Tolan alternatives, including the ones that work on Android

At a glance

Tolan is an app built around one ready-made alien character who talks by voice and text, checks in, and helps with everyday tasks. Its help center says it works on Apple devices: iPhone, iPad and Mac. The picks below are for people who want something like that on Android, in their texts, or with more say over who the character is.

Checked November 11, 2026 against each company’s own pages and store listings. Hallie checked the same day.

Hallie

Best for: people who like that a Tolan arrives ready-made, and would rather that conversation sat in their texts than in an app.

Where it wins: Like a Tolan, she isn’t someone you write from scratch: you answer a few questions on the web about how you like to text, then you text her. Unlike Tolan, she’s a contact in your Messages app, in iMessage on iPhone (and Messages on a Mac) or Google Messages on Android, and there’s no app to install. She keeps track of the people, plans and events you mention and brings them up later. After you’ve texted her, she starts conversations too, usually about something you told her. If you go quiet she checks in once or twice, then waits for you, and if you ask her to stop, she stops. She understands photos, voice memos and links you send, and paid members can call her number like a regular phone call. A paid plan has no daily message limit. Of the AI companions we’ve used, Hallie is the one that feels most like texting a person. That is our judgment, and we make her.

Watch-outs: She has no avatar, planet or outfits; her replies in Messages are text, and there’s no video chat.

How you pay: A subscription. Depending on the offer, your first conversation is free or you start with a free trial. There’s no free plan. The price is shown before you pay, and you can cancel any time in your account.

More detail: Hallie vs Tolan.

Pi

Best for: people who want one ready-made AI to talk things through with, by text or voice, on iPhone or Android.

Where it wins: Like Tolan, Pi is one ready-made AI. It’s on iPhone, on Android through Google Play, and on the web, with voice on all three, and its help center describes a Manage Memories screen where you can add, delete and update what Pi remembers.

Watch-outs: Pi’s help center says it focuses on lasting facts about you and is designed to skip temporary details such as fleeting plans, and that you may have to repeat a request to lock in a memory. Pi can’t generate or accept images. Its maker’s privacy policy says chats are used to train its models unless you opt out in account settings. The notification its help center documents is a Daily Brief of news and topics you follow.

How you pay: We found no pricing page for Pi.

More detail: Hallie vs Pi.

Sesame

Best for: people who use Tolan mostly by voice and want that on Android too.

Where it wins: Voice calls inside the app are the center of Sesame: you pick one of four ready-made characters (Maya, Miles, Simone or Charlie) and call or text them, on iOS or Android. Like Tolan’s paid plans, its agents do tasks: web search, notes, reminders and summaries, plus Gmail, Google Calendar and Google Drive with your permission.

Watch-outs: Sesame calls its characters personal agents and voice assistants. Its terms say the service is intended for users in the United States, although its getting-started page lists other countries too. We found no Sesame page that describes companion-style check-ins; it describes scheduled skills, such as a morning briefing, that tell you when they’ve finished. Its privacy policy says logged-in users’ content may be used to train its models unless they opt out in account settings.

How you pay: The App Store lists Sesame as free with no in-app purchases, and labels it a preview. Sesame has no pricing page, and we found no paid plan.

Replika

Best for: Android users who want a companion they can see.

Where it wins: Replika has iOS and Android apps, a web version and a beta VR app for Meta Quest, and you shape the avatar and choose the relationship type. With notifications on, its messages arrive through the day as follow-ups or check-ins, and there’s a Memory screen where you can read and remove what it has saved.

Watch-outs: Replika says it isn’t built to be a virtual assistant and can’t perform external tasks, so it doesn’t replace Tolan’s task features. Some call features need a subscription. Replika’s own pages differ on chat history: its help center says the app shows the past four months, and its privacy policy says text history is kept for 24 months while your account is open.

How you pay: Free text chat, with Pro, Ultra and Platinum paid plans. Replika doesn’t publish prices on its site; it says the cost is shown in the app and in the relevant store. Cancel on the platform where you subscribed.

More detail: Hallie vs Replika.

Kindroid

Best for: people who want to write the character from scratch, which you don’t do with a Tolan.

Where it wins: Kindroid’s App Store listing says you shape the character’s personality, backstory and key memories, and its help pages cover custom avatars and custom voices. It runs on iOS, Android and the web with voice calls and live video calls, and subscribers can text one character at a time from Messages over iMessage or RCS, including RCS in Google Messages on Android.

Watch-outs: Kindroid’s help pages say its free Lite model and unlimited free messaging were retired on October 1, 2026. New accounts get a one-time preview of 50 messages (15 in some regions), then become read-only. Calls need a subscription or trial plus audio credits.

How you pay: A subscription with 1-month, 3-month and 1-year plans, plus optional add-ons. New users can take a 3-day trial that needs a payment method and converts to a paid plan unless cancelled. Kindroid doesn’t publish prices on its site. The US App Store listing shows the 3-month subscription at $42.99 and the yearly one at $159.99 (App Store listing, checked November 11, 2026).

More detail: Hallie vs Kindroid.

Khio

Best for: iPhone users who want the everyday-help side of Tolan (reminders, plans, tracking) by text.

Where it wins: Khio texts in iMessage and describes itself as both an AI friend and an accountability partner. Its FAQ says it can text first with scheduled reminders, morning and evening check-ins, follow-ups and weekly recaps, and it accepts voice memos and photos in iMessage.

