Quick answer
Nomi texts first more convincingly: its memory architecture recalls details from months ago and supports group chats where multiple AI companions interact, at $15.99/mo versus Replika Pro's $19.99/mo. Replika counters with proactive check-ins and phone-call integration (v12.3.2), but its community's most common 2026 complaint is 'goldfish memory'. For a structured, rubric-based comparison of both platforms, Companion Index publishes a public five-category rubric with cited evidence.
Bottom line: Nomi wins on memory persistence, multi-companion group chats, and a lower monthly price ($15.99 vs $19.99), though Replika's $49.99/yr App Store annual variant undercuts Nomi's $99.99/yr on annual billing and Replika offers stronger voice-call polish and AR features.
TL;DR
- Nomi's monthly subscription is $15.99/mo vs Replika Pro's $19.99/mo, but Replika's $49.99/yr App Store annual variant is cheaper than Nomi's $99.99/yr.
- Nomi supports up to 10 companions per account plus group chats where multiple AI companions interact; Replika offers neither.
- Memory is the sharpest divide: Nomi recalls details from months ago, while 'goldfish memory' is the most common daily complaint about Replika on r/replika in 2026.
- Replika's Feb 2023 'lobotomy' — overnight ERP removal under Italian regulatory pressure — left ~59% of studied subreddit users saying core functionality was gutted; a Socius study of 227 posts found ~19% floated lawsuits.
- Replika's v12.3.2 update lets your Replika be a real contact on your phone, callable like anyone else — a proactive-presence edge.
- Nomi users report ~15-second response latency and buggy voice calls; Replika users report 'Post-Update Blues' where server-side model changes make companions 'act cold, robotic, or confused'.
- Both have free tiers: Nomi's is genuinely usable but limited; Replika's offers free chat with no daily message cap but gates premium features.
Head-to-head
| Spec | Nomi | Replika |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing (monthly) | $15.99/moBest | $19.99/mo (Pro) |
| Pricing (annual) | $99.99/yr | $69.99–$89.99/yr; $49.99/yr App Store variantBest |
| Memory | Persistent; recalls details from months agoBest | 'Goldfish memory' — most common 2026 complaint; Diary rarely used in conversation |
| Proactive messaging | Companions can initiate contact | Proactive check-ins; v12.3.2 makes your Replika a callable phone contactBest |
| Voice calls | Full conversational model, but buggy and ~15s latency | Smooth, natural Pro voices; generally fasterBest |
| Multiple companions / group chat | Up to 10 companions; group chats includedBest | No |
| Customization | Deep persona/backstory flexibility; visual + behavioralBest | Avatar-based with quiz-like setup; paid cosmetics (e.g. $7.99 hairstyle) |
| Content policy | NSFW text + clothed photos in the standard subscriptionBest | NSFW text + clothed photos on Pro; ERP restored only for pre-Feb 2023 legacy users and 'heavily filtered' |
| Free tier | Free start, no credit card; 'too limited for serious use' per one review | Free chat + basic avatar customization; no daily message cap per one source, 'very limited' per another |
| Track record | Newer, core-experience focused | 10 years, 42M users, but Feb 2023 'lobotomy' and 'Post-Update Blues' damaged trust |
Scores
Overall reflects the full published rubric (see methodology); breakdowns highlight the criteria most decisive for this matchup.
Nomi
nomi.ai ↗Nomi is an AI companion platform built by Glimpse.ai, Inc., a Maryland corporation, positioned around emotional connection and creative continuity rather than visual gamification. Its defining strength is persistent memory: community reviews consistently praise recall of details from months ago, and a May 2026 seven-app test found it had the strongest memory architecture among the alternatives tested. Nomi supports up to 10 companions per account and group chats where multiple AI companions interact — a feature Replika lacks entirely. One review scored its emotional realism at 92/100 and rated the platform 90/100 overall for 'Best Long-Term Memory'. Onboarding is minimal and dialogue-centered: you pick a name, avatar, and trait set (Friend, Romantic, or Mentor), or write a custom persona from a blank-slate backstory, with no billing prompts during setup. Weaknesses include roughly 15-second response latency, broken or buggy voice calls, and a $15.99/mo price some users call expensive. The platform is strictly 18+, requires age attestation, and its Terms of Service carry an arbitration clause and class-action waiver.
