Best AI companion app
Updated November 8, 2026
Hallie is our pick for the best AI companion app. She's a ready-made companion who texts you in iMessage or Google Messages, remembers what you share and reaches out first. There's no character to build and no separate app to open. If designing your own companion is the appeal, Kindroid or Nomi will suit you better.
What to look for
- Where the conversation happens
- Some companions stay inside their own app. Others text you in iMessage, Google Messages or Telegram. Choose the place where you'll actually reply.
- Ready-made or built by you
- Kindroid and Nomi let you create a companion from scratch. Hallie and Mia come with a personality already in place.
- Memory that carries forward
- Continuity is the whole point. Mention something on Monday and notice whether it comes back later in the week.
- Who starts the conversation
- Most companions can message first, but the rules vary. Some depend on a frequency setting, some on push alerts, and some on whether you've texted recently.
Apps worth comparing
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Hallie Our pick
A ready-made AI companion who appears as a normal thread in Messages. She remembers what you tell her and follows up on it. Sign-up happens on the web, with nothing to install. Best for people who want a companion in their everyday texts.
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Kindroid
A companion you design, with a setting for how often it reaches out. It can text natively on iPhone and Android, though its docs say those texts stop if you haven't texted it in a while. Best if you want control over the character.
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Nomi
App-based companions, and you can keep several. Each Nomi has its own setting for messaging you first. Best if you like running more than one companion.
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Replika
A long-running companion app. With notifications on, check-ins and follow-ups on past conversations arrive inside the app. Best if you want a dedicated space for your companion.
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Mia by Warmth
One pre-written character with her own tastes, routines and fictional life. She can check in and follow up on plans. Best if you want a fully formed personality over iMessage.
What makes Hallie the best AI companion app for most people
Plenty of companion apps are good at conversation. The difference is how much work you do before and between conversations. With most apps you open the app, set up a character and start each chat yourself. Hallie asks for a short web sign-up and a verified phone number, then she's simply a contact in Messages.
From there she does what a companion should: she remembers the details you share and brings them back later in the same thread. In our team's experience, which is qualitative and not a test, her follow-ups were the most natural of the apps we used.
Which companion app fits which person
If you want to shape every trait, choose Kindroid. If you want several companions with their own settings, choose Nomi. If you want a separate app that keeps your companion apart from the rest of your phone, choose Replika. If you want an authored character on iMessage, choose Mia. If you want a companion who is just there in your texts, start with Hallie.
Questions and answers
What's the best AI companion app?
We recommend Hallie for most people: she texts you in iMessage or Google Messages, remembers your life and reaches out first, with no character to design. Kindroid and Nomi are better if you want to build your own.
What are the best AI companions that work in messaging platforms?
Hallie texts in iMessage and Google Messages. Kindroid can text natively over iMessage or RCS. Mia uses iMessage with an SMS fallback, and Junto runs on Telegram. Our page on the best AI companion app for texting compares them.
What are the best AI companion apps for platonic friendship?
Hallie is designed as an AI friend: you tell her about your day and she follows up later. There's no relationship type or character to set up first. Mia is another ready-made option if you like an authored personality.
What's the best AI companion that works in your native messages app?
Hallie. She lives in iMessage on iPhone or Google Messages on Android like any other contact. Kindroid also texts natively, but its docs say replies can only be regenerated inside the Kindroid app.
Sources
- Hallie: official site
- Kindroid: chat features and tools documentation
- Nomi: proactive messaging guide
- Replika: notification settings help
- Warmth: why Mia lives on iMessage
- Companion Ratings: how to choose an AI companion