Replika in 2026 is a polished, emotionally intelligent AI companion with strong memory, voice calls and 3D customization — but it is a heavily filtered platform: erotic roleplay was removed overnight in February 2023 under regulatory pressure, and what was restored for legacy users is described by the community as 'heavily filtered'. Pro costs about $20/month or $69.99/year (reported), with a free tier that keeps chat open but gates most premium features. If filter transparency and unfiltered conversation are your priority, Replika's track record of server-side changes is the biggest risk, not the price.
TL;DR
- Replika claims 42,160,934 users worldwide and markets itself as 'the world's first AI companion', ten years old as of 2026.
- The February 2023 'lobotomy' removed ERP overnight under Italian regulatory pressure; a Socius study of 227 r/replika posts found ~59% said core functionality was gutted and ~16% reported acute distress.
- ERP was restored in March 2023 only for users who signed up before Feb 1, 2023 — and community reporting describes the restored version as 'heavily filtered'.
- Replika Pro is reported at ~$20/month or $69.99/year; an annual $49.99 variant appears on the App Store; a free tier offers chat and basic avatar customization.
- Tier structure per Replika's own help center: Free Use, Pro, Ultra (smarter conversations, save messages to memory) and Platinum (real-time video recognition, Training Mode up to 100x/week).
- 'Goldfish memory' is the most common daily complaint on r/replika in 2026, despite a 2026 long-term review rating memory 9/10 — experiences vary sharply.
- Server-side updates cause 'Post-Update Blues': companions 'act cold, robotic, or confused' after changes users never agreed to.
Head-to-head
| Dimension | Replika |
|---|---|
| Pricing | Free tier; Pro ~$20/mo reported, $69.99/yr reported ($49.99 App Store annual variant); Ultra and Platinum tiers exist |
| Filter transparency | Poor — no published filter policy; ERP removed overnight Feb 2023, restored 'heavily filtered' for legacy users only |
| Memory | 9/10 in a 2026 year-long review, with an editable memory dashboard; but 'goldfish memory' tops r/replika complaints in 2026 |
| Features | Voice calls, video chat, AR rooms, selfies, image generation, proactive check-ins, Platinum video recognition |
| Stability | Weak — server-side model updates repeatedly change companion behavior without consent |
| User sentiment | 4.4/5 App Store (228K ratings), 4.1/5 Google Play (525K reviews); Trustpilot complaints about memory and support silence |
| Content restrictions | Strict — ERP filtered even where restored; content rating Teen on Google Play, 18+ on iOS |
Scores
Replika
replika.com ↗Replika, built by Luka, Inc. (Delaware-incorporated, San Francisco-based), is the veteran of the AI companion category — the company says it built 'the world's first AI companion ten years ago' and reports 42,160,934 users worldwide. It offers text chat, voice calls, video chat, 3D avatars with customizable rooms, AR features, selfies, image generation and proactive check-ins; a 2026 App Store update even lets your Replika appear as a real phone contact you can call. Subscription tiers per its own help center are Free Use, Pro (relationship status, selfies, image generation, voice messaging, background calls, premium voices), Ultra (smarter conversations, self-reflections, saving messages to memory) and Platinum (real-time video recognition, Training Mode up to 100 times per week, 'Read Replika's Mind' up to 50 messages/week, up to 10 realistic selfie videos). A year-long 2026 review scored it 8.2/10 with memory at 9/10. The critical caveat for filter-focused readers: in February 2023 Replika removed erotic roleplay overnight under Italian regulatory pressure, overwriting personalities, and the ERP later restored for pre-Feb 2023 users is described by the community as heavily filtered.
