WebVetted Beta
Recommendation
Caution
Overall Summary
Suspicious
Why we think so

Replika.ai offers AI-powered companions designed for emotional support and conversation. It serves over 100,000 monthly visitors worldwide, primarily from the U.S., with a notable presence in Europe and other countries. The service has been operating since December 2017 and is run by Luka, Inc., a reputable company based in San Francisco. The platform features strong web infrastructure, valid SSL encryption, and publicly available contact emails and social media profiles. However, it has faced significant regulatory actions, including a €5 million fine by Italy's data protection authority for GDPR violations related to user privacy and protections for minors. User reviews are mixed, praising emotional support and personalization but reporting issues with subscription pricing, feature changes, customer support, and data privacy. It is not considered an outright scam, but users should proceed with caution, especially regarding personal data and emotional reliance on the AI companion.

Confidence Score
65%

Risk Insights

⚠️

Regulatory Risk

Italy fined Replika developer €5 million for GDPR breaches.
Non-compliance relates to child data protection and transparency.
Ongoing legal scrutiny may affect service availability.
🛑

User Experience Concerns

Many users complain about subscription model and feature changes.
Customer support responsiveness is reportedly poor.
Emotional impact on users varies, with some reporting harm.

Technical and Identity Verification

Domain registered since 2017, expires in 2029.
Valid SSL certificate in use.
No blacklisting detected in major scam databases.

Contradictory Signals

While the technical infrastructure is secure, legal and user experience issues reduce overall trust.

Signal A: Valid SSL certificate and established domain

Signal B: Significant regulatory fines and user complaints

Category Scores

Identity 80/100
Reputation 50/100
Technical 70/100
Content 60/100
Legal 30/100
Business Validity 70/100

Red Flags & Warnings

  • Regulatory fine due to privacy and data protection violations affecting minors.
  • User complaints about deceptive marketing, subscription issues, and poor customer support.

🔎 Detailed Checks & Analysis

Domain age and registration

Score: 85/100
Passed

"Established domain with current valid registration until 2029."

Reason: Domain registered since 2017 and actively maintained with recent updates.

SSL certificate validity

Score: 90/100
Passed

"Secure HTTPS in place supporting user data protection during transit."

Reason: SSL certificate is valid and correctly issued.

Traffic and popularity

Score: 75/100
Passed

"Traffic data shows stable engagement with an average session duration of over 1 minute."

Reason: Over 100,000 monthly visits, primarily from the U.S., indicating active use.

Contact details and social presence

Score: 80/100
Passed

"Demonstrates transparency and active user community engagement."

Reason: Official emails and multiple social media profiles are publicly available and consistent.

Blacklist and phishing status

Score: 95/100
Passed

"Technical scans find no security blacklisting concerns."

Reason: No presence on prominent scam or phishing blacklists.

Trademark conflicts and brand reputation

Score: 30/100
Failed

"Replika has live trademarks but also faces notable legal challenges and complaints."

Reason: Multiple trademark filings with some marked abandoned; regulatory fines indicate reputation risk.

Safety flags and regulatory issues

Score: 20/100
Failed

"Significant compliance concerns could impact trust and legal standing."

Reason: Italy fined company for GDPR violations, highlighting privacy and minor protection issues.

User reviews and scam reports

Score: 45/100
Failed

"Users widely complain about subscription and feature changes causing dissatisfaction."

Reason: Mixed reviews with reports of emotional harm, paywall complaints, and lack of support.

Technical infrastructure and DNS

Score: 80/100
Passed

"Standard DNS and email infrastructure in place supporting reliability."

Reason: Domain DNS records and MX entries are correctly configured and use reputable providers.

Your Next Steps

  • 1
    Review Replika's privacy policy carefully before signing up or sharing personal information.
  • 2
    Start with the free tier to evaluate service features and subscription terms.
  • 3
    Consider the mental health implications when using AI companions, especially for minors or vulnerable users.
  • 4
    Monitor regulatory updates or news about the platform for changes affecting data handling or safety.
  • 5
    Consult official safety guides for recommended usage practices of AI chatbots.

Evidence & Citations