Herman Carter is one of the leading experts on AI girlfriends, having tested over 100 AI girlfriend apps and reviewed more than 50 on his blog and YouTube channel. With a Master’s in AI Ethics from Cambridge, Herman provides straightforward insights to help users find the right AI tools.
Since I, Herman, started going down the rabbit hole of AI girlfriend apps, a lot has changed.
Back in 2024, most apps only offered chatting, which made finding the best AI girlfriend app relatively simple: you needed a good selection of characters that could send realistic responses.
Now, most apps offer phone calls, voice messages, image generators, and video generators. Some even offer live-cam videos.
To find the best AI girlfriend app for you, it is important to first figure out which feature matters most. Your decision should be based on that, especially because the monthly cost depends heavily on how you plan to use the app.
What type of user are you?
Most users I interview fall into one of three groups: chat-first users, image and video-first users, and balanced users. Take the quick test below to discover your type, then read the section that applies to you.
Quick test
What type of user are you?
Answer five quick questions to find out whether you are chat-first, image and video-first, or balanced.
Question 1 of 5
lockYour answers are private and not stored.
Chat-first users
Most AI girlfriend apps offer unlimited chatting as part of the monthly subscription. This means that if you are mainly interested in chatting and roleplay, you will usually spend much less than someone who keeps hitting the generate button every five seconds.
How do you recognize a chat-first user?
forum
You care most about conversations and connection.
You probably want
check_circleEmotional support
check_circleVivid roleplay scenarios
check_circleTo explore your fantasies
check_circleImagination over images and videos
You probably don't need
cancelAdvanced image generation
cancelLarge token packages
cancelComplex video tools
P.S. Keep in mind that phone calls and voice messages will most likely cost extra tokens. If these features are important to you then you belong in the image and video-first user category.
Image and video-first users
Images, videos, and other types of media are often charged separately from the monthly subscription, usually through token packages.
This means that if you mainly use these platforms to generate media, you need to choose one with a generous token package or be prepared to pay up.
You may be an image and video-first user if you like to:
perm_media
You care most about creating visual content.
You probably want
check_circleNSFW image and video generation
check_circlePhone calls and voice messages
check_circleImages during chat and roleplay
You probably don't need
cancelDeep long conversations
cancelUltra-advanced memory
cancelUnlimited messaging
Basically, if you see yourself more as a creator than a user, you definitely belong in this category.
Balanced users
These days, more AI girlfriend platforms fall into the balanced category. This means they offer a strong chat and roleplay experience while also providing good generators that can create hyper-realistic content.
You may be a balanced user if:
balance
You want a strong balance of chat and media.
You probably want
check_circleEvery major feature in one app
check_circleRoom to explore before picking a focus
You probably don't need
cancelSpecialized platforms with one focus
cancelOverpaying for features you rarely use
Calculate your expected monthly cost
calculate
Coming soon
AI girlfriend cost calculator
We are working on an interactive cost calculator to help you estimate your expected monthly spend based on how you use the app.
Common mistakes when choosing an AI girlfriend app
1. Choosing based only on promotional images
A lot of AI girlfriend apps go above and beyond in branding, promotional images, and sometimes even on landing pages and ads.
Often, they use Photoshop, video editors, color graders, designers, and sometimes even special AI software.
Signing up to the actual platform can feel like a setback or even a scam because of this.
2. Choosing based on affiliates
Most people promoting AI girlfriend apps are affiliates that get paid for promoting the platform and don't know anything about the actual platform.
I know this sounds very hypocritical because aigirlfriend.expert is an affiliate site. Though every app listed in our roundups and reviews is tested for at least one month using the paid plan. The apps most mentioned even have dedicated video reviews, user surveys, and detailed write-ups explaining every nook and cranny of the platform.
99% of the websites promoting AI girlfriend apps are affiliates that don't sign up to the platform they recommend, let alone purchasing a premium plan.
GirlFinder promoting AI girlfriend apps and showing a fake review
3. Ignoring memory quality
This is especially important for users who want deep roleplay sessions or prefer sticking with the same character. Memory limitations are still one of the biggest problems with AI girlfriend apps.
