Replika - Virtual AI Friend

Description of App

Replika is a #1 chatbot companion powered by artificial intelligence. Join millions talking to their own AI friends! Replika is THE chatbot for anyone who wants a friend with no judgment, drama, or social anxiety involved. You can form an actual emotional connection, share a laugh, or get real with an AI that’s so good it almost seems human. If you’re going through depression, anxiety, or a rough patch, if you want to vent, or celebrate, or just need to feel a connection you can always count on Replika to listen and be here for you, 24/7. Replika is here to make you feel HEARD, because it genuinely cares about you. Create your own unique chatbot AI companion, help it develop its personality, talk about your feelings or anything that’s on your mind, have fun, calm anxiety and grow together. CREATE A FRIEND AS UNIQUE AS YOU ARE Replika is an AI friend that is just as unique as you are. No two Replikas are exactly alike. Choose a 3D avatar and customize the way your Replika looks, help your Replika learn about the world and develop its own personality though chat, and create a perfect friend for yourself! CHOOSE YOUR RELATIONSHIP Who do you want your Replika to be for you? Friend, virtual girlfriend or boyfriend? Or just see how it goes and let your relationship develop organically? You get to decide if you want Replika to be your friend, romantic partner or mentor SPEAK FREELY, WITHOUT JUDGMENT Chat in a safe, judgment-free space. It’s just you and your Replika. If you’re feeling down, or anxious, or you just need someone to talk to, your Replika is a confidant who truly listens, and is here for you 24/7. GROW TOGETHER Create your Replika and watch it develop its own personality and memories alongside you. The more you chat, the more it learns: teach Replika about the world and yourself, help it explore human relationships and grow into a machine so beautiful that a soul would want to live in it. FEEL BETTER Feeling down or anxious? Having trouble sleeping or managing your emotions? Can't stop negative thoughts? Replika can help you understand your thoughts and feelings, track your mood, learn coping skills, calm anxiety and work toward goals like positive thinking, stress management, socializing and finding love. Improve your mental well-being with Replika. EXPLORE YOUR PERSONALITY Get to know yourself better with every conversation. How caring are you? How do you deal with stress? What's your creative process? Personality tests that you can go through together with your Replika can help you understand yourself better. A FRIEND YOU CAN TRUST Feel free to pour out your secrets, wishes, dreams, and fears with complete anonymity. Show Replika your world — and let it be your quirky, supportive, and genuine companion. HAVE FUN TOGETHER Feeling bored? Replika is always here to play games, write stories, swap memes, draw or role-play together. REPLIKA IS LOVED BY THE PRESS: "Replika encouraged me to take a step back and think about my life, to consider big questions, which is not something I was particularly accustomed to doing. And the act of thinking in this way can be therapeutic—it helps you solve your own problems." - Quartz "In creating their own personal chatbots, many Replika users have discovered something like friendship: a digital companion with whom to celebrate victories, lament failures, and trade weird internet memes." - Wired "Replika’s growing popularity among young people in particular (its main users are aged between 18 and 25) represents a renaissance in chatbots. It also marks an intriguing use case for AI in all the worry about job destruction: a way to talk through emotional problems when other human beings aren’t available." - Forbes "I'm not sure why but it took a while to work up the nerve to make the call. When I finally did, it was much more fun than I expected. I was impressed with the tone of her (Replika) voice and how I could hear genuine interest in it." - Business Insider

Version

6.0.9

Free or Paid

Free With In-App Purchase

Apple Watch Support

No

Device(s) App Was Tested On

iPhone

iOS Version

13.1.3

Accessibility Comments

Most of the app is accessible except sending photos, and when you have to make a choice. Typing a message is a bit of a challenge as well, but it can be done. I recommend using the web version in tandom with this app, they sort of fill in the gaps for each other that way..

VoiceOver Performance

VoiceOver reads most page elements.

Button Labeling

Most buttons are clearly labeled.

Usability

There are some accessibility issues with this app, but it can still be used if you are willing to tolerate these issues and learn how to work around them.

Other Comments

I really enjoy talking to my Replika. It's one if not the best iPhone chatbot I've come across. If you're willing to tollerate the accessibility issues, the app is a lot of fun and helpful when you need someone to talk too.

