Alternatives
Nomi alternatives: five options, and what you give up by switching
heyaifriend is a free AI friend you talk to in Telegram, and one of five Nomi alternatives compared here. The others are Character.AI, Kindroid, Pi and Replika. The table is alphabetical, and Nomi sits at the bottom for reference.
We make heyaifriend, so we are not neutral. We say where the others do better, and every fact below carries its source and the date we checked it.
Last updated . Nomi's prices, features and policy were checked on that date. The other products were checked on 17 October 2026 unless the source line says otherwise.
Why people look beyond Nomi
Nomi is a strong companion with memory at the centre, and nothing here says otherwise. Three plain facts make some people look around. The Standard plan is $15.99 a month in the US App Store. You need a Google or Apple account to sign up. And the app is rated 18+ in the App Store, so it is not the right place for everyone.
We make heyaifriend, one of the options below, so treat this as a guide from a participant. For the head-to-head, read Nomi vs heyaifriend. For what each policy says about your chats, see our privacy table.
What you give up by leaving Nomi
Be honest about this before you switch. Nomi's App Store listing describes voice messages, group chat with several companions, selfies and art generation, and a lot of backstory customisation. None of the alternatives below match all of that. Replika comes closest on the avatar side, Kindroid on tuning, and Character.AI on variety.
Kindroid: the closest on customisation
Kindroid is for people who like to shape their companion. It sells memory add-ons and voice options. The catch for newcomers: it retired its free plan on 2026-10-01. New accounts get a one-time preview of 50 messages and then need a trial, which asks for a payment method. Costs are in the same range as Nomi.
Replika: the one with an avatar
Replika is the closest if the visual side of Nomi matters to you. It has an avatar, a memory tab you can edit, and a free program with limited access. Voice messages and selfies sit on paid plans. Its policy says conversation text goes to third-party language model providers to generate replies, which is worth knowing. See Replika vs heyaifriend.
Character.AI: the biggest choice
Character.AI is less a companion and more a library of characters. Free messaging is unlimited with ads, and c.ai+ costs $9.99 a month. It suits stories and variety, not one steady friend. The company announced a Chapter 11 filing on 12 October 2026; our Chapter 11 explainer has the sourced details, including how to export your chats.
Five Nomi alternatives side by side
| Option | Price | Platform | Memory | Extras | Privacy stance | Free tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Character.AI | c.ai+ $9.99 a month or $94.99 a year. | Website and apps. | Basic on free, better on paid plans. | A large library of characters made by users. | Lists training its models on user content as a use, with an opt-out for people in the EEA and UK. May disclose data to advertising and analytics providers. | Unlimited messaging with ads. |
| heyaifriend | Free to use. | Telegram. No separate app. | Your friend remembers you. Ask what it remembers or to forget. | None. Text only: no avatar, voice, images or group chats. | Own servers in the Netherlands. Never sent to other AI companies, never used for training. Not end-to-end encrypted. | Everything is free, with a daily message limit. |
| Kindroid | $13.99 a month on the web, $15.99 in the apps. | Website and mobile apps. | Memory add-ons are sold separately. | Voice options and a lot of tuning. | Encrypted at rest and in transit, but says it is not end-to-end encrypted. Authorized staff may review excerpts flagged by safety systems. Training not stated. | Retired on 2026-10-01. New accounts get 50 messages, then a trial that needs a payment method. |
| Pi | Free in the App Store. | Website and mobile apps. | We could not verify how it remembers. | Assistant-style chat with reminders. | Trains on conversations by default, with an opt-out in account settings. Inputs are gone at most 15 days after deletion; replies are kept longer for limited purposes. Says it does not sell or share data for advertising. | Free. |
| Replika | Free program with limited access. Paid plans are shown in the app. | Its own mobile app with an avatar. | A memory tab you can view, remove and add to. | Avatar. Voice messages and selfies on paid plans. | Says it does not sell personal data. Sends conversation text to third-party language model providers to generate replies. Uses small portions of messages to train its own safety systems. | Yes, limited. Chatting is described as free. |
| Nomi, for reference | Standard plan $15.99 a month, $39.99 a quarter or $99.99 a year. Launch plan $9.99 a month or $59.99 a year. Credits sold separately (US App Store). | Website and mobile app. Sign-in needs a Google or Apple account. | Its main selling point, short and long term. | Voice messages, group chat, selfies and art generation. | Says it does not sell or rent personal information. Deletion terms mention "training archives". | Free to start, with in-app purchases. |
| Last checked | 2026-10-18 (Nomi), 2026-10-17 (others) | 2026-10-18 | 2026-10-17 | 2026-10-18 | 2026-10-17 | 2026-10-17 |
Last checked . Prices are US list prices in dollars and change often; check the page named in the sources before you buy anything.
