AI Companion Apps for iPhone and Android: Compare Native Apps and Web Access
Choose an AI companion by its actual installation and billing route. Nomi, Kindroid, Character.AI, CHAI and Replika document native mobile access; OurDream documents browser shortcuts. A home-screen icon does not prove a native app, and a web purchase may require cancellation outside the phone's subscription settings.
Shortlist from existing editorial reviews. Scores are estimates; only explicitly dated source checks are verified. Read the evidence policy.
Compare the shortlist
| App | Use case | Plan check | Score basis | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nomi AI Provider link; check content policy | Users seeking a consistent, relationship-like AI friend, girlfriend, boyfriend or mentor. | Recurring monthly, quarterly and yearly subscriptions are documented. A current account-specific amount was not established; check the selected plan and renewal total. Pricing source checked 2026-09-28; quote required, checkout not tested. | 4.4/5 Editorial estimate | |
| Kindroid Provider link; check content policy | Power users who want to design a detailed AI partner, friend or fictional character. | Documented Standard USD plan: $13.99/month on web or $15.99/month in app stores. Annual charges are $139.99 web or $159.99 app. Ultra and MAX are separate monthly add-ons; regional prices can differ. Pricing source checked 2026-09-28; documented, checkout not tested. | 4.4/5 Editorial estimate | |
| Character.AI Provider link; check content policy | Creative roleplay users who want many public characters rather than a private AI partner product. | Optional c.ai+ subscription; no current comparable monthly quote is assigned from the help article. Verify the actual account/store offer rather than an old advertised rate. Pricing source checked 2026-09-28; quote required, checkout not tested. | 4.0/5 Editorial estimate | |
| Chai AI Provider link; 18+ features | Adults who want to explore or create mobile AI characters and can accept the documented data-use conditions. | The US App Store lists Premium Monthly at $13.99 and Ultra Monthly at $29.99 alongside other purchases. These are listed SKUs, not a selected account or Android checkout quote. Pricing source checked 2026-09-28; quote required, checkout not tested. | 4.0/5 Editorial estimate | |
| Replika Provider link; check content policy | Users looking for a supportive AI friend or relationship-style companion with avatar features. | The official help directs readers to their app/store subscription screen for the amount. Free Use and paid Pro, Ultra and Platinum are documented; no single current monthly quote is assigned. Pricing source checked 2026-09-28; quote required, checkout not tested. | 4.1/5 Editorial estimate | |
| OurDream AI Sponsored Affiliate link; 18+ features | Adults who want a visual-first AI companion with custom characters, roleplay, images, video-style media and voice features. | Documented standard USD plan: $19.99 monthly or $119.88 upfront annually ($9.99/month equivalent). Confirm the checkout quote. Pricing source checked 2026-09-28; documented, checkout not tested. | 4.6/5 Editorial estimate |
Run these checks before choosing
- Follow the official developer's store link and confirm its publisher. For browser access, distinguish a home-screen shortcut from a native store installation.
- Test one fictional conversation on the device you will use. Check the desired voice, media or memory task on that specific tier; do not assume web/app parity.
- Read the receipt's merchant, currency, charge and renewal interval before paying. Locate the cancellation control for that purchase platform and keep the confirmation.
Billing, platform and policy evidence
Nomi AI: sources and limitations
| Check | What the source establishes | Evidence and date |
|---|---|---|
| Price | The terms describe recurring subscriptions and paid add-ons, but this check does not establish a current comparable monthly charge. Confirm the total and interval on the selected subscription screen. | Quote required Official source |
| Free access | The official home page offers a free start without a credit card. It does not establish unlimited access to every voice, media or group-chat feature. | Documented Official source |
| Cancellation | Cancel through the purchase platform. The web route is Profile, Subscription, Manage Subscription, then Cancel Subscription. Store purchases use Apple or Google controls. Benefits last to period end; deleting the app is not cancellation. No account action was tested. | Documented Official source |
| Privacy | The notice covers chat and customization content, service and legal disclosures, and account deletion in about 28 days after confirmation. Support archives have exceptions; no-sale wording is not proof of confidential chat. | Documented Official source |
| Platform | The cancellation guide documents web, iOS and Google Play purchase routes. Availability and displayed prices can differ by store region. | Documented Official source |
| Age and suitability | The terms require users to be at least 18 and prohibit relying on Nomi for medical, mental-health or other professional advice. | Documented Official source |
Who should skip it: Skip Nomi if you need a guaranteed memory result, medical advice or a verified monthly quote without checking your own plan. Keep sensitive information out of the trial.
