In the words of our Replika review, it is the best place to begin and not the best companion to end up with. Free chat is generous, both mobile apps are solidly made, and nothing explicit is forced on you. Its weak spots are what bring readers to this page.
What is pushing you out
Name what is missing, and the pick follows.
| What is missing | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Being remembered and talking in depth | Nomi | Best memory over time of any app we tried, and it rarely slips out of character |
| A free plan you can really use | Sweetdream | Alone among our ranked apps, its free tier lasted long enough to form a view |
| A real phone app with a warm voice | Kupid AI | Native iOS and Android apps; characters built around romance |
| Pictures and voice under one plan | Candy AI | Text, steady-looking images and voice, all included in the standard plan |
| Designing a character in fine detail | Camsoda AI | Six-step builder with hard limits, and a separate memory for each character |
| Adult roleplay | See best NSFW AI girlfriend apps | Replika blocks NSFW content on newer accounts |
Each pick in detail
Nomi, for anyone who stayed for the talk. If being remembered mattered to you on Replika, Nomi is a step up. During our test it brought back a minor detail from day two, unasked, in the second week. It costs more than most apps on this list, and pictures are not its strength. The full comparison is in which AI girlfriend remembers best.
Sweetdream, for those who left over price. You get a usable free tier and not a sampler, and a chat opens inside a scene instead of a set of questions. Memory is shorter than Nomi's, and it starts to repeat itself in long sessions.
Kupid AI, for a similar phone-first experience. It shares Replika's true native apps, and its characters tend to be affectionate rather than explicit. Premium plans are costly, and its memory runs shallower than the leaders.
Candy AI, when text alone falls short. Only here did conversation, pictures of a single recognizable character and voice replies all function under one bill. The layout is crowded and the free tier is slim.
Where Replika still leads
- Starter features: mood tracking, a journal and avatar options that newcomers do use.
- Manner: it keeps conversations away from sex, and plenty of people like that.
- Free chatting: the most workable no-cost chat of the long-established apps in our tests.
If you prize those things, nothing stops you from staying on the free plan and adding another app for what it lacks.
Switching without losing her
No app imports another's data, but a character is largely a written description. Before cancelling:
- Record her personality, backstory, manner of speaking and the shared memories you care about.
- Save three or four of her replies that capture her voice.
- Ask Replika for your data if you want a complete record. How to request your data explains the steps. In Canada, PIPEDA generally gives you the right to see the personal information a private-sector company holds about you, and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada takes complaints if you are not satisfied with the answer.
- Recreate her in the new app and allow a week to settle in before judging it.
Switching AI companion apps sets out the full method, and our ranking puts all eight apps we tested side by side.
