Replika, built by Luka, Inc. since 2017, predates the current AI companion category by roughly five years, effectively pioneering the idea of an ongoing, personalized AI relationship well before ChatGPT existed. That early start built one of the largest and longest-running user bases of any companion app.
The company has also faced significant regulatory and product controversy: Italy's data protection authority banned Replika from processing user data in 2023 over risks to minors and insufficient age verification, later reaffirming that action and fining Luka, Inc. five million euros. Around the same time, Replika removed erotic roleplay features entirely, restored them only for pre-2023 users through a legacy toggle, and has since moved the product further away from romantic-partner positioning, now avoiding sexual content and actively discouraging users from exclusive emotional dependence on the app.
A free tier covers standard conversation, and paid plans start around $19 a month for expanded features. Anyone evaluating Replika today, especially for a younger or emotionally vulnerable user, should research its current safety features and content policies directly given this documented regulatory history rather than assuming it functions the way earlier coverage described.
