In the age of AI, it has become almost a necessity to have an AI chatbot on your phone, that you can use to answer any thought off your mind, solve some of your basic ideas, or have some fun with. But it can be really hard to pick one in 2026, where there is an abundance of such applications. That is why we have tested and compared the best AI chat apps, from simple to multimodal options that can do voice, images, and videos too.
Overview of the Best AI Chat Apps
Here is a quick breakdown of the best AI chat apps along with their best use case, limitations and pricing:
| Best AI Chat App | Best Suited for | Limitations | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude AI | Good for empathetic discussions with calm responses | Not suited for structured breakdowns, in depth data analysis | Free Pro plan for Individuals starts at $20/month |
| ChatGPT | People who want clear and concise answer, and basic information about any topic | Can sound robotic and neutral in interactions | Free, Plus plan starts at $20/month |
| Google Gemini | Great multimodal capabilities, Excels at live voice and video interactions | Responses are generic and not suited for empathetic replies | Free, AI Pro plan starts at $19.99/month |
| Replika | Emphathetic chats, thriving relationships with AI chatbots | Can become quite addictive, needs supervision for young audience | Free, Pro Plan starts at $14.99/month |
| Perplexity | Learning, research and academic chats about any topic for accurate information | Responses are to the point, and very robotic | Free, Pro plan for Individuals starts at $20/month |
| Character.AI | Role play chats, build deeper connection or storytelling purposes | Does not prioritize factual details and may become addictive | Free, Paid plan starts at $9.99 per month |
| Grok | Roleplay, raunchy and unfiltered discussions with AI companions | Biased views on certain topics | Free, SuperGrok starts at $30/month |
Best AI Chat Apps Compared for Engaging and Insightful Conversations
1. Claude AI – Best AI Chat App for Natural Conversations
Anthopic’s Claude is one of the less popular AI chat apps, similar to ChatGPT or Gemini, but excels in terms of its conversational abilities. It sounds calm, balanced, and more human, like a considerate friend talking to you about your problems. So if you ever need help to write a meaningful essay or story, then Claude is the AI writing app for you.
Claude understands context, follows the nuances of discussions, and often breaks down complex topics into easily digestible pieces. The reason I have ranked Claude at the top of this list is that it excels as a chat app and also provides the capabilities of other AI chatbots.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Has a human-like conversation tone | Could feel more formal at times |
| Great for long chats and layered discussions | Information might not be as reliable as other chatbots |
| Avoids biases but provides necessary details | |
| Responses feel sympathetic and helpful |
Pricing: Free, Pro plan starts at $17/month
2. ChatGPT – Best General Purpose AI Chat App
ChatGPT is easily one of the best AI chat apps when it comes to natural, intelligent, and engaging conversations. It understands the context extremely well, remembers what you said in its memory, recognizes your preferences even in newer chats, and responds accordingly. You can dictate it to talk in a certain kind of way, like up front and direct with short replies, and it follows.
Its strength lies in the fact that it can fetch data from the internet and get you real-time details, like an alternative to Google search. However, conversations with ChatGPT still feel somewhat robotic. It’s not emotional in a human sense, like Claude or some other AI chatbots that we will mention later in this list. But for everyday conversations, nothing beats ChatGPT.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Responds clearly and logically | Conversations can be neutral and robotic |
| Good at explaining thoughts and reasoning | Refrains from talking about sensitive topics |
| Can fetch details from internet | |
| Intuitive voice mode assistant |
Pricing: Free, Plus plan starts at $20/month
3. Google Gemini – Best Multimodal AI Chat App
Google’s Gemini is the best option if you want a chat app along with a powerful AI assistant, especially if you have an Android phone. You can chat with it about any topic and get accurate, up-to-date information. So when you chat with Gemini, the conversations feel more informed, and responses flow naturally. But what sets Gemini apart from other chatbots is its multimodality.
