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Abby vs Replika

Two fact sheets from our own research, side by side — pricing, platforms, API access and status re-checked by us rather than quoted from the vendors. Abby publishes a starting price ($19.99); Replika does not. Both have a free tier.

AbbyAI companion for everyday emotional support, explicitly not a licensed therapist or crisis service.ReplikaAI companion app with a customizable avatar that remembers you across chat, voice calls and AR

Side by side

FactAbbyReplika
CategoryMental Health & Therapy ChatbotsAI Companions & Characters
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemium
Starts at$19.99 month—
Public APINoNo
PlatformsWeb, iOSWeb, iOS, Android
Company—Luka, Inc.
Launched—2017
Last verifiedSep 1, 2026Sep 6, 2026

What our research says

Abby

Abby is upfront about its own limits, which matters more than usual in this category: it states plainly it is not a licensed therapist and cannot diagnose or treat anything, and points toward real therapists when that's what's needed. Within that scope it offers a reasonably full-featured companion -- voice mode, memory, multilingual support -- but as with any AI companion for emotional support, it can't replace a human clinician in a genuine crisis.

Pros

  • Explicitly and repeatedly disclaims being a substitute for licensed therapy, rather than overstating its role
  • Voice mode and unlimited messaging on the paid tier
  • 88+ language support
  • Includes a therapist-finder pointing toward professional help

Cons

  • No company name or location disclosed, which matters for a mental-health-adjacent product handling sensitive conversations
  • Free tier is text-only
  • As an AI companion, it cannot handle genuine crisis situations

Replika

The longest-running mainstream AI companion, with memory and avatar features tuned for an ongoing relationship rather than utility chat. Its history cuts both ways: policy shifts around romantic content in 2023 showed how much the experience can change underneath you, and pricing is only discoverable inside the app.

Pros

  • Long-term memory of personal details persists across sessions
  • Free tier is genuinely usable for text companionship
  • Mature product with nearly a decade of iteration and a very large user base
  • Voice calls, AR and coaching activities go beyond plain text chat

Cons

  • Pro pricing is hidden until the in-app paywall and shifts with region and promos
  • Conversation quality trails frontier chatbots for open-ended or factual topics
  • Feature availability has changed abruptly in the past, affecting paying users

Which one fits

Choose Abby if you need

  • People wanting a low-friction space to talk through everyday stress between therapy sessions or instead of none at all
  • Users who want anonymous, judgment-free conversation
  • Non-English speakers, given 88+ language support

Choose Replika if you need

  • People who want a persistent, personalized companion rather than a task assistant
  • Practicing low-stakes conversation and daily check-ins
  • Users who value avatar customization and voice interaction

More comparisons

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