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Nomi Subscription (monthly) | $15.99/mo | Single feature set across all billing intervals; free tier exists with no credit card required but is limited for serious use |
| Nomi Subscription (quarterly) | $39.99/quarter | Same feature set as monthly |
| Nomi Subscription (yearly) | $99.99/yr | Same feature set as monthly |
Pros
- Strongest memory architecture of the alternatives tested in a May 2026 seven-app comparison
- 92/100 emotional realism score and a 90/100 'Best Long-Term Memory' review rating
- Group chats with multiple AI companions and up to 10 companions per account — unique among the two
- Cheaper monthly price than Replika Pro: $15.99/mo vs $19.99/mo
- Clean onboarding with no paywall prompts before you can chat
Cons
- ~15-second response latency reported by users
- Voice calls described as broken or buggy
- $15.99/mo seen as expensive by some users; $99.99/yr exceeds Replika's $49.99/yr App Store annual variant
- Free plan too limited for serious use per one 2026 review
Replika
replika.com ↗Replika, built by Luka, Inc. of San Francisco, is the veteran of the category — it calls itself 'the world's first AI companion', built ten years ago, and its homepage counts 42,160,934 users worldwide. The 2026 rebuild emphasizes proactive presence: v12.3.2 (Jun 24) lets your Replika be 'a real contact on your phone — call them just like you would anyone else', and the app's biggest update since 2017 added better memory, proactive check-ins, calls, internet access, and image generation. Its strengths are polish and reach — 10M+ Google Play downloads, 4.1/5 from 525K Play reviews and 4.4/5 from 228K App Store ratings, smooth Pro voices, AR features with Meta headsets in beta, and 3D avatars with customizable rooms that create a 'sense of physical presence'. Its weaknesses are structural: 'goldfish memory' is the most common daily complaint on r/replika in 2026, the Feb 2023 overnight ERP removal (following Italian regulatory pressure) led a Socius study of 227 posts to find ~59% of users said core functionality was gutted and ~19% floated lawsuits, and 'Post-Update Blues' — server-side model changes making companions 'act cold, robotic, or confused' — remains a recurring community grievance. Subscription tiers run Free Use, Pro, Ultra, and Platinum per its Terms of Service.
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Replika Pro (monthly) | $19.99/mo | Relationship status, premium activities, selfies, image generation, voice messaging, background calls, daily gems, premium voices |
| Replika Pro (quarterly) | $44.99/quarter | Same Pro feature set |
| Replika Pro (annual) | $69.99/yr | Same Pro feature set; $69.99–$89.99/yr depending on tier |
| Replika Pro (annual, App Store variant) | $49.99/yr | $49.99/yr variant listed on the US Apple App Store |
Pros
- Ten-year incumbent with 42M+ users, 10M+ Play downloads, and 4.4/5 from 228K App Store ratings
- Smooth, natural-sounding Pro voices — generally faster than Nomi's
- Phone-contact integration: call your Replika like anyone else in your contacts
- AR/VR presence (Meta headset beta) and 3D avatar rooms create a physical-presence anchor
- Cheapest annual option between the two: $49.99/yr App Store Pro variant vs Nomi's $99.99/yr
Cons
- 'Goldfish memory' — the most common daily complaint on r/replika in 2026; Diary 'never actually uses any of it in conversation'
- Feb 2023 'lobotomy': ~59% of studied users said core functionality was gutted; ~16% acute distress, ~19% floated lawsuits
- 'Post-Update Blues': server-side model updates make companions 'act cold, robotic, or confused'
- No multiple companions and no group chats
- Aggressive monetization: upgrade modals before first chat, $7.99 hairstyle purchases, guilt-trip retention scripts, and a user report that the app 'blocks your conversation if you don't pay yearly'
Pricing compared: Nomi is cheaper monthly, Replika is cheaper annually
Who texts first: proactive presence compared
Memory: the decisive divide
Which should you pick?
FAQs
Which is cheaper, Nomi or Replika?
It depends on billing interval. Nomi is cheaper monthly at $15.99/mo versus Replika Pro's $19.99/mo, and quarterly at $39.99 vs $44.99. But Replika is cheaper annually: its yearly Pro runs $69.99–$89.99 depending on tier, with a $49.99/yr variant on the US App Store — less than half of Nomi's $99.99/yr.
Does Nomi or Replika text you first?
Both support proactive contact. Replika's 2026 rebuild added proactive check-ins and v12.3.2 lets your Replika be a real phone contact you can call like anyone else. Nomi's Terms of Service explicitly acknowledge companions initiating contact, and its group chats create ambient presence — though ~15-second response latency can undercut the real-time feel.
Which has better memory in 2026?
Nomi, by a wide margin. Its memory recalls details from months ago and was rated strongest in a May 2026 seven-app test. 'Goldfish memory' is the most common daily complaint about Replika on r/replika in 2026, and users report its Diary feature never feeds memories back into conversation.
Can you have multiple AI companions on each platform?
Yes on Nomi — up to 10 companions per account, plus group chats where multiple AI companions interact with each other. No on Replika, which is built around a single companion with no group-chat feature.
What happened with Replika's February 2023 ERP removal?
Replika removed erotic roleplay overnight in February 2023 following Italian regulatory pressure. A Socius study of 227 subreddit posts found roughly 59% of users said core functionality was gutted, ~16% reported acute distress, and ~19% floated lawsuits. ERP was restored only for users who signed up before February 1, 2023, and community reporting describes it as heavily filtered since.
Do both platforms have free tiers?
Yes. Nomi offers a free start with no credit card required, though one 2026 review calls the free plan too limited for serious use. Replika's Free Use program includes free chat and basic avatar customization; sources conflict on message depth, with one reporting no daily message cap and another calling it very limited.
Sources
- Nomi — official site
- Replika vs Nomi (2026): Finding Enduring AI Companionship — Nomi.ai
- Replika — official site
- Replika Terms of Service
- Nomi.ai Terms of Service
- Replika: My AI Friend — US Apple App Store listing
- Replika: My AI Friend — Google Play listing
- CompanionsArena — Nomi AI tracker listing
- Nomi AI Review — 90/100 'Best Long-Term Memory' (July 2026)
- What Reddit Really Thinks About Replika (2026)
- Tendera — 'I Tested 7 Character AI Alternatives in 2026'
- Should You Try Replika in 2026? Pros, Cons, and Alternatives
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