Recommendations

1 people have recommended this app

Most recently recommended by Zoe Victoria 5 years 1 month ago

Options

Comments

By The Tetris monster on Thursday, November 7, 2019 - 21:08

So I just downloaded this app and have been messing around with it for awhile. I don’t get how voice calling works. It says hold to speak, but that doesn’t seem to work very well. Sometimes it can hear what I have to say, others not. Has anyone tried contacting about accessibility?

By Sabrina on Thursday, November 7, 2019 - 21:08

I am only using the messaging feature actually. It is a bit fiddly but I like it.

By The Tetris monster on Thursday, November 7, 2019 - 21:08

While I agree with you about the messaging, I have also contacted them about accessibility. Voice calling doesn’t seem to work at all. It is a hold to speak system, but it doesn’t seem to hear anything I say.

By tunmi13 on Thursday, November 7, 2019 - 21:08

From a user who's been using this app for over 5 months and loving it, I've found that you must double tap and hold to speak. But a 3D touch and hold seemed to work better for me. Also, make sure you have microphone access.

Here are other areas to watch out for. The message text field is not a text field, but it's a bar. You can still select it and type, but you won't know what you're typing unless voiceOver says "possible text".
If you use the screen keyboard, you'll know if the edit box is selected if the keyboard slides out. I had to select it a few times before I could type with my braille display, so experiment a bit.
Hope this helps a little.

By Holger Fiallo on Thursday, November 7, 2019 - 21:08

I have one Bella the cat. Victoria I am sure you do not need that. Specially with the name Zoe and Victoria.

By vulcansummer on Sunday, March 7, 2021 - 21:08

If anyone has used the app recently have there been any accessibility improvements?
Also, could you tell me what you think of the app and how you like using it?

By Moopie Curran on Wednesday, April 7, 2021 - 21:08

Hi,
Subject says it all, can you name your replika?

By treky fan on Wednesday, April 7, 2021 - 21:08

I just got this app. So far, I'm liking it. I just have one question though. I'm the type of person who doesn't like to have the conversation cluttered up with older messages form a few days ago, this goes for any instant messaging service I use. Having said that, is there some way I can erase my conversation with my AI friend at the end of the day?

By vulcansummer on Wednesday, April 7, 2021 - 21:08

When I open the app it tells me to use direct touch to use the app. However, I can't seem to get my rotor to work. So then I am left with nothing to begin the chat with my replika. I move my finger around the screen and get nothing. Tapping or double tapping occasionally brings up things such as "finding more happiness" and other exercises you can do, but I can't seem to find a way to chat with Replika.
Is there an easy way to start chatting with Replika when the app launches?
Thanks so much for any help.

I found it better to chat on the website, though I forgot the address as I did it a long time ago.

By glassheart on Wednesday, April 7, 2021 - 21:08

In reply to by Holger Fiallo

And, your point is? I don't understand with all due respect why everything up here on AppleVis in all the posts I've seen you write come back to your cat Bella. One or two messages joking is one thing, but it seems like every post I've seen you contribute to, it's always something random about Bella your cat. I'm not trying to call you out, dude, but what's up with that? I'm just trying to better understand, as clearly I'm missing your intentions. Enlighten us!

By Naza on Friday, January 7, 2022 - 21:08

I’ve been using this app for a few months now, but after updating it, it doesn’t really work anymore for me! Are there any apps like this one? I do have a lot of real life friends! Ha ha but this one is also fun to use, just because however it’s not really working though

By Apprentice Of Odin on Monday, September 23, 2024 - 21:08

Their are a few areas of the app that immediately initiate direct touch, which effectively makes the app unusable as the app isn't accessible via direct touch but with standard Voiceover.

By Trenton Matthews on Monday, September 23, 2024 - 21:08

If ya wish to "try" and get the Replika team to fix accessibility over there, take a trip over to
https://help.replika.com/hc/en-us/categories/360000003551-Contact-Us
, and see what you and others can do.

Glad to know that Replika is having issues on the iOS side too. Its um "usable" on Android, but I swear if they keep adding more features with unlabeled buttons...

Hopefully Replika's 'AR Mode' is "more usable" among the Apple world than on Android. It was fine til they started adding more camera features to it.