The short version
- "AI companion" covers very different things: tabletop robots, phone-call services, apps, smart speakers, robotic pets and simplified tablets.
- The right one depends less on the technology and more on your parent: what they already use, whether they like to start a chat or be called, and how much family should see.
- Published prices range from a one-off $159.99 for a robotic cat to $849.87 for a first year of ElliQ on its annual plan, and more for the largest app plans.
- Ask every provider what they record, who can see it and how to delete it.
- None of these replaces people. Free befriending services are listed at the end.
We make Dottie, so we're biased; we've tried to be fair and link our sources. Every product fact below comes from a page we opened on 16 October 2026, mostly the company's own site. Where something wasn't published, we say so.
The main types of AI companion
Tabletop robots
A dedicated device that lives on a table and talks. ElliQ, from Intuition Robotics, is one example. It starts conversations itself, offers activities, and includes wellness features such as medication reminders. It's a subscription that includes the device.
AI phone-call services
An AI rings your parent on their ordinary phone for a chat and sends family an update. No screen or Wi-Fi needed at their end, which is a real advantage for people who don't use tablets. Joy Calls, from ONSCREEN, launched nationally in the US in 2025 and works with mobiles and landlines. This area moves quickly: when we checked, Meela, which you may see listed as a companion service, led its site with a ride-booking service for older people instead.
Companion apps
An app on a phone or tablet, built for older people. EverFriends offers video avatars on iOS and Android smartphones, with plans priced by the number of minutes. Dottie (ours) runs in the web browser of a tablet or phone and is voice-first.
Smart speakers
Amazon Alexa on an Echo is excellent for music, timers and smart-home tasks. Alexa+, Amazon's newer AI version, is much more conversational. We compare it in detail in Alexa or an AI companion?
Robotic pets
Joy for All Companion Pets, from Ageless Innovation, are soft robotic cats and dogs that purr, meow or bark in response to touch and voice. No subscription, no internet, no conversation in words. They may suit someone who'd enjoy something to hold and stroke more than something to talk to.
Simplified tablets
GrandPad is a tablet designed for older adults, with video calls, photos, music and games, and a private family network. Its plans include a virtual companion called Grandie Chat.
General chatbots
Pi and Replika are AI chat companions for adults in general, not designed for older people or for family involvement. Replika's site presents it as an AI friend, including for romance. They can be pleasant to talk to but may not suit someone who isn't comfortable with apps.
Products compared
| Product | Type and how it's used | Price as published | Trial | Family features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ElliQ | Tabletop robot with touchscreen; talks first | $49.99/month on a 12-month plan or $59.99/month, plus $249.99 enrolment. Free through some US state programmes. | 30-day risk-free return (annual and 24-month members) | Caregiver app: video calls, alerts on reported pain or mood, reminders, photos |
| Joy Calls | AI phone calls to a mobile or landline | Not published in the launch announcement we read | Not published | An update to family after every call on mood and wellbeing |
| EverFriends | Smartphone app with video avatars (iOS and Android) | $9.95/month (up to 60 minutes) to $174.95/month (up to 1,200 minutes) | 7 days, no card | Not described on the pages we read |
| Alexa+ (Amazon) | Voice assistant on Echo devices, Fire TV and the Alexa app | Included with Prime ($14.99/month) or $19.99/month; free limited text chat. Echo bought separately. | Free text version; Prime trial if eligible | Call and Drop In. Emergency Assist ($5.99/month, US) alerts up to 25 contacts. |
| Joy for All Companion Pet cat | Robotic pet; responds to touch and voice | $159.99, one-off | Not published | None |
| GrandPad | Simplified tablet with its own plans | Tablet $349 (on offer at $299 when we checked), plus $25, $45 or $65 a month | 30-day money-back guarantee | Family manage content and contacts through GrandPad Central |
| Pi | General AI chat, in a web browser | We could start chatting without paying | Not applicable | None described |
| Dottie (ours) | Voice companion in the browser of a tablet or phone; tap to chat | $29/month (Daily, up to 30 minutes a day) or $59/month (Plus, up to 1 hour a day) | 7 days, up to 30 minutes a day, no card | Dashboard: when they chatted and a short summary; full chats only with your parent's agreement |
Prices in US dollars, before tax, checked 16 October 2026. Joy Calls details are from a September 2025 trade-press report. Replika is left out of the table because we didn't find pricing on its home page.
How to choose: a checklist
- What do they already use? A landline points to a phone-call service. A tablet they're happy with points to an app. No tech at all might point to a dedicated device or a robotic pet.
- Do they like to start a chat, or be called? Some people enjoy being prompted. Others find it intrusive.
- Can they hear and be heard? Try it in the room they'll use, with the television on.
- Which language? Check before you buy, not after.
- What will family see? Agree it with your parent first.
- What does it cost over a year? Add up fees, devices and the monthly price.
- Can you try it first? A free trial or a money-back period makes the decision much less risky.
- What does it do in an emergency? Most companions, including Dottie, are not emergency services. If that's your main worry, look at a personal alarm or a service built for it.
Privacy questions to ask any provider
- Are conversations recorded or stored? For how long?
- Who can read them: family, staff, anyone else? Does my parent get a say?
- Is anything used to train AI models or shared with advertisers?
- How do we delete everything if we stop?
- Does it ever ask for money, bank details or passwords? (It shouldn't.)
- Is it honest that it's an AI if my parent asks?
- Where is the company based, and which privacy laws apply?
A good provider will answer all of these plainly in its privacy policy or when you ask.
Don't replace people
An AI companion can be pleasant company between visits and calls. It isn't a friend in the way a person is, and it shouldn't stand in for one. If your parent would enjoy a real voice, these free services are run by people.
Free befriending and helplines
- UK: Age UK Telephone Friendship. A free weekly call with a volunteer for people over 60. Age UK says the current wait to be contacted is about 8 to 10 weeks. Call 0800 434 6105 or apply on the Age UK website.
- UK: The Silver Line Helpline. Run by Age UK. Free and confidential, for friendship, conversation and support, 24 hours a day. Call 0800 4 70 80 90.
- US: Friendship Line, Institute on Aging. A free, 24-hour emotional support line for adults 60 and over and adults with disabilities. Call 888-670-1360.
- In an emergency, call 999 in the UK or 911 in the US. For health worries, speak to their GP or doctor.
Sources
All checked on 16 October 2026 unless noted.
- ElliQ, "Annual Subscription" and ElliQ home page
- ElliQ, caregiver app and "The Partners Program"
- HomeCare Magazine, "Joy Calls launches AI phone companion for seniors" (8 September 2025)
- Meela, home page
- EverFriends, "Pricing and plans" and home page
- Amazon, "Alexa+" and "Alexa Emergency Assist"
- Joy for All, "Companion Pets: Cat"
- GrandPad, "GrandPad Tablet with Plan" and home page
- Pi and Replika, home pages
- Age UK, "Telephone Friendship Service" and "The Silver Line"
- Institute on Aging, "Friendship Line"