You can have real-time conversations with it, thanks to Gemini Live, and even have a video call with it. This comes in handy when you run into a problem and want to show Gemini the exact issue, rather than having to explain it in text prompts. It can also create images, videos, take images, file inputs, and has deep integration with Android and Google ecosystems, making it one of thebest AI apps for Android.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Highly capable multimodal AI chatbot | Responses lack personality and sound generic |
| Can provide insightful real time data | Can fumble and hallucinate at times |
| Offers clear and simplified answers | |
| Excellent in follow ups and replies |
Pricing: Free, AI Pro plan starts at $19.99/month
4. Replika – Best AI Chat App for Deeper Connection
Replika is less like an AI chatbot and more like your own creation built for deeper, meaningful chats where you can share your personal experiences and confide in. You create a custom 3D persona, personalizing each aspect of it, and what are you trying to achieve with the AI persona? The result is a tailor-made chatbot that will begin as a friend and later transition to more intimate interactions with you.
It learns from whatever you have shared with it, and brings it up again later in your chats. Replika can even be used for role plays, too. However, a younger audience might get addicted to it and might see it as a replacement for therapy.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Has emotionally engaging chats | Can be addictive, needs supervision |
| Lets you personalize your Replika | Not suited for learning or accurate information |
| Can build and grow deeper relationships | |
| Able to do role play |
Pricing: Free, Pro Plan starts at $14.99/month
5. Perplexity – Best AI Chat App for Research and Learning
If you want an AI chatbot for research, deep discussions about informational topics, and to satiate your curious mind, then Perplexity is the AI chat app for you. This advanced AI model fetches details straight from the sources, citing details for accurate answers. This is what makes Perplexity one of the best AI apps for students, as it replies with simple, structured answers, making learning easy.
You can choose whether you want responses from the web, academic papers, the finance sector, or online buzz, and it will tailor its replies accordingly. Like Gemini and ChatGPT, it also features a voice mode that works surprisingly well on iPhones, which you can use to talk to it if you are not in the mood for typing. However, if you want sympathetic responses, better skip this one.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Provides sources for original information | Robotic responses like an AI chatbot |
| Gives structured answers to understand complex topics | Lacks empathy in conversations and words of affirmation |
| Can sort through academic papers for research | |
| Has a voice mode to talk to it |
Pricing: Free, Pro plan for Individuals starts at $20/month
6. Character.AI – Best AI Chat App with AI Personalities
Character AI is similar to Replika, but dives even deeper into roleplays with its AI chatbots. Here, you chat with different AI personalities, each built with its own tone, backstory, and conversational style. This allows it to sound the most alive conversations, so that I actually thought for a second that I was talking to a human during my testing of this app.
Chats on Character AI feel more dynamic and fluid as they can go anywhere, which further adds to the immersion of engaging with someone else. However, its effectiveness in its disguise also creates a problem. Some kids have made wrong decisions as a result of their conversations with AI personalities on Character.AI. So one needs to be cautious and be aware of their discussions.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Lively, interactive and dynamic chats | Responses are not factually accurate |
| Features a variety of AI characters | Needs supervision for younger users |
| Comforting chatbot with roleplay capability | |
| Excellent for storytelling, general discussion and more personal chats |
Pricing: Free, Paid plan starts at $9.99 per month
7. Grok AI – Best AI Chat App for Unfiltered Conversations
Grok is the last app on our list, and there is a good reason I have put it in this place. It is the foul-mouthed backbencher of the AI chatbots. It is witty, informational, but raunchy. While you can have regular text chats with Grok, it also features its own pre-made personas like Ani and Rudy. You can chat with these AI companions, and they will react and engage differently based on your replies.
Companions like Ani hold no bar when it comes to taking things to the next level. The more you chat with Grok’s companions, the more your relationship grows with them, and you earn streaks for interacting with them every day. Completing a 7-day streak earns you a special reward that I don’t even want to get into. But if you don’t want to play safe and do all sorts of naughty discussions with AI, then Grok is the best AI chat app for you.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| AI chat app with multimodal capabilities | Has biased opinions on some political topics |
| Features AI companions that react to your responses | Conversations are not dynamic as AI companions will steer discussions |
| Allows you to build connection over regular interactions | |
| Does not have any filter or guardrail |
Pricing: Free, SuperGrok starts at $30/month
Rishabh Sabarwal
