watch out: Replika centres on one companion rather than many characters, and gem packs are sold on top of the subscriptions.
US App Store: rated 18+ · Subscriptions from $7.99 (monthly) up to Replika Platinum at $89.99. Sources: App Store listing (checked October 17, 2026).
Pi
Pi, from Inflection AI, is for venting, rehearsing a hard conversation or thinking through a decision, by text or live voice. Since September 2026 it remembers lasting details across chats, and you can view, edit or delete those memories in Settings.
Watch out: Pi is not a character, romance or selfie app: you talk to Pi itself. Some recent App Store reviewers say it interrupts, forgets things or crashes.
US App Store: rated 18+ · Free; no in-app purchases listed. Sources: App Store listing · Pi help center (checked October 17, 2026).
Kindroid
Kindroid lets you write a detailed backstory and “implant key memories” for your companion. Its App Store listing advertises real-time voice calls, human-like text-to-speech and generated selfies.
Watch out: It takes more setup than the others. Extra Kindroid slots, selfie credits and audio credits cost extra, and several recent App Store reviews say chatting now needs a paid plan.
US App Store: rated 18+ · Subscription $15.99/mo · $42.99/3 mo · $159.99/yr; Ultra $28.99; MAX $68.99. Sources: App Store listing (checked October 17, 2026).
Tolan
Tolan is an alien friend you can talk to about your interests, feelings and goals. You can share photos and design a planet together, and it is the only app here rated 13+ on the US App Store.
Watch out: Tolan is iPhone-only in our catalog. Its in-app purchase list mixes current and “(Old)” memberships, so check the price inside the app before you subscribe.
US App Store: rated 13+ · Tolan Lite $11.99 and Tolan Plus $24.99 listed (billing period not shown). Sources: App Store listing · official site (checked October 17, 2026).
Character.AI
Character.AI is the place to browse a very large library of community-made characters and stories, or make your own, with voice and calls.
Watch out: It is built for jumping between characters, not one ongoing companion. Character.AI filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on October 12, 2026 to sell the company; it says the app is still running.
US App Store: rated 18+ · c.ai+ $9.99/mo or $94.99/yr; Character.AI Lite $4.99. Sources: App Store listing · Character.AI announcement (checked October 17, 2026).
Before you get attached: a short checklist
An AI companion is software run by a company, and your messages live on its servers. Read the privacy policy, look for ways to export and delete your data, and set a budget before you buy credits or gems. Be especially careful with apps that ask to connect your email, bank or social accounts: Meta’s Muse agent, which some people now use as a companion, keeps detailed notes on the people in your life (our Muse update). And companies change: Character.AI filed for bankruptcy in October 2026 and state attorneys general asked the court to protect people’s private chats in any sale (our summary). If you are struggling, talk to someone you trust or a local support line.
How we built this list
We chose apps that people search for as companions and that each serve a different kind of relationship: one you design, one that remembers you everywhere, an everyday avatar, a supportive friend, deep customization, a teen-friendly option and a character library. The list is grouped by what you want, not ranked by quality. Features are what each publisher advertises, not hands-on test results. Prices and age ratings were copied from US App Store listings on October 17, 2026 and change often. Adult-only services are excluded. Read our methodology. Also see our Character.AI alternatives and CHAI alternatives guides.
AI companion apps: common questions
What is the best AI companion app?
It depends on the relationship you want. To design your own companions who send selfies and photos on iPhone, try Duple. For one companion that remembers you on any device, try Nomi. For an everyday avatar with voice and video calls, try Replika. For a free, supportive friend to talk to, try Pi. For deep customization and live voice calls, try Kindroid. For a gentle companion rated 13+, try Tolan. For a huge character library, try Character.AI.
Is there a completely free AI companion app?
Pi is free and its US App Store listing shows no in-app purchases. Duple Lite is free by default. The other apps here are free to download with paid plans that unlock more messages, memory, images or voice.
Which AI companion app has the best memory?
We have not tested memory hands-on. Nomi, Duple, Replika, Kindroid and Tolan all advertise memory, and Pi added memory across chats in September 2026 with a page where you can view and delete what it remembers. In reviews, memory in very long chats is a common complaint across apps.
Which AI companion apps have voice calls?
Kindroid advertises real-time voice calls, Replika advertises voice and video calls, and Pi has a live voice mode. Nomi’s App Store listing describes voice messages. Duple is text-only and has no live voice.
Can I have more than one AI companion?
Yes in several apps. Duple and Nomi let you keep more than one companion, Kindroid sells extra slots, and Character.AI lets you chat with as many characters as you like. Replika and Pi are built around one relationship.
Are AI companion apps safe?
Treat them like any app that stores private conversations. Read the privacy policy, check whether you can export and delete your data, and be careful about connecting email, banking or social accounts. Most apps here are rated 18+; Duple is 16+ and Tolan 13+.
Is Meta’s Muse an AI companion app?
Muse is Meta’s personal AI agent for tasks like email, shopping and calendars, but some people now use it as a companion. It is rated 18+ and can connect to your accounts, so its privacy trade-offs are different from a dedicated companion app. See our Muse update for details.
Want a companion you design yourself?
Duple is free to start on iPhone. Create your companion, then chat and get selfies.