How to choose an AI companion app: a 10-point checklist

Before you sign up

• Define the goal. Casual conversation, role-play, practising a language, voice calls, or something else? Pick for that, not for the loudest banner.
• Read the official description. Check what the provider itself says it offers (chat, voice, images, memory, group chat) and ignore anything it does not state.
• Find the pricing page. If you cannot see what is free and what is paid before sign-up, treat that as a warning sign.
• Check how to cancel. Look for a clear cancellation path and whether subscriptions renew automatically.
• Read the privacy policy. Look for what is stored, whether chats are used to train models, and how to delete your data.
• Check age and content rules. Apps with adult content should be 18+ and explain their rules; do not use them if you are under 18.
• Look at the company. Who runs it, where, and how do you contact support?
• Use a separate email and avoid real identifiers. A throw-away address and a nickname limit exposure if there is ever a data leak.
• Set a budget and a time limit. Companion apps are designed to keep you chatting; decide in advance what you are willing to spend.
• Keep perspective. An AI companion is software. If you feel worse after using it, or it replaces real contact, take a break and talk to someone you trust.

See the apps

Compare the providers on our sourced list of AI girlfriend and companion apps or browse the home page.