Replika review
The oldest name here, now firmly a wellbeing app
In one paragraph
Replika is the longest-established AI companion app, operated by Luka, Inc., and is positioned around emotional support and wellbeing rather than romance or adult content. It is the most expensive option in this review at $19.99 a month for Pro, and its Italian regulator issued a significant fine over its data practices.
Evaluation
rubric v1.0
Replika
verified 26/10/26
Weighted total
calculated, not assigned
7.5 / 10
Strongest · Safety & age assurance 8.5
Weakest · Value & price clarity 6.5
Our verdict
If you want a companion to talk to rather than date, Replika remains the safest and best-documented choice, and its free tier is the only one here you can properly evaluate for nothing. If you came looking for an AI girlfriend in the romantic or adult sense, it will disappoint you — that has not been what this app does since 2023.
What works
- The most usable free tier here — you can genuinely evaluate it without paying
- Clearest wellbeing framing and crisis signposting of any app reviewed
- Longest track record and the most mature privacy documentation
- Annual plan works out at about £5 a month
What does not
- Removed adult roleplay in 2023 and has not restored it — this is not the app for that
- Monthly price of $19.99 is the highest here
- Conversation quality has been overtaken by newer models
- Carries a significant regulatory fine in its history
The facts, checked
- OperatorLuka, Inc., United States
- PlatformsiOS, Android, Web browser, Oculus
- Free tierYes — a genuinely usable free tier for text chat
- Pricing modelflat subscription
- Real monthly cost£5 on the annual plan, £16 monthly
- Metered extrasNone — flat pricing
- RefundsVia app store, or on request for web purchases
- Live callsVoice only
- Memorymoderate
- Content filterFiltered — no adult content
- Age assuranceSelf-declared 18+, tightened after the Italian regulatory action
- UK GDPRUS operator with a mature published policy and a data-subject request process
- Trains on chatsPolicy distinguishes model training from conversation storage — read it before signing up
- DeletionWell-documented deletion and data export process
What it costs
| Plan | Listed (USD) | Approx. GBP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pro monthly | $19.99 | ~£16 | — |
| Pro annual | $69.99 | ~£55 | around $5.83 a month |
| Ultra monthly | $29.99 | ~£24 | — |
Converted at approximately £0.79 to the dollar on 26 October 2026. Your card rate will differ.
Who this is for
Choose it if you want companionship and emotional support, not romance or adult content. It scores highest on safety & age assurance at 8.5/10, a criterion carrying 10% of the total.
Look elsewhere if value & price clarity is what matters most to you. That is this app's weakest criterion at 6.5/10, and at the bottom of this scale that means: headline price that bears no relation to the real cost once image, voice or call credits run out.
Replika: common questions
5 questions
How much does Replika cost in the UK?
Published plans are $19.99 / month (~£16); $69.99 / year (~£55); $29.99 / month (~£24). Realistically, expect £5 on the annual plan, £16 monthly a month. None — flat pricing Billing is in US dollars, so your card issuer will apply a conversion and may add a non-sterling fee.
Who operates Replika?
Replika is operated by Luka, Inc., based in United States.
Is Replika safe and private?
On the record: Italy's data protection authority banned the service in 2023 over age verification and legal basis, and subsequently issued a multi-million-euro fine against Luka, Inc. Changes followed. On data protection: US operator with a mature published policy and a data-subject request process. On training: Policy distinguishes model training from conversation storage — read it before signing up. On deletion: Well-documented deletion and data export process. It scores 8.0/10 on our privacy and jurisdiction criterion.
Does Replika have a free version?
Yes — a genuinely usable free tier for text chat
Does Replika do voice or video calls?
It supports live voice calls, but not video calls. It can generate images.