Methodology

How we test and rank AI companion apps.

Our 6 pillars

Hands-on testing 14-30 days — each app is tested daily by our team for 2-4 weeks before upgrade from "guide" to "review"
Standardised scoring — 12-criteria grid covering conversation, memory, pricing, safety, privacy, voice, image gen, free tier, support, app quality, UX, editor's choice
Privacy and safety audit — terms of service, data retention, HIPAA status for YMYL apps
Real-money spend — we pay for each app at the tier we recommend
Monthly re-test — top picks re-tested monthly to catch regressions
Transparent affiliate — full disclosure; rankings are independent of commission size