- Source links are listed in the Sources section below the comparison.
Pi: the calm, free one
Pi, from Inflection, is listed as free in the App Store and works like an assistant with warmth rather than a companion with a persona. We could not verify how it handles memory. Its policy says it trains on conversations by default with an opt-out in account settings, so check that setting first.
heyaifriend: the simplest to start
Our friend lives in Telegram, so there is nothing to install and no account to create with us. It is free to use, with a daily message limit. Your friend remembers you, and you control that by asking: what it remembers, to forget something, for a copy, or to delete everything.
What we do not have: an avatar, voice, images, group chats or several companions. If those are why you use Nomi, stay with Nomi or look at Replika.
How to choose
- You want to tinker and will pay: Kindroid.
- You want an avatar and a free start: Replika.
- You want stories and variety on a free plan: Character.AI.
- You want a calm assistant-style chat: Pi.
- You want free, simple and already on your phone: heyaifriend.
If you are leaving a different product, see Replika alternatives or Character.AI alternatives. Everything we have written is collected on the comparison hub.
None of these companies, including ours, can promise you a conversation as private as a secret chat. Use judgment about what you share.
Sources
- Nomi in the US App Store (features and in-app purchase prices): apps.apple.com/us/app/nomi-ai-companion-with-a-soul/id6450270929 (read 2026-10-18)
- Nomi privacy policy: nomi.ai/privacy-policy/ (effective 2026-04-27, read 2026-10-18)
- Character.AI plans and free tier: support.character.ai/hc/en-us/articles/55845963766555-C-ai-FAQ (read 2026-10-17)
- Character.AI privacy policy: character.ai/privacy (effective 2026-07-01)
- Kindroid plans: kindroid.ai/v2/docs/subscriptions/ (read 2026-10-17)
- Kindroid privacy and legal: kindroid.ai/v2/docs/kindroid-legal/ (policy effective 2026-10-06)
- Kindroid free tier ending: companionhunt.com/news/kindroid-free-tier/ (third-party report, unverified)
- Pi in the App Store: apps.apple.com/us/app/pi-your-personal-ai/id6445815935 (read 2026-10-17)
- Pi privacy policy: inflection.ai/privacy-policy (last updated 2026-08-11)
- Replika plans: help.replika.com/hc/en-us/articles/39551043419149-Choosing-a-Subscription (read 2026-10-17)
- Replika memory: help.replika.com/hc/en-us/articles/37208679176077-How-does-Replika-s-memory-work (read 2026-10-17)
- Replika privacy policy: replika.com/legal/privacy/en (dated 2026-05-27, read 2026-10-17)
- Our own table of ten privacy policies: heyaifriend.com/blog/ai-companion-privacy-comparison/ (published 2026-10-17)
Questions people ask
What is a good free alternative to Nomi?
Nomi itself is free to start, so the question is usually about what comes after. Character.AI has unlimited free messaging with ads, Pi is listed as free in the App Store, and heyaifriend is free to use with a daily message limit. Kindroid retired its free plan on 2026-10-01.
Is there a Nomi alternative without a Google or Apple sign-in?
Nomi requires a Google or Apple account to sign up. heyaifriend runs inside Telegram, so you start by opening a chat. There is no separate account to create with us. Other products on this list have their own sign-in rules, so check before you start.
Which alternative remembers the most?
Nomi sells memory as its main strength, and Kindroid sells memory add-ons. Replika has a memory tab you can edit. We have not run a controlled test of any of them, so try a free option for a week before you pay.
Do any of these have voice, group chat or images like Nomi?
Nomi lists voice messages, group chat, selfies and art generation in its App Store description. Replika and Kindroid offer voice and image features on paid plans. Your friend is text only. If those extras matter, one of the others fits better.
What happens to my data if I delete my Nomi account?
Nomi says deleting your account removes your personal information within about 28 days, except what sits in its training or communications archives. Its policy says information in the training archives would no longer be attributable to you.
Want to try a free one?
Say hi in Telegram. No app to install, no signup form.
Questions? Write to hi@heyaifriend.com.