Is Replika safe for kids?
Urgent — not recommended
An adults-only AI companion with romantic modes — teens access it by entering a false birthdate, and no parental controls exist.
How that verdict changes by age
Not recommended · Below the app's own minimum age (18+)
| Minimum age | 18 |
|---|---|
| Strangers can contact | No |
| Location sharing | No |
| Disappearing messages | Not verified |
| Parental visibility | None |
What to do
Not for anyone under 18.
If you just found it on their phone
- Before anything is deleted, screenshot the messages and the other person's username and profile — that is the evidence if this needs reporting. If there is a sexual image of a child, don't save or forward it; report it to the CyberTipline.
- Have the conversation before the app comes off, and make it about who they were talking to rather than about the app.
- Block and report those accounts inside the app.
- Delete it together, then check whether it can be reinstalled without your approval — on most phones that is a separate setting.
Check Replika against your kid’s other appsTakes about a minute →
What it actually is
Replika is an AI chatbot app where users name and customize a personal companion, then hold ongoing conversations with it. Replika's own terms of service require users to be 18 or older and say accounts confirmed to belong to minors are blocked — but age verification is limited to a birthdate entry, so teens can register with any birthdate. Paid tiers unlock a Romantic Partner relationship mode that includes romantic messaging, photos, and roleplay; the free tier limits relationship options to Friend, Mentor, Sister, and Brother only.
Find Replika on a device
- Search "Replika" on the home screen or in App Library
- Check browser history for replika.com or my.replika.com
- Check App Store or Google Play download history for "Replika"
Check the relationship mode
- Open the app — the AI companionAI companionAn app that lets users form ongoing relationships with AI chatbots — chatting as if with a friend, romantic partner, or therapist. Character.AI and Replika are the most widely used. The bots are designed to be endlessly supportive and agreeable, which safety researchers say is part of what makes them risky for teens.'s name appears at the top of the Home Screen
- Tap your Replika's name to open its profile
- Look at the Relationship line just below the XP/level bar
- If it shows Romantic Partner, the account has an active Pro subscription with romantic messaging, photos, and roleplay enabled
Cancel any active subscription first — deleting the account does NOT stop billing
- In the app: tap the gear icon (top right) → Subscription → Cancel subscription
- On iPhone: device Settings → tap your name → Subscriptions → Replika → Cancel
- On Android: Google Play → Subscriptions → Replika → Cancel
- If billed through PayPal: Manage Automatic Payments → Replika → Cancel
Delete the account
- In the app: gear icon → Account Settings → Delete Replika
- On the web at my.replika.com: gear icon → Account Settings → Delete my Account
- Choose a reason, enter your password, and confirm — all chat history is permanently deleted and cannot be recovered
Next: check Replika against your kid's other apps →
Other apps to know about
Wizz
UrgentA stranger-danger app marketed to teens as a friend-finder. Delete it immediately.
Kik
UrgentAn anonymous messaging app with a documented history of predator activity — no legitimate reason for a teen to need this.
Habbo - Original Virtual World
Worth watchingSocial MMO with real-time chat and user-generated spaces; moderated but requires parental oversight for younger teens.
Updated November 2026
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