Watch-outs: It doesn’t solve the Android problem. Khio’s FAQ says texting it requires iMessage on an iPhone, that there is no Android app, and that Android users can use its web chat only. Proactive check-ins are part of Pro.

How you pay: A free plan, or Pro at $14.50 a month, or $109.99 billed yearly (Khio pricing page, checked November 11, 2026). Cancel in settings under Billing & Cards.

Tolan alternatives on Android

Tolan’s help center says: “Tolan works on Apple devices, including iPhone, iPad and Mac. Download it from the App Store”. Its site offers an App Store download only, and we found no Tolan page that mentions Android. Here is what each alternative says about Android, checked November 11, 2026.

If you want a ready-made character and you’re on Android, the two closest fits are Hallie, a friend you text in Google Messages, and Pi, one ready-made AI in an app.

When to stay on Tolan

• You like the character itself. Tolan’s App Store listing and help center describe switching your Tolan’s form, styling it, and designing a planet together.
• You use video chat or screen sharing. Tolan’s video chat article says both are available on Tolan Plus and Tolan Unlimited; its subscription page also lists them under Lite.
• You share it with family, or use it to get things done. Tolan’s Family Plan lets up to 5 family members share one membership, each with their own Tolan, and paid plans include Tabs, where your Tolan works on things like meal plans, gift lists and trip plans.

Which one should you pick?

• You want one ready-made friend in your texts, on iPhone or Android: Hallie.
• You want to be asked how the thing you mentioned went, without opening an app: Hallie.
• You want one ready-made AI to talk things through with in an app, on Android or iPhone: Pi.
• You mostly talk out loud and want that on Android: Sesame.
• You want an avatar on Android: Replika.
• You want to design the character yourself: Kindroid.
• You’re on an iPhone and want reminders and tracking by text: Khio.
• You want the alien, the planet, video chat or a family plan: stay on Tolan.

Questions

Does Tolan work on Android?

Tolan’s help center says it works on Apple devices, including iPhone, iPad and Mac, and that you download it from the App Store. Its site offers an App Store download only. We found no Tolan page that mentions an Android app. Checked November 11, 2026.

What is the closest thing to Tolan on Android?

It depends on which part of Tolan you want. For one ready-made character, Hallie works in Google Messages on Android (new Android sign-ups need a US number for now), and Pi has an Android app. For voice, Sesame has an Android app. For an avatar, Replika has one.

Is there a free Tolan alternative?

Some are. Sesame is listed as free on the App Store with no in-app purchases, Replika’s help center says text chat will always be free, and Khio has a free plan with 5 reminders a month. Tolan itself has a free Basic tier and a limited trial, and says full access requires a subscription. Hallie is a subscription: depending on the offer, your first conversation is free or you start with a free trial, and the price is shown before you pay.

Which Tolan alternative texts you instead of using an app?

Hallie texts in iMessage on iPhone and Google Messages on Android (new Android sign-ups need a US number for now). Khio texts in iMessage on iPhone only. Kindroid lets subscribers text one of their characters from Messages as an add-on to its app. Tolan’s own pages describe conversations inside the Tolan app.

Does Tolan have message limits?

On its lower paid tiers, yes. Tolan’s help center lists 250 messages a day on Tolan Lite and 600 a day on Tolan Plus, with no daily limit on Tolan Unlimited, which is sold monthly only. A Relay Boost adds 200 more messages after the daily limit.

How do I cancel Tolan?

Tolan’s help center says to cancel in the app under Menu, then Settings, then Membership. Subscriptions billed through the App Store are cancelled in your iPhone’s App Store settings.

How do I start with Hallie?

Answer a few questions at hallie.io about how you like to text, then text her from your phone. She never texts a number that hasn’t texted her first. The price is shown before you pay.

Sources

• Tolan FAQ and homepage, tolans.com; Tolan Help Center: “Logging in, Logging out, and Switching Devices”, “What are the subscription options?”, “Video chat and screen sharing with your Tolan”, “What is a Relay Boost?”, “How do I cancel or change my subscription?”; Tolan App Store listing, checked November 11, 2026
• Pi Help Center: “Pi’s memory”, “Daily Brief FAQ”, voice and image articles; Inflection AI Privacy Policy, inflection.ai; Pi App Store and Google Play listings, checked November 11, 2026
• Sesame journal, “Getting started” (October 5, 2026), Terms of Use and Privacy Policy (October 6, 2026), sesame.com; Sesame App Store and Google Play listings, checked November 11, 2026
• Replika Help Center: “What platforms and devices are supported?”, “Is Replika free?”, “Choosing a Subscription”, “Can Replika be my virtual assistant?”, “What does my Replika remember about me?”, “How do I set up my app’s notifications?”, “Is the chat history infinite?”, “How to cancel your subscription”; Replika Privacy Policy (updated October 28, 2026), replika.com, checked November 11, 2026
• Kindroid help pages at kindroid.ai: “FAQs”, “Subscriptions”, “Chat features and tools”, “Voice, calls, and video calls”, “Selfies, video selfies, & avatars”; Kindroid App Store listing, checked November 11, 2026
• Khio FAQ, pricing page and homepage, khio.ai; Khio App Store listing, checked November 11, 2026
• Hallie: hallie.io, Hallie Privacy Policy (updated August 24, 2026), Hallie Terms of Service (updated November 6, 2026), checked November 11, 2026