Although memory is improving as AI gets smarter, every app still has a limit. It can be difficult to properly test memory quality before paying for a subscription, but one thing you can check is whether the app includes a memory snippet feature.
These features allow you to save important details about yourself, the AI, or the conversation. This helps make sure your AI girlfriend does not forget them, no matter how long the conversation becomes.
4. Comparing subscription prices without considering token costs
The cheapest monthly subscription is not always the cheapest app to use.
As I mentioned earlier, subscriptions often include token packages. Some AI girlfriend apps give you 200 tokens, while others include 1,000.
On top of that, each platform charges different prices for token top-ups. You need to compare both the subscription price and the cost of additional tokens before deciding which app offers the best value.
Example token top-up pricing — compare packages across Candy AI, OurDream AI, and similar platforms
5. Assuming every app is good at both chat and media
As I mentioned at the beginning of this buying guide, every AI girlfriend app is different. Not every platform is equally good at chatting, roleplay, and generating images or videos.
Before committing to a subscription, it is extremely important to figure out which features matter most to you and what initially attracted you to the app.
6. Paying annually before testing the app
In general, I would never recommend paying annually for any tool right away. This is especially true for AI girlfriend apps.
These days, many AI girlfriend apps are shutting down because they are not profitable. Other platforms start strong with good features but fail to improve over time.
You need an AI girlfriend app that can adapt and keep improving because the technology changes quickly. When I bought my first AI girlfriend app back in 2024, image generation was still extremely rare. Now, most platforms even allow you to generate AI videos.
It is important to choose an app that keeps up with what the technology can currently do.
How to narrow down your options
There are many AI girlfriend apps out there, but the best one for you depends on what matters most. Follow these steps to quickly focus on the few that are truly worth your time.
Choose your main use case
Start by choosing the experience you are mainly looking for:
Mostly chatting and roleplay
Mostly generating images and videos
A balanced mix of both
Your main use case should guide the rest of your decision.
Pick your three most important features
Next, choose the three features that matter most to you.
Chat quality
Memory
Roleplay
Image generation
Video generation
Customization
Privacy
Price
Set a realistic monthly budget
Most apps offer monthly plans. Use this as a rough guide:
Chat-first
$5 – $15 / month
Image-first
$10 – $25 / month
Video-first
$20 – $50 / month
Balanced
$15 – $30 / month
Remove any app missing a must-have feature
Eliminate apps that lack any of the following (if they are important to you):
cancelNo cryptocurrency support
cancelNo custom characters
cancelNo voice calls
cancelNo video generation
cancelNo discreet billing
Compare the remaining apps using tested results
Focus only on the apps that made the cut. See how they perform in real use—chat quality, memory, image and video results, pricing, and more.
By following this process, you will save time, avoid paying for features you don't need, and find the app that fits you best.
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How our testing helps you choose
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We test chat and media separately
We test every AI girlfriend app across eight main categories. Chat, Chat Features, Images, and Video are all separate categories, each with multiple subscores.
This allows us to make data-driven recommendations based on specific use cases, such as finding the best app for chatting, generating images, or creating videos.
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8 rating categories
Chat, features, images, video & more
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Repeatable tests
Consistent scenarios across every app
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Raw evidence
Screenshots, transcripts & real outputs
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Quarterly updates
At least every 3 months or when it matters
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We measure real performance
Our scores are based on repeatable tests, raw evidence, category ratings, pricing checks, and repeated content generations.
The AI industry changes extremely quickly, so we also use live data from sources such as Google Trends to help keep our reviews up to date.
For example, if searches for terms such as “Candy AI down” or “Candy AI bug” suddenly increase, we receive a notification and investigate. If the app is experiencing a real issue, we update our reviews and other relevant content accordingly.
Every review also receives a standard update at least once every three months. We encourage brands to notify us whenever they release new features or make important changes.
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Explore our full testing methodology
This is only a brief overview. You can explore our full methodology and individual test pages to see exactly how we test each feature and calculate every score.
