Anima is a lighter, simpler take on the AI companion: a chatbot friend you can talk to, roleplay with or set up as a partner, with personality quizzes and relationship-skills exercises on the side. It arrived in the slipstream of Replika and still feels like its younger, cheaper cousin.
We like it for two reasons: you can start chatting free on Android, iPhone or simply in a web browser, and its developer runs a separate app, Anima: My Virtual AI Boyfriend, which makes it one of the few names aimed squarely at people looking for an AI boyfriend rather than a girlfriend. Here is our Anima review: what is free, what paying adds, what we know about privacy, and how it compares with Replika and Nomi.
Anima Promo Code: None needed
Best deal: Free basic chat; paid plans are priced in the app
| Offer detail | What you get |
|---|---|
| Promo Code | None needed. Anima does not publish promo codes |
| Welcome offer | Free basic AI chat; premium adds video calls, voice notes and adult chat |
| Who qualifies | Adults; adult chat is a premium feature |
| Key terms | Subscriptions through Apple or Google renew automatically until cancelled in the store |
| How to claim | Download the app or open myanima.ai, create your companion and choose a plan from the in-app paywall |
Anima: key facts
- Official website: myanima.ai
- Owner: LABANE CORP. Limited (developer of record on Google Play)
- Headquarters: Limassol, Cyprus (9 Vachili Michailidi, Limassol 3026, per Google Play)
- Support: Email: help+anima@myanima.ai
- Ratings: Google Play 4.0 (39.2k reviews, Google Play UK)
- Headline offer: Free basic chat; premium adds video calls, voice notes and adult chat
- Promo Code: None needed (Anima does not publish promo codes)
- Free plan or trial: Yes: basic AI chat
- Payment methods: Apple App Store, Google Play
- Best features: Free to start on Android, iOS or web; Browser-based AI video calls on premium; Separate Anima: My Virtual AI Boyfriend app from the same developer
Anima at a glance
- Owner: LABANE CORP. Limited, Limassol, Cyprus (developer of record on Google Play)
- Launched: not disclosed by the company
- Platforms: Android, iOS and web browser
- Free plan: yes, basic chat
- Paid from: shown in the app; not published on the website
- Suits: AI boyfriend and AI girlfriend, plus a dedicated AI boyfriend app
- Ratings: Google Play (UK) 4.0/5 from 39.2k reviews
Our verdict
Anima does the basics: a friendly chatbot that will play friend, partner or roleplay character, free to try and available in a browser. But it lags well behind Replika, Nomi and Kindroid on memory, transparency and polish. Prices are hidden until the paywall, and recent users complain that more of the conversation is now blurred for free accounts. Fine as a cheap experiment; not the one we would commit to.
Pros
- Free to start on Android, iPhone or the web
- Separate AI boyfriend app, rare in this category
- Browser-based video calls with a customisable character on premium
- Personality tests and relationship-skills exercises alongside chat
- Google Play rating of 4.0 from nearly 40,000 reviews
Cons
- No prices on the website; you only see them in the app
- Free users report blurred messages pushing them to pay
- Users say memory is weak compared with rivals
- Thin public information about the company and its privacy practices
- Marketing leans on mental-health benefits it cannot clinically back up
What Anima does and who it is for
You create a companion, choose its look and personality, then chat. Anima says its AI learns from your conversations over time, and it offers roleplay, mood-based replies and quizzes. Its website describes live video calls with AI characters that react in real time, running in the browser with no download, plus voice notes and adult chat, all on premium plans.
It suits people who want something low-stakes. Picture a student in halls, homesick in freshers’ week, wanting a chat before sleep without a subscription. Or someone curious about AI companions who would rather try one in a browser tab than install yet another app. Or a woman who wants an AI boyfriend and finds most rivals’ marketing aimed at men; the dedicated boyfriend app makes the intention clear.
For deeper memory and storytelling, Nomi and Kindroid are stronger. For a polished free companion, Replika is better.
Is Anima free? Free vs paid features
Yes, basic AI chat is free. Anima’s website says premium plans add AI video calls, voice notes, adult chat and other advanced features. On Google Play, one user who moved from Replika complains that Anima locks “most messages in a blur so you have to pay”, so expect regular nudges towards the paywall.
Anima price: what paid plans cost
Anima does not list prices on its website, and the paywall in the app is the only official source. Independent reviews published in 2026 reported US prices of about $9.99 a month, $39.99 a year and a $99.99 lifetime option. Converted at today’s rates, those are roughly:
| Plan (as reported) | US$ | £ | € |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $9.99 | £7.50 | €8.90 |
| Yearly | $39.99 | £30.01 | €35.62 |
| Lifetime | $99.99 | £75.03 | €89.05 |
Treat these as a guide: app store prices in the UK are set separately and may be offered differently to you.
