Verdict
Talkie was one of the most downloaded apps in the US in 2024 but vanished from Apple's US store that December, and the iPhone version now goes by Talkie Lab. Its privacy policy sets a minimum age of 14 while the UK App Store rates it 18+, it gives no opt-out from the chatbot learning from chats, and Mozilla's privacy review flagged its broad content licence. individual reviewers describe heavy filters, coin costs and a decline in quality.
Privacy note. Policy minimum age 14 against an 18+ store rating, no learning opt-out, Mozilla privacy warning (talkie-ai.com/static/privacy; mozillafoundation.org)
Best for
Adults curious about short, game-like character chats
Skip if
You want a companion app with consistent age rules and a way to stop it learning from your chats
Key facts
- Category
- AI companions & chat characters
- Made by
- SUBSUP PTE. LTD. (MiniMax group)
- Based in
- Singapore (operator); parent MiniMax is based in Shanghai
- Launched
- 2023
- Works on
- iPhone, Android, Web
- In the UK
- Yes
- Price from
- £9.99 a month
- Free plan
- Free with ads, message and 'energy' limits, and gems for extras
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Billed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Month | £9.99 | month |
| 1 Year | £119.99 | year |
What it does
- chats with AI characters made by other users
- creates custom characters
- keeps character memories across chats
- shares creations with the Talkie community
Ratings
What people say
individual reviewers say Talkie suits quick back-and-forth chats but complain of a 'please change the topic' filter that blocks harmless messages, ads, and coin and energy costs. One user objected that it allows child characters. Store stars (4.5 UK iPhone, 4.3 Google Play) are far above Trustpilot's 2.7 and the tone in user reviews.
“Good for short term, not a long term rp.”
Individual user review, 29 August 2026 · source
“Back in 2025, you could actually have a normal, fluid conversation. When you typed a message, the AI would just respond naturally and match your energy without breaking character or constantly locking up.”
Individual user review, 29 August 2026 · source
“I've typed in hugs her & was told my subject is inappropriate it got to the point where no matter what I said it was "inappropriate" so I gave up & started using Chai instead”
Individual user review, 29 August 2026 · source
“The talkie should be better, but it also costs a fortune in coins/energy”
Individual user review, 7 July 2026 · source
“As if instances of AI characters encouraging suicide and self-harm weren't enough, we now have fictional characters who are minors; this is wrong”
Individual user review, 22 August 2026 · source
Press reviews
- South China Morning Post (via Yahoo Tech) 2024-12-20
News report: Talkie, the fourth most downloaded US app in H1 2024 with 11 million monthly users, disappeared from Apple's US App Store for 'technical reasons'.
- Mozilla Foundation, Privacy Not Included summary from search result
Carries Mozilla's '*Privacy Not Included' warning; found no clear statement on using messages to train its AI and called the content licence in its terms 'pretty broad and worrisome'.
- Distractify 2026-01-16
Talkie returned in Feb 2025 as Talkie Lab, then its website went offline in Jan 2026 with no statement from Talkie or MiniMax.
Privacy
- Trains on your data
- Unclear. The privacy policy (updated 12 Sep 2025) says the chatbot learns 'from your interactions to improve your conversations' and that conversation content won't be used for marketing or advertising; it does not say whether chats train MiniMax's models
- Opt-out
- No opt-out from chat-based learning. Users can opt out of marketing emails and of sale or sharing for targeted ads via 'Your Privacy Choices', and can delete their account in settings
- Retention
- 'For only as long as necessary'; no fixed period
- Incidents
- Dec 2024: removed from Apple's US App Store for unspecified 'technical reasons' (SCMP). Feb 2025: returned on iPhone as Talkie Lab. Jan 2026: website reported offline (Distractify). Mozilla Privacy Not Included warning. No fines or lawsuits found in searches of news and HN
- Age limit
- Privacy policy says not intended for under-14s (or a higher local minimum); UK App Store rates it 18+ and Google Play PEGI 18. No age verification described
FAQ
Is Talkie the same as Talkie Lab?
Yes, in practice. After Talkie disappeared from Apple's US store in December 2024, the iPhone app returned in February 2025 as Talkie Lab, run by the same Singapore company, SUBSUP. On Android it is still called Talkie: Creative AI Community.
Is Talkie safe for kids?
No. Its privacy policy allows users from 14, but the UK App Store rates it 18+, it describes no age checks, and users report child characters and suggestive bots.
Who makes Talkie?
SUBSUP PTE. LTD. in Singapore operates it, and it belongs to MiniMax, a Shanghai AI company listed in Hong Kong.
How much does Talkie cost?
It is free with ads and limits. On the UK App Store a month costs £9.99, Talkie+ Pro £24.99, and gem packs run up to £49.99.
Scores are based on published evidence, not lab tests. How we score.
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