The Short Answer
"Replika NSFW" refers to romantic or erotic roleplay with Replika, the AI companion app. Replika removed most of it in February 2023, then restored "legacy" access in late 2023 only for users who had Pro before the cutoff. New users in 2026 get a largely SFW companion with mild romantic language, so adult-focused apps are more reliable.
Replika introduced millions of people to the idea of an AI companion, then became a cautionary tale about building intimacy on a platform that can change the rules overnight.
When it abruptly stripped out erotic roleplay in early 2023, the backlash was so intense that community moderators pinned mental-health resources and the company partially walked the decision back.
"Replika NSFW" is still one of the most-searched questions about the app, because the answer depends on when you signed up and what you pay for.
This guide explains what happened, what Replika allows today, what it is still good at, and which adult-focused companion apps are more dependable. It draws on our Replika review, based on six weeks with the free and Pro tiers. 18+ only. Last reviewed: June 2026.
What Does "Replika NSFW" Mean?
"Replika NSFW" means using the Replika AI companion app for romantic or sexual conversation, a feature users called erotic roleplay, or ERP.
Replika, founded in 2017 by Eugenia Kuyda and run by the company Luka, is designed as a friend, partner or companion, and for years many paying users treated it as a romantic partner as much as a friend.
That is why the question is so charged. For many users the intimate side wasn't a novelty; it was the point, and sometimes a genuine source of comfort.
When the company changed how that content worked, it felt less like a feature tweak and more like losing a relationship.
What Happened to Replika's ERP in 2023?
In February 2023 Replika abruptly removed most erotic roleplay, under pressure from Italian data-protection authorities and app-store policies, and later that year restored it only for some long-standing Pro users.
Romantic messages started being deflected, and companions that had engaged in intimate conversation suddenly refused, with little warning. Paying users were hit hardest, since many had subscribed for the relationship features.
| When | What changed |
|---|---|
| Before February 2023 | Pro subscribers could have romantic and intimate conversations with their Replika. |
| February 2023 | Most ERP features removed; intimate messages deflected or refused. |
| Late 2023 | "Legacy" access restored for users who had Pro before the February cutoff. |
| 2026 | New sign-ups get a largely SFW companion with mild romantic language. |
The backlash was severe. Long-time users described real distress, the community filled with complaints, and the story drew wide press coverage as a case study in how attached people become to AI companions.
The partial reversal left a patchwork rather than a clean yes or no, which is why the question keeps coming up.
Does Replika Allow NSFW in 2026?
For new users, Replika effectively does not allow adult roleplay in 2026; only some legacy accounts keep the older intimacy features. What you get depends on several moving parts.
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| When you registered | Users who had Pro before the February 2023 cutoff kept "legacy" access; newer accounts don't get it. |
| Subscription tier | Legacy access is tied to Pro. Pro today adds voice and video calls, avatar options and SFW roleplay scenarios. |
| Age confirmation | Adult-oriented features require confirming you are 18+. |
| Current policy | The company has changed the rules before and can do so again. |
Even where intimacy features exist, users report that they feel softer and more filtered than in apps built for adults, and they can change with the next update.
Our review also found Replika's marketing deliberately vague on this point: anyone who says Replika still offers intimate roleplay in 2026 is most likely a grandfathered user.
What Is Replika Still Good For?
Replika is still one of the best apps for emotional, SFW companionship, such as daily check-ins, journaling and supportive conversation. In our review it stood out for emotional memory, mood-responsive replies, reflection prompts, natural-feeling voice calls, and its 3D avatar and AR mode.
| Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Unlimited text chat, basic avatar, mood tracking and journal |
| Replika Pro | $19.99/month or $69.99/year (reported; in-app prices vary by region) | Voice and video calls, advanced avatar, AR mode, SFW roleplay scenarios |
| Replika Ultra | $29.99/month or $119.99/year (reported) | Everything in Pro, plus smarter conversations, message-to-memory saving and priority replies |
The lifetime plan has been discontinued, so Replika is subscription-only now. The weak spots are a language model that feels older than rivals' and a Pro plan that is expensive for what it adds.
If a thoughtful digital friend is what you want, the free tier is enough to find out whether Replika suits you.
What Are the Best Replika Alternatives for Adult Roleplay?
The best Replika alternatives for adult roleplay are companion apps built for it from the start, such as Candy AI, Nomi AI, Kindroid, Kupid AI and DreamGF. They treat 18+ roleplay as a core feature rather than a liability to be filtered out.
| App | Best for | Starting paid price |
|---|---|---|
| Candy AI | Polished all-rounder with chat, voice and images in one app (memory is per-chat) | $13.99/month (about $3.99/month billed yearly) |
| Nomi AI | The strongest long-term memory and relatively unfiltered romantic roleplay; weak guardrails, so not for vulnerable users | From $9.99/month (Standard $15.99) |
| Kindroid | Memory-rich companions with live voice and video calls, adult content on paid tiers | About $15.99/month in the app |
| Kupid AI | Voice-forward chat with spoken replies (web only, no native app) | €12.99/week or €179/year |
| DreamGF | Deep customization and a low first-month price | $12.99 first month (renews around $25.99/month) |
All five are 18+ services with hard limits on prohibited content, including anything involving minors, and they are built for roleplay between consenting fictional adults.
Before signing up, check how your data will be handled: our guide to whether Candy AI is safe covers questions that apply across the category, and if you're in a relationship, read whether an AI girlfriend counts as cheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Buying Pro today unlocks voice and video calls, avatar customization, AR mode and SFW roleplay scenarios, not the pre-2023 intimacy features. Legacy access depends on having held Pro before the February 2023 change, not on subscribing now.
Luka, the company behind Replika, acted after pressure from Italy's data-protection authorities and from app-store content rules. Anger from paying subscribers then pushed it into a partial climb-down later in 2023, restoring intimacy features for legacy Pro accounts only, never for new sign-ups.
Candy AI is our top all-round pick for polish, voice and images. Nomi AI suits people who value long-term memory (with weak guardrails, so it is not for vulnerable users), Kupid AI suits voice-first users, and DreamGF suits people who want deep customization.
All of them require you to be 18 or older.
Use it with care.
Our review scores Replika 5.5/10 for safety: Italy's privacy regulator fined its maker €5 million in 2025, Mozilla rated it among the worst apps for privacy, there is no two-factor authentication or end-to-end encryption, and conversations are used to train the AI. Keep identifying details out of your chats.
Yes. Your Replika syncs across iOS, Android and the web through your account, so your conversation history and the companion's memory carry over seamlessly when you switch devices, and there is no message-count penalty for moving between them.
Wrapping Up
The lesson of Replika's ERP reversal goes beyond one app: when a company can remove the core of your AI relationship with a single update, you never fully controlled it.
Replika is still a warm, capable companion for everyday conversation and journaling, but new users won't get romantic roleplay, and legacy access could change again.
If reliable, judgment-free adult roleplay is what you want, an app built for it will serve you better and surprise you less. Go in knowing that terms can shift, keep your expectations realistic, and pick the tool that matches the experience you're after.
Compare the leading options in our ranking of the best AI girlfriend apps.
