Shortlist by what you need
Start here if you know why you are leaving Talkie.
Want the closest match?
ChaiMost similar to Talkie in what it does, its category and its price.
Visit (opens Chai in a new tab)Need a free plan?
DoubaoHas a free plan, rated 4.2 out of 5.
Visit (opens Doubao in a new tab)Want to pay less than Talkie?
Questie AIFrom $3/mo, against from $8/mo for Talkie.
Visit (opens Questie AI in a new tab)Want the best rated?
Z.aiRated 4.2 out of 5 in our review, against 3.9 for Talkie.
Visit (opens Z.ai in a new tab)
At a glance
Green means better than Talkie, red means worse. Prices are starting prices per month.
| Tool | Our rating | Starts at | Free plan | Best for | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 TalkieBaseline | 3.9 | $8/mo | Yes | MiniMax's character chat app, built with voice and roleplay first | |
| Chai | 3.9Same | $14/mo$6 more | Yes | A leaderboard-driven marketplace of user-made chat personas | vs Talkie |
| Doubao | 4.2+0.3 | Free | Yes | ByteDance's chatbot, dominant in China the way ChatGPT is in the West | vs Talkie |
| Z.ai | 4.2+0.3 | $10/mo$2 more | Yes | Zhipu AI's free chat interface for its GLM model family | vs Talkie |
 JanitorAI | 3.6−0.3 | $12.99/mo$4.99 more | Yes | Lets users chat with and create custom AI characters for open-ended roleplay and storytelling conversations. | vs Talkie |
 WhatsGPT | 3.0−0.9 | Free | Yes | GPT-powered chat, voice, and image support across WhatsApp, Telegram, and Messenger - answer customer questions, draft contracts, and generate reports, no app download required. | vs Talkie |
 ERNIE Bot | 4.1+0.2 | Free | Yes | Repositioned as a search assistant under a new Chinese name | vs Talkie |
| Questie AI | 3.6−0.3 | $3/mo$5 less | Yes | An AI gaming companion that watches your gameplay and reacts in voice chat in real time. | vs Talkie |
 SimSimi | 3.0−0.9 | Free | Yes | Long-running Korean chat app with a community-taught chatbot and AI characters, rated 16+ for mature themes. | vs Talkie |
The alternatives in detail
In order of how closely each one matches Talkie.
Chai
3.9$14/mo
vs Talkie$6 moreSame
A leaderboard-driven marketplace of user-made chat personas.
- Public leaderboard ranking user-created chatbot personas
- Marketplace of community-built characters
- Mobile-app-first design
Large, active marketplace of user-created characters to explore
Less suited to general productivity or research tasks
Doubao
4.2Free
vs Talkie+0.3
ByteDance's chatbot, dominant in China the way ChatGPT is in the West.
- One of the most widely used chatbots in China
- Backed by ByteDance's existing consumer app distribution
- General chat, image generation, and voice interaction
Massive existing user base through ByteDance's distribution
Primary relevance and user base centers on the Chinese market
Z.ai
4.2$10/mo
vs Talkie$2 more+0.3
Zhipu AI's free chat interface for its GLM model family.
- Built on Zhipu AI's GLM model family
- One of China's more established AI labs, founded in 2019
- Free chat interface
Backed by one of China's longer-established AI research labs
Less international brand recognition than some newer competitors
JanitorAI
3.6$12.99/mo
vs Talkie$4.99 more−0.3
Lets users chat with and create custom AI characters for open-ended roleplay and storytelling conversations.
- User-created and user-uploaded custom AI characters
- Choice between JanitorAI's native model or external models via personal API key
- Janitor+ subscription for expanded context length and priority response speed
Large, active library of user-created characters covers a wide range of genres
Lighter content moderation than competitors raises real quality-control concerns
WhatsGPT
3.0Free
vs Talkie−0.9
GPT-powered chat, voice, and image support across WhatsApp, Telegram, and Messenger - answer customer questions, draft contracts, and generate reports, no app download required.
- GPT-powered chat across WhatsApp, Telegram, and Messenger
- Voice message and image support
- Multi-language audio messaging
Works inside messaging apps people already have installed
Specific pricing isn't detailed on the page
ERNIE Bot
4.1Free
vs Talkie+0.2
Repositioned as a search assistant under a new Chinese name.
- Built on Baidu's ERNIE model family
- One of the earliest major Chinese ChatGPT competitors
- Rebranded as Wenxiaoyan in China, repositioned as a search assistant
Backed by China's largest search engine and its data advantages
Recent rebranding may cause confusion between old and new naming
Questie AI
3.6$3/mo
vs Talkie$5 less−0.3
An AI gaming companion that watches your gameplay and reacts in voice chat in real time.
- Real-time reaction to on-screen gameplay rather than text-only chat
- Voice conversation during play instead of typed exchanges
- Customisable AI characters with configurable personalities
Gameplay awareness is a real differentiator over generic chat characters
Entertainment value only, with no productivity application
SimSimi
3.0Free
vs Talkie−0.9
Long-running Korean chat app with a community-taught chatbot and AI characters, rated 16+ for mature themes.
- Community-taught chatbot with replies drawn from user-taught interactions
- AI character chat with a directory of popular characters
- Create your own SimSimi characters
Operating since 2002, with an active developer and regular updates
Rated 16+ with frequent mature or suggestive themes
FAQ
Questions people ask
Is Talkie free?
Talkie has a free plan, and paid plans start from $8/mo.
What is the best free alternative to Talkie?
Doubao is the highest-rated alternative here with a free plan (4.2 out of 5). Other free options: Z.ai, ERNIE Bot, Chai.
What is the cheapest alternative to Talkie?
Among paid plans, Questie AI has the lowest starting price (from $3/mo). If you need it free, start with Doubao.
How did you pick these alternatives?
We match tools on what they do, their category and their price, using the details in our directory. Ratings come from our reviews and reader reviews.