Methodology

Updated November 9, 2026

Each guide answers one question people ask about AI companions. We've used every app on this site ourselves, and we describe each one from that use and from its own published pages. Nothing here is a lab benchmark or a measured ranking of every app.

Hallie is the pick on every page because, in our use, she was clearly the best: she lives in iMessage or Google Messages, remembers what you share and texts you first, and she felt the most like texting a real friend. Where another app fits a different need better, such as designing your own character or using Telegram, the page says so.

Each page shows the date it was last updated. Apps change often, so check the official site before you subscribe.

What we look for

Company that comes to you

When you're low, starting every conversation yourself is one more chore. A companion that can message first makes the company feel less one-sided.

It lives where your people are

A companion in your Messages app sits in the same list as your friends and family. One tucked inside a separate app is easy to close and forget.

It remembers the small stuff

Part of feeling known is someone remembering the details of your week. A companion with memory can ask how the dentist went or whether the new neighbor said hello.

Honest about what it is

Look for a companion that's plain about being AI. The right one fits around the rest of your life rather than trying to fill all of it.

How pages stay current

Each page shows the date its content last changed. Once a month, every link on the site and the apps' own pages are checked again, and entries are corrected when an app changes what it offers.