Kindroid: sources and limitations
| Check | What the source establishes | Evidence and date |
|---|---|---|
| Price | The help center lists Standard at $13.99/month web and $15.99/month app. Combined monthly totals are $38.98/$44.98 with Ultra and $98.97/$113.97 with Ultra plus MAX. Regional charges can vary; checkout was not completed. | Documented Official source |
| Free access | The help article describes limited Lite access and a separate three-day premium trial requiring payment details that renews unless canceled. Web trial signup also requires phone verification. Recheck availability before starting. | Documented Official source |
| Cancellation | Web subscriptions use Billing in settings; store purchases use the relevant store. Each add-on is a separate subscription: canceling Standard or Ultra can reduce service while a higher add-on still bills. Review every active tier; no cancellation was operated. | Documented Official source |
| Privacy | The legal notice describes chat and media retention until AI/account deletion, service-provider processing and legal exceptions. It reserves decryption for specified legal or enforcement purposes; public/shared content may survive deletion. Encryption is not a confidentiality certification. | Documented Official source |
| Platform | The subscription help documents web, iOS and Android access and billing. Subscription status follows the login account, but changing purchase platforms requires the old subscription to expire. | Documented Official source |
| Age and suitability | The Terms of Use require at least 18 or the local age of majority, whichever is greater. Kindroid is not medical care or an emergency service. | Documented Official source |
Who should skip it: Skip paid Kindroid tiers if you cannot distinguish the base subscription from recurring add-ons. Do not buy a costly memory tier solely from an advertised capacity or directory score.
Character.AI: sources and limitations
| Check | What the source establishes | Evidence and date |
|---|---|---|
| Price | The c.ai+ FAQ documents an optional paid upgrade but does not establish a current monthly amount in this check. Use the selected checkout quote; no old $9.99 headline is treated as a verified rate. | Quote required Official source |
| Free access | The FAQ states free unlimited messaging. It separately describes paid benefits; this does not prove that every media action, future feature or account mode is free. | Documented Official source |
| Cancellation | The dedicated billing guide directs web purchases to Settings, Account, Manage and an emailed customer-portal link. App purchases use Apple or Google subscription controls. No account cancellation was tested. | Documented Official source |
| Privacy | The model-training page says shared content can improve models. Its documented EEA/UK opt-out excludes new chat content from generative-model training but not all service-improvement uses or feedback. The full retention policy was not verified here. | Documented Official source |
| Platform | The official help footer links the web app and native iOS and Android downloads. Check the real developer and your local store; an app listing is not proof of identical features or billing on every platform. | Documented Official source |
Who should skip it: Skip an upgrade if you require a verified private-by-default chat service or a training opt-out that the provider has not documented for your region. Confirm the billed amount and permitted use first.
Chai AI: sources and limitations
| Check | What the source establishes | Evidence and date |
|---|---|---|
| Price | The US iOS listing includes $13.99 Premium Monthly and $29.99 Ultra Monthly SKUs, plus other products. The account-specific offer, taxes and Android price were not established; no single global monthly bill is assigned. | Quote required Official source |
| Free access | The developer's iOS listing shows a free download with in-app purchases. Downloading free does not establish unlimited chat or access to a paid tier. | Documented Official source |
| Cancellation | For purchases billed by Apple, use Apple subscription settings and confirm expiry. This is store guidance, not a tested CHAI account control or proof that every CHAI purchase uses Apple. Check the merchant on the receipt first. | Platform guidance Official source |
| Privacy | The July 2026 policy permits identifier-reduced conversations for model improvement and storage during the account plus up to five years after deletion, with legal exceptions. Profile, Settings, Delete Account is documented, not operated. Private bots are not confidential storage. | Documented Official source |
| Platform | The official developer home page links native iOS and Android apps. This check does not establish a desktop browser chat service or equal feature access between stores. | Documented Official source |
| Age | The EULA requires users to be at least 18 and prohibits sexually explicit images and videos. A store content rating is not a substitute for the provider's eligibility and content rules. | Documented Official source |
Who should skip it: Skip CHAI if you require conversations excluded from model improvement, immediate erasure of every record or a verified desktop chat client. A bot marked private does not remove the provider's data-use policy.
