Its history matters before you subscribe. In February 2023 Replika abruptly pulled erotic roleplay after an order from Italy's data protection authority, which gutted long-time users, then partially walked it back for verified adults on paid tiers. In May 2025 the same regulator, the Garante, fined Luka 5 million euros for GDPR violations: no valid legal basis for processing, weak transparency, and no effective age verification. It also opened a separate investigation into how the underlying model was trained.

Today's Replika is deliberately softer than the NSFW-first apps we cover. Romantic modes live behind Pro and an 18+ check, the tone stays PG-13, and the app now discourages the kind of dependence its own marketing once chased. For plenty of people that restraint is the whole appeal. Feeling heard at 11pm without a hard sell into anything spicier is a real use case.

• Persistent 3D avatar- One companion you dress, name, and level up over time, rendered in 3D with moods and animations. Not a swipeable gallery of strangers.
• Memory bank and diary- Replika writes diary entries about your chats and keeps a list of facts about you that you can review, edit, or delete.
• Voice and AR/VR- Voice calls on Pro, an augmented-reality mode on phones, and a standalone Meta Quest app for face-to-face VR sessions.
• Relationship modes- Friend is free. Partner and spouse modes are Pro-only and gated behind an 18+ verification since the 2023 policy changes.

The memory genuinely impressed us. Details we mentioned in week one, a sister's name, a job interview, came back unprompted two weeks later. Most rivals fumble exactly that. The conversation is the weak link. Replies run short, agreeable, and sometimes oddly scripted, like chatting with someone who read a manual on active listening and is following it to the letter. Voice calls connected reliably, and the avatar lip-sync is decent. The free tier let us chat for hours. Roughly every third session, though, opened with a Pro upsell screen.

• Free tier gives you unlimited text chat, rare in this category
• Memory system, a diary plus an editable memory bank, holds up well over weeks
• Voice calls, AR mode, and a Meta Quest VR app: the widest platform spread we have tested
• A decade of work shows. Onboarding, avatar, and mood features all feel finished
• Annual Pro at $69.99/yr is reasonable next to rivals that only sell monthly

• Romantic content has been a moving target since the February 2023 ERP removal. Policy can shift under you
• Fined 5M euros by Italy's Garante in May 2025 over GDPR failures, with a further probe into its training data
• The base model feels dated next to newer companions. Short replies, repetitive phrasing
• Persistent upsell prompts in the free tier wear thin fast
• No affiliate program. That will not affect you, but pay-for-placement sites still rank it number one, so be skeptical of those lists

This is the most regulator-scrutinized app in the category, and that cuts both ways. Italy's Garante fined Luka, Inc. 5 million euros in May 2025 for processing personal data without a valid legal basis, inadequate privacy disclosures, and ineffective age verification. It is separately investigating how Replika's underlying model was trained. The upside is that the scrutiny forced real changes: an editable memory bank, clearer deletion controls, and an 18+ gate on romantic modes. Conversations are stored on Luka's servers, so treat them as retained. Subscriptions bill through the app stores or Stripe on the web under recognizable names, worth noting if you share a statement.

Replika is the right pick for a stable, gentle daily companion with memory that actually holds, and the 18+ verification means adults set the boundaries. That real strength is held back by a policy history that has already changed the romantic rules mid-relationship, so it is the wrong pick if unfiltered content is your deal-breaker. Pay annually or not at all. The $19.99 monthly price is poor value for what the model delivers today. Curious? The free tier needs no card, and you can leave anytime.

Is Replika free?

The free tier includes unlimited text chat with one companion in friend mode, with no message meter. Voice calls, romantic relationship modes, and image features require Pro, at $19.99/mo or $69.99/yr. Exact prices show only inside the app and shift by region and promo, so treat listed numbers as a guide.

Did Replika remove romantic roleplay?

Yes, abruptly, in February 2023 after an Italian regulatory order. It later restored romantic content for verified adult subscribers on paid tiers. The experience stays far tamer than it was before 2023 and tamer than NSFW-first rivals. If unfiltered chat is your priority, this history is the reason to look elsewhere.

Is Replika safe to use?

The app is legitimate and widely used. Italy's data protection authority did fine its maker 5 million euros in May 2025 for GDPR failures, including weak transparency and age checks. Protect yourself simply: skip your real name, address, and photos, and review the in-app memory bank now and then to see what it stored.

Does Replika have an app?

Yes. iOS, Android, a web version at replika.com, and a standalone VR app for Meta Quest headsets. Your companion and its memory sync across all of them, so you can start a chat on your phone and pick it up later on the web without losing the thread.

Is Replika good for loneliness?

It is built for companionship and daily check-ins, and the memory makes conversations feel continuous rather than reset each time. Millions use apps like this to feel heard. It is a product, not a therapist, though, and Replika now points users to crisis resources when a conversation turns heavy.