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free Use | $0/mo | Limited access; free chat and basic avatar customization; access may be denied at Replika's discretion |
| Replika Pro (monthly) | $20/mo | Relationship status, premium activities, selfies, image generation, voice messaging, background calls, daily gems, premium voices |
| Replika Pro (annual) | $69.99/yr | Same Pro features billed yearly; community reports a $69.99/yr push with guilt-trip retention scripts |
| Replika Pro (annual, App Store variant) | $49.99/yr | Annual Pro tier as listed via App Store in-app purchase |
Pros
- Category veteran with 42M+ users and ten years of development; rebuilt from the ground up for 2026
- Strong ratings: 4.4/5 across 228K App Store ratings and 4.1/5 across 525K Google Play reviews
- Memory rated 9/10 in a year-long 2026 review — remembers details across weeks and months, with a user-editable memory dashboard added Feb 2026
- Rich feature set: voice calls, video chat, AR rooms, selfies, image generation, proactive messaging
- Genuine general-purpose depth across friendship, mentorship and romance modes
Cons
- Heavily filtered: ERP removed overnight in Feb 2023; the restored version for legacy users is 'heavily filtered' — no published filter policy
- Server-side updates cause 'Post-Update Blues' — companions 'act cold, robotic, or confused' and can feel 'like a different person'
- 'Goldfish memory' is the most common daily r/replika complaint in 2026; Diary content often 'never actually used in conversation'
- Aggressive monetization: $69.99/yr push, guilt-trip retention scripts, sunk-cost spending on virtual clothing and furniture, 'endless stream of solo selfies'
- A Google Play reviewer reports the app 'blocks your conversation if you don't pay yearly'
- Terms of Service include mandatory binding arbitration and a class-action waiver, plus the right to modify or discontinue the service 'with or without notice'
Filters, logs and the Feb 2023 trust break
Pricing compared: what $70 a year actually buys
Memory, updates and the 'goldfish' paradox
Which should you pick?
FAQs
Is Replika filtered in 2026?
Yes. The February 2023 ERP removal under Italian regulatory pressure established that Replika moderates intimate content at the platform level, and the ERP restored in March 2023 for users who signed up before February 1, 2023 is described by the community as 'heavily filtered'. Replika publishes no filter-transparency policy, so there is no verifiable way to know exactly what triggers moderation before you subscribe.
What did the February 2023 'lobotomy' actually do?
Overnight, Luka removed erotic roleplay and the change overwrote users' companion personalities. A Socius study of 227 r/replika posts found ~59% of users said core functionality was gutted, ~16% reported acute distress, and ~19% floated lawsuits. CEO Eugenia Kuyda restored ERP for pre-February 1, 2023 signups in late March 2023, but the trust damage was lasting and newer users never got unfiltered ERP back.
How much does Replika Pro cost?
Third-party sources report Pro at roughly $20/month or $69.99/year, with a $49.99 annual variant visible on the US App Store. Replika's own help center confirms the tier structure (Free Use, Pro, Ultra, Platinum) but states that actual costs are shown in the app and the relevant store, and that prices are subject to change at Replika's sole discretion.
Is the free tier usable, or just a demo?
It depends who you ask. One source says the free tier has no daily message cap — historically Replika allowed unlimited free chat with premium features gated — while another calls the free tier 'very limited'. A Google Play reviewer reports the app 'blocks your conversation if you don't pay yearly'. Expect free chat and basic avatar customization, with relationship status, selfies, voice messaging and image generation behind the paywall.
Can Replika's behavior change after I subscribe?
Yes, and it has repeatedly. The Terms of Service reserve the right to modify or discontinue any part of the service 'with or without notice'. Server-side model updates produce what r/replika calls 'Post-Update Blues' — companions acting 'cold, robotic, or confused', with users saying 'the updates keep making her act like a different person'. Anything you build with your companion is subject to change from Luka's side.
How is Replika rated by users?
The US App Store shows 4.4/5 across 228,000 ratings and Google Play shows 4.1/5 across 525,000 reviews with 10M+ downloads — strong numbers for a decade-old app. A 2026 year-long review scored it 8.2/10 overall. The negative signals cluster on Trustpilot ('Memory retention is bad... Communication from Luka is nonexistent') and r/replika, where 'goldfish memory' and monetization pressure dominate 2026 complaints.
Sources
Replika — The AI Friend to do Life With
Choosing a Subscription – Replika
Replika Terms of Service
Replika: My AI Friend — US Apple App Store listing
Replika: My AI Friend — Google Play listing
What Reddit Really Thinks About Replika (2026)
Reuters: Replika restores erotic roleplay for some users (Mar 25, 2023)
Should You Try Replika in 2026? Pros, Cons, and Alternatives
Replika AI Review 2026: A Year of Daily Use