Chai vs Replika (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Chai and Replika share a 2.2 GPA, neither has a free plan and their prices can't be set side by side, so the choice depends on which features you need.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on all five counts.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Chai
Mobile app for chatting with AI characters that users create
Free plan
Which one is for you
Pick Chai if
- Fits if you want to chat with characters other users made on your phone
- Works for adults who want to write their own character
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you're under 18: age is checked by selfie or ID
- Not for you if you want a work assistant, as it's character chat only
- Watch out: no price is published, and some regions need a paid subscription
- Watch out: the web version is listed as coming soon
Pick Replika if
- Fits if you want a character to chat and call with, not an assistant for work
- Works for people who like keeping up one long conversation that remembers them
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to know the price first, as none is published on the pages we read
- Not for you if you need research, writing or code help, as it is built as a companion
- Tight if you stay free, as daily replies, call minutes and weekly images can be capped
- Watch out: the App Store lists an 18+ age rating, and plans differ by version, platform and country
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAChaiFair | 2.2GPAReplikaFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo price is shown on the vendor's site or the Google Play listing, which says only that there are in-app purchases and ads. | CNo price could be read: the terms say plans are shown on the subscription and checkout screens. With nothing on record it sits in the middle. |
| Free plan and trial | CThe app carries ads and in-app purchases, and the Safety Center says some regions need a paid subscription. | CFree to download, but what the free version allows is not published, and the terms say daily replies, call minutes and weekly images can be capped. |
| Features | CUser-made characters, in-character chat, in-house models and safety filters. A narrow job: character chat, not general work. | CText, voice and video chat, a memory of your life, avatar customization and check-ins. It does that one job fully, and it is a smaller job than an assistant. |
| Ease of use | BNo rating on record, but it's an app you install and start chatting in, with nothing to set up. Age checks apply. | BThe listing shows an app you install and start using, with nothing to set up. No store rating is on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | CiOS and Android only, with no web version yet and no integrations. | CiPhone and Android apps, with a legacy web app linked from the footer. No desktop app and no integrations. |
| Best for | a mobile app for chatting with AI characters | a talking AI companion on your phone |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Chai and Replika. How we grade
Where they differ
- Replika also covers image generation.
In commoniOSAndroidAI featuresChat assistant
At a glance
| Chai | Replika | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Chai Research Corp. | Luka, Inc. |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Chai
- Prices could not be confirmed: the vendor's site and its Google Play listing show none, which says only that the app has in-app purchases and ads.
- The company's Safety Center says that in some regions use of the service requires a paid subscription.
- Adults only: users must be 18 or older, and the company says it checks age through selfie estimation or ID verification by a third party.
- Runs as an iOS and Android app; the website lists a web version as coming soon. It is a character-chat product, not a general work assistant.
Replika
- No plan names or prices could be read from the vendor's pages. The terms say plans, prices and allowances are shown on the subscription and checkout screens.
- The terms say plans and features differ by version (classic and Replika 2.0), by platform and by country.
- Usage allowances such as daily chat replies, call minutes and weekly images can apply to a plan, per the terms.
- The App Store lists an 18+ age rating. The homepage lists iOS and Android apps, and a legacy web app is linked from its footer.
Key features
Chai
- User-made AI characters
- People create their own AI characters and stories and share them with others on the platform.
- Conversations in character
- The Google Play listing says the chatbots reply in character, with a large selection of characters to choose from.
- In-house language models
- The company says it trains its own models for the product rather than relying on open-source ones.
- Safety filters and reporting
- The app has optional filters for mature content and anonymous in-app reporting of characters and messages.
Replika
- Text, voice and video conversations
- You can chat in text, call your Replika by voice, and show it what you are looking at on video.
- Memory of your life
- The companion keeps track of the people, routines, plans and interests you tell it about, so later conversations can refer back to them.
- Avatar customization
- The look of the companion can be changed in detail, and the store listing describes avatar customization as one of the app's features.
- Proactive check-ins and suggestions
- The app lists proactive suggestions and follow-ups, such as nudges to reconnect with a friend or start a hobby.
- Images and internet access
- The App Store listing names image generation and exploring the internet together as features, and the site says the companion sends selfies.
Plans
Chai
Pricing could not be confirmed. See chai-research.com.
Replika
Pricing could not be confirmed. See replika.com.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Chai or Replika?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Chai has no price we could confirm, and Replika has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, Chai or Replika?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither Chai nor Replika has a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.