AI Companion Apps See Surge in Popularity and Revenue

Demand for AI companion apps is heating up, especially beyond the big names like ChatGPT and Grok. According to new data shared with TechCrunch by app intelligence firm Appfigures, 128 of the 337 active, revenue-generating AI companion apps were launched in 2025 alone.

This niche of mobile AI has already brought in $82 million in consumer spending during the first half of the year, and Appfigures projects it could surpass $120 million by year-end.

Unlike general-purpose chatbots, AI companion apps are designed to feel more personal. They let users interact with synthetic characters—ranging from friends and romantic partners to fantasy personas—each crafted to embody a distinct personality. Appfigures defines the category as apps that allow interaction with either premade or user-generated characters meant to simulate real emotional engagement.

Popular titles in this space include Replika, Character.AI, PolyBuzz, Chai, and others.

As of July 2025, AI companion apps have been downloaded more than 220 million times across the Apple App Store and Google Play. Downloads during the first half of the year hit 60 million—an 88% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

Appfigures also reports that global consumer spending on these apps has reached $221 million as of July. That’s a 64% jump in revenue compared to the first half of 2024.

Interestingly, the top 10% of AI companion apps are responsible for 89% of the category’s total revenue. About 33 apps have crossed the $1 million mark in lifetime consumer spending. Revenue per download has also climbed—from $0.52 in 2024 to $1.18 in 2025.

While smaller developers dominate the space, major players are starting to take notice. In July, xAI’s Grok introduced its own AI companions, including anime-style characters and a snarky 3D fox.

OpenAI’s recent rollout of GPT-5 sparked emotional reactions from users who felt a connection to the older model. Many mourned the loss of their AI companion, prompting CEO Sam Altman to temporarily reinstate the GPT-4o model.

Google also made a strategic move last year by hiring Noam Shazeer, the founder of Character.ai. The app continues to thrive, boasting tens of millions of monthly active users.

According to Appfigures, the most popular AI companion apps are those focused on romantic relationships—particularly AI girlfriends. Of the active apps today, 17% include the word “girlfriend” in their name, compared to just 4% with “boyfriend” or “fantasy.” Other terms like “anime,” “soulmate,” and “lover” appear less frequently.

Appfigures notes that many AI companion apps launched since 2022 were later removed due to poor performance in downloads or revenue. These discontinued apps were not included in the analysis.