App & tool guide · AI companions & chatbots
Replika
ParentMode's take
16+ at earliest; 18+ recommended
Replika is designed as an ongoing AI companion that learns from and mirrors user conversations over time. The app's core purpose—building an emotionally intimate relationship with an AI—may raise considerations for younger teens regarding the nature of AI relationships compared to human connections.
On the App Store
- Apple age rating
- 17+
- Developer
- Luka, Inc.
- Category
- Health & Fitness
- Average rating
- 4.4 ★
- Last updated
- 2026-06-30
Apple content advisories
- Infrequent/Mild Profanity or Crude Humor
Source: Apple App Store, retrieved 2026-07-10. View the current listing →
What a parent can do
Data & privacy
Review the app's privacy label on the App Store for details on how conversations are used to train and improve the AI model.
Controls
Use device-level Screen Time (iOS) or Family Link (Android) to set app limits and review activity; check Replika's in-app settings for conversation privacy and data-sharing preferences.
A cautious next step
If your teen wants to explore AI chatbots, consider messaging apps with tightly scoped, task-based AI features rather than open-ended companion models designed for emotional attachment.
The age rating, developer, and advisories above are Apple App Store facts. The guidance is ParentMode's own protective, conservative editorial — general parenting guidance, not clinical, legal, or diagnostic advice, and not an endorsement or a warning from Apple or Luka, Inc.. Apps change; always check the current listing.