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Methodology

How We Rate AI Companion Apps

Every app on this site is scored on the same five criteria, weighted the same way, by the same process. Here's exactly how it works.

✓ Updated August 29, 2026 · By the Best AI Chats editorial team · Methodology

The five criteria

The privacy, transparency and age-policy checks within these criteria together form our Trust & Safety review: before any app earns a place in a ranking, we verify that it is transparent about being AI, states its data practices, and positions itself as an adults-only service.

Our rules

No fake anything. We don't invent testimonials, user counts or "verified reviews." Scores are editorial judgments based on our evaluation of each app against the criteria above — when we haven't verified something, we say so.

Affiliate links never buy position. We earn commissions from some apps we link to (see our affiliate disclosure), including apps ranked below non-partners. Rankings are set first; monetization follows.

Pricing is re-checked at every update. These apps change plans often. Each page shows its last update date; if you spot outdated pricing, it changed after our latest check — check the app's own site for current figures.

AI transparency. Every app we review is an AI chatbot. We only feature platforms that are transparent about this, and we flag it on every page: you are always talking to artificial intelligence, not a real person.

Corrections

Found an error? We fix mistakes quickly — see the about page for contact details.