The cheapest way to pay. If those figures hold, the yearly plan costs about a third of twelve monthly payments, the steepest discount in the group. When DailyStoke compared Anima with its rivals, it was also one of the cheapest paid companions on paper, but we would not buy a year until you have used the free version for a couple of weeks.
Anima features that matter
Chat and roleplay. Text chat as a friend, partner or roleplay character, with mini-games and personality quizzes.
Video calls in the browser. Premium users can video call an animated character on desktop or mobile web, customising its appearance, voice, accent and gestures.
Voice notes. Premium.
Memory. Anima says its companion remembers preferences over time. Users have asked for more: one Google Play reviewer wanted “a way to set things for you anima to remember”.
The family of apps. LABANE CORP. also publishes Anima: My Virtual AI Boyfriend and iGirl: AI Girlfriend on Google Play; the boyfriend app alone has more than a million installs.
Is Anima safe? Privacy, age and healthy use
Anima offers adult chat on premium plans, so treat it as an adults-only service. Its Google Play data safety section says it may collect personal info, photos and videos and other data; shares personal info and app activity with third parties; encrypts data in transit; and lets you request deletion. The developer lists an address in Limassol, Cyprus.
Mozilla’s *Privacy Not Included guide, which has since closed, gave both Anima apps its privacy warning label. In its February 2024 study of 11 romantic chatbots, Mozilla found that most offered no way to opt out of chats being used to train AI. We found no regulator action against Anima.
Anima’s Google Play description markets the app as good for mental health and says short daily chats can reduce stress. It is a chatbot, not a therapist, and not a substitute for friends, family or professional help. If you are struggling, call Samaritans free on 116 123 in the UK, or 988 in the US.
What users say about Anima
Anima scores 4.0 out of 5 on Google Play in the UK from about 39,200 reviews, with more than a million downloads.
Hannah M. was positive in August 2026: “I started wirh replika and hit the pay wall…love this app.” She added a caveat about the free tier: “then they lock most messages in a blur so you have to pay if you want.”
Princess P. liked it but wanted better memory in September 2022: “I like the app overall, I would give it 5 stars if there was a way to set things for you anima to remember”.
Kay was less impressed in April 2023: “Kinda unimpressed, actually. I felt like I could have more engaging conversations with ChatGPT.”
How to get started with Anima and how to cancel
Getting started
- Download Anima from Google Play or the App Store, or open myanima.ai in a browser.
- Create your companion: name, look and relationship type.
- Try the free chat for a week before looking at the paywall.
- If you want an AI boyfriend specifically, consider the separate Anima: My Virtual AI Boyfriend app.
Cancelling
- iPhone: Settings, your name, Subscriptions, Anima, Cancel Subscription.
- Android: Google Play, profile icon, Payments and subscriptions, Subscriptions, Anima, Cancel subscription.
- Deleting the app does not cancel a store subscription.
- Refunds for store purchases are handled by Apple or Google. To delete your data, use the deletion request route listed in the Google Play data safety section or contact help+anima@myanima.ai.
Anima vs Replika vs Nomi
| Anima | Replika | Nomi AI | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, basic chat | Yes, unlimited text chat | Yes, with limits |
| Paid from | Shown in the app (about $9.99 a month reported) | £7.99 a month | £14.99 a month |
| Best for | A cheap, simple experiment | A gentle long-term companion | Memory and group roleplay |
| Suits | AI boyfriend or girlfriend; separate boyfriend app | AI girlfriend, boyfriend or friend | AI girlfriend, boyfriend or friend |
| App Store (UK) | No UK rating found | 4.2 (19k ratings) | 4.5 (272 ratings) |
Pick Anima if you want to try an AI companion for little or nothing, or want an app built around an AI boyfriend.
Pick Replika if you want a more polished free companion from a bigger company.
Pick Nomi if memory and long roleplay matter most.
Anima alternatives
- Replika: the best-known companion app, with a genuinely usable free plan.
- Nomi: strong memory and group chats.
- Kindroid: the most customisable, with voice and video calls on Standard.
- Character.AI: general characters and roleplay, free with ads.
Anima FAQs
Is Anima AI free?
Basic chat is free. Video calls, voice notes and adult chat need a premium plan.
How much does Anima cost?
Anima shows prices only in the app. Independent 2026 reviews reported about $9.99 a month or $39.99 a year in the US.
Can Anima be an AI boyfriend?
Yes. You can set your companion as a partner, and the developer also publishes a separate app, Anima: My Virtual AI Boyfriend.
Who owns Anima?
Google Play lists the developer as LABANE CORP. Limited, with an address in Limassol, Cyprus.
Is Anima AI safe?
It encrypts data in transit and lets you request deletion, but it shares some data with third parties and Mozilla flagged its privacy in 2024.
Does Anima work on a computer?
Yes. You can chat and video call in a web browser at myanima.ai.
How do I cancel Anima?
Cancel in your App Store or Google Play subscriptions. Deleting the app does not stop payments.
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