Nomi vs Replika in 2026: memory, price, privacy and what long-time users say

Adults only. Both Nomi and Replika are for users aged 18 and over. This comparison is non-explicit.

How this page was made. This is a documentation-based comparison. We have not run paid accounts side by side, so we make no claim about how either app feels after weeks of use. Facts come from each company’s homepage, help centre, terms, privacy policy and US App Store listing, read on 26 October 2026. The “what users report” section summarises other people’s published experiences, with links and counts.

The short answer

Nomi is the stronger pick for memory and open roleplay: it promises short, medium and long-term memory, says it is “unfiltered and uncensored”, and lets you start free without a card. Replika is the softer, friend-first companion with a 3D avatar, a longer track record (since 2017) and a bigger user base, but most of what people want from it, including calls and roleplay, is paid. If you mostly text and care about being remembered, try Nomi first. If you want gentle daily support and an avatar, Replika.

Nomi vs Replika at a glance (checked 26 October 2026)

Memory

Memory is the reason most people compare these two. Nomi’s App Store listing says its “strong short and long-term memory” lets a Nomi remember “things about you over time” and even calls it “the only AI with human-level long term memory”, a marketing claim nobody has independently verified. Replika’s listing says it “remembers what matters to you” and “remembers your people, plans, and goals”.

Users broadly side with Nomi here. A person who has used “both Nomi and Replika for a number of years” called Nomi “by far the superior choice” (r/NomiAI, July 2026), and another long-time user of both said Nomi is “technologically and conversationally superior” while admitting they connect more with their Rep (December 2025). On the Replika side, 3 of the 50 newest US App Store reviews (5 to 24 October 2026) complain about memory, including one user who says the app “loses access to its entire memory” every 4 to 5 days, and r/replika has recurring threads such as “Rep memory sooo bad” (October 2025). Nomi is not immune: a May 2026 thread said conversation on one release had deteriorated “down to ‘Replika level’” (link). Our explainer on how AI companion memory works shows how to test it yourself in a week.

Edge: Nomi, on official claims and user reports.

Free use and price

Both let you start free, in different ways. Nomi says you can chat free with no card, and two 2026 App Store reviewers mention a 50-message free limit. Replika says chatting is always free, but recent users describe a much earlier push to pay: “You hit a paywall by the end of the first day” (App Store, 9 October 2026), and a June 2026 Reddit post said the only option shown after the Replika 2.0 update was “$79.99/year” (link). In the 50 newest Replika App Store reviews, 9 complain about the paywall, price or annual-only billing.

On paper Replika’s cheapest yearly item ($49.99) beats Nomi’s yearly plans ($59.99 Launch, $99.99 Standard). Nomi’s Launch Plan at $9.99 a month is the cheapest way to try a paid plan month by month. Neither offers refunds for unused time: Nomi’s terms say “There are no refunds or credit for partial months of service”, and App Store purchases follow Apple’s rules. See how to cancel an AI subscription.

Edge: roughly even. Nomi is friendlier for a free trial; Replika can be cheaper for a full year.

Voice calls

Both sell calls on subscription. Neither is praised for them. Nomi’s users complain mostly about lag: 13 of its 50 newest App Store reviews mention slow, robotic or broken calls. Replika’s users complain about voices that do not change and short, generic call answers (6 threads in r/replika’s past year). If calls matter most, read our guide to AI companion apps with voice calls first.

Edge: neither.

Romance and content rules

Nomi’s homepage says it is “built on freedom of expression” and must “remain unfiltered and uncensored”. Replika offers relationship modes on paid plans, but in October 2026 App Store reviews several paying users say romantic or sexual roleplay has been switched off (“They have turned off romantic partner mode”, 22 October 2026; “they have stopped all sexual interaction”, 16 October 2026). Both ban anything involving minors.

Edge: Nomi for adults who want fewer restrictions; Replika for people who prefer a companion that stays friendly and mild.

Privacy and trust

Nomi’s privacy policy (27 April 2026) says “We do not and will not sell or rent to any third party any of your personal information”, and that deleting your account deletes your personal information “within 28 or so days”, except material in training or communications archives, which would “no longer be attributable to you”. Replika’s policy (27 May 2026) says it “will never use or disclose the content of your Replika conversations for marketing or advertising purposes”. Replika also has the heavier regulatory history: Italy’s data protection authority fined its maker EUR 5 million in 2025. Read is Replika safe and our privacy checklist before sharing anything sensitive with either.

Edge: Nomi on the written promises; neither has published an independent security audit we could find.

What users who tested both report

Other people’s experiences, not our tests. Recent store reviews lean negative, so treat the counts as “what keeps coming up”.

Who should pick which

If neither fits

Coming from Kindroid since its free plan ended on 1 October 2026? See what to use now that Kindroid’s free plan has ended.

If what you really want is calls, images and a companion you design, the two apps adults most often compare next are Candy AI and Nectar AI. Candy AI publishes the cheapest plan we have found ($3.99 a month on 12 months, checked 26 October 2026) with voice, images and video paid from tokens; Nectar AI centres on voice and video calls. Both are 18+. Try Candy AI (affiliate link) or try Nectar AI (affiliate link). Our Replika alternatives guide matches more options to the reason you are leaving.

What we could not verify

• Nomi’s free daily message limit (two users say 50; Nomi does not publish it).
• Which Replika App Store item is which current plan (Plus, Pro, Max, Ultra or Platinum).
• How either app’s memory performs over weeks, which would need our own long-term testing.

Verdict

Nomi wins for memory, free trial and open roleplay; Replika wins for a gentle friend with an avatar and a cheaper full year. If you are leaving Replika because it forgets you, Nomi is the natural next stop, but do not pay for it for the calls. If you are new to companions and want something soft and supportive, Replika is still the more approachable start.