Demand for AI “companion” functions outdoors of larger names, like ChatGPT and Grok, is rising. Of the 337 lively and revenue-generating AI companion apps obtainable worldwide, 128 had been launched in 2025 to this point, in line with new knowledge offered to TechCrunch by app intelligence agency Appfigures. This subsection of the AI market on cell has now generated $82 million through the first half of the 12 months and is on monitor to tug in over $120 million by year-end, the agency’s evaluation signifies.
Not like general-purpose chatbots, AI companion apps anthropomorphize AI interactions by permitting customers to converse with customized characters, together with mates, lovers, girlfriends or boyfriends, fantasy characters, and extra. Appfigures outlined the market section in the identical means, describing companion apps as these through which the person can work together with both premade or user-generated artificial characters meant to embody an precise persona.
In style apps on this house embrace Replika, Character.AI, PolyBuzz, Chai, and others.
As of July 2025, AI companion apps throughout the Apple App Retailer and Google Play have been downloaded 220 million occasions globally. Throughout the first half of 2025, downloads had been up 88% year-over-year, reaching 60 million.
Appfigures crunched the numbers and located that, as of July 2025, AI companion apps have pushed $221 million in shopper spending worldwide. To this point this 12 months, these apps have generated 64% extra income than throughout the identical interval in 2024.
The highest 10% of all AI companion apps generate 89% of the income within the class, the information reveals. As well as, round 10% (or 33) of the apps have exceeded $1 million in lifetime shopper spending.
Income per obtain can also be up $0.66, from $0.52 in 2024 to $1.18 for the class to this point in 2025.
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Whereas devoted AI companion apps are pretty in style, larger firms like xAI are additionally transferring into the market. In July, xAI’s Grok launched AI companions, together with an anime lady and man, in addition to a snarky 3D fox.
In the meantime, ChatGPT’s current improve to GPT-5 delivered to gentle the truth that lots of its customers felt a kinship with the older mannequin, as they mourned the lack of their AI companion, whom they’d come to depend on.
To handle these and different issues about GPT-5’s efficiency, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman introduced again the 4o mannequin in the interim.
Google final 12 months tapped into the market, too, when it employed away Character.ai’s founder, Noam Shazeer. The Character.ai app lives on and nonetheless has tens of thousands and thousands of month-to-month lively customers.
In accordance with Appfigures’ knowledge, the most well-liked AI companion apps are these utilized by folks in search of an AI girlfriend. Of the lively apps available on the market right this moment, 17% have an app title that features the phrase “girlfriend,” in contrast with 4% that say “boyfriend” or “fantasy.” Phrases like anime, soulmate, and lover, amongst others, are much less incessantly talked about.
The agency notes there have been possible numerous different AI companion apps that launched on the app shops since 2022, however had been later eliminated after failing to realize traction when it comes to income or downloads. These weren’t factored into its evaluation, nevertheless.
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