Replika: sources and limitations
| Check | What the source establishes | Evidence and date |
|---|---|---|
| Price | The subscription help says pricing is shown in the app and relevant store. Compare the chosen tier and renewal interval; do not treat a legacy Pro price as the current Ultra or Platinum charge. | Quote required Official source |
| Free access | The trial FAQ says there is no free premium trial and describes free chatting. The subscription guide calls Free Use limited and subject to availability; neither statement establishes free access to every paid feature. | Documented Official source |
| Cancellation | The cancellation guide documents Settings, Subscription, Cancel subscription, but requires the purchase platform to manage billing. It separately covers Apple, Google and PayPal; deleting the app does not cancel. No account action was tested. | Documented Official source |
| Privacy | The policy permits de-identified conversation processing by third-party AI providers for replies, contractually excluding their model training. It describes internal safety training, messages retained up to 60 days after termination, and some account/financial records retained at least ten years. Not a confidentiality audit. | Documented Official source |
| Platform | The official home page describes native iOS and Android access and labels its browser link Web App (Legacy). Do not assume the newest app features are identical in the legacy browser client. | Documented Official source |
| Deletion | The erasure help describes sending a support request from the registered email and receiving confirmation. This is a documented route, not a deletion test or a promise to override every retention exception. | Documented Official source |
Who should skip it: Skip a Replika upgrade if you cannot identify the tier and billing owner. Do not use companion conversation as confidential record storage or a substitute for qualified professional help.
OurDream AI: sources and limitations
| Check | What the source establishes | Evidence and date |
|---|---|---|
| Price | The standard-plan help article states $19.99 billed monthly or $119.88 billed annually. Annual access is a yearly upfront commitment, not a $9.99 monthly bill. Checkout was not completed. | Documented Official source |
| Credits | The standard plan documents 1,000 dreamcoins monthly; the annual plan starts with 2,000 and then adds 1,000 monthly. A coin balance is not unlimited media access. | Documented Official source |
| Cancellation | The help center directs users to their profile, Cancel subscription, then confirmation. Access lasts until the billing period ends; cancellation does not automatically issue a refund. No account cancellation was performed. | Documented Official source |
| Privacy | The policy permits data use for model training and purpose-based retention with legal exceptions. Popular public characters may remain after account deletion. Encryption claims are not an independent confidentiality audit. | Documented Official source |
| Platform | The help center says there is no standalone mobile app and provides iPhone Safari and Android Chrome home-screen shortcut steps. A browser shortcut is not a native app. | Documented Official source |
Who should skip it: Skip OurDream if you need a verified standalone mobile app, a month-to-month bill at the annual equivalent rate, or confidential storage for private conversations.
Know when to stop
Do not pay if the renewal amount, feature allowance or cancellation route remains unclear. Use fictional details during a trial. A feature advertised by a provider is not proof of quality, privacy or suitability for you.
Practical next steps
- How to Install Secrets AI on iPhone and Android in 2026
- AI Companion Browser vs Mobile App Privacy Workflow
- How to Lock or Hide an AI Companion App on iPhone and Android
Official sources and freshness
- Nomi AI official site: public feature information checked 2026-09-28; checkout not tested.
- Kindroid official site: public feature information checked 2026-09-28; checkout not tested.
- Character.AI official site: public feature information checked 2026-09-28; checkout not tested.
- Chai AI official site: public feature information checked 2026-09-28; checkout not tested.
- Replika official site: public feature information checked 2026-09-28; checkout not tested.
- OurDream AI official site: public feature information checked 2026-09-28; checkout not tested.
Frequently asked questions
Is an AI companion home-screen shortcut a native app?
No. OurDream documents browser home-screen access, while several other providers link native store apps. Check the developer, installation route and feature you need rather than assuming the icon identifies a native app.
Can I pay on the web and cancel in a phone app?
Do not assume so. Check who billed the purchase. Kindroid documents separate web and store billing routes; Nomi and Character.AI also direct cancellations through the purchase platform.
Do AI companion apps have the same features as their websites?
Not necessarily. Replika explicitly labels its browser app legacy. Compare the actual voice, memory or media action on the device and tier you will use before committing to a subscription.