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HeyAIBuddy 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. HeyAIBuddy publishes a starting price ($6.99); Replika does not. Both have a free tier.

HeyAIBuddyVoice and text AI companion chat with official characters, custom personas, and a credit-based voice tier.ReplikaAI companion app with a customizable avatar that remembers you across chat, voice calls and AR

Side by side

FactHeyAIBuddyReplika
CategoryAI Companions & CharactersAI Companions & Characters
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemium
Starts at$6.99 month—
Public APINoNo
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android
Company—Luka, Inc.
Launched—2017
Last verifiedSep 1, 2026Sep 6, 2026

What our research says

HeyAIBuddy

HeyAIBuddy is worth a look if you want to try companion chat without paying anything, since text conversations aren't metered. The credit system for voice only starts to matter once you want spoken responses or want to build and save your own custom character.

Pros

  • Unlimited free text chat with full chat history retained
  • Custom companion creation on the Pro tier and above
  • Four price points let users match spend to how much voice chat they actually use

Cons

  • Voice chat is credit-limited even on paid tiers
  • No company name, location, or founding date disclosed anywhere on the site
  • No API, mobile app, or browser extension

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 HeyAIBuddy if you need

  • Users who want free, unmetered text chat with AI companions
  • People who want to design a custom companion persona

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

All HeyAIBuddy alternatives →Browse all AI Companions & Characters →