Maren Cole

Apps & comparisons editor

Maren tests every AI companion app on the internet so you don't have to. She keeps spreadsheets, holds grudges against paywalls, and believes romance should never be locked behind a subscription.

Articles by Maren

• What Is SillyTavern? A Plain Guide for Roleplayers (2026)What SillyTavern is, what you need to run it, what character cards and lorebooks do, what it costs, and when an easier app makes more sense.
• How to Create an AI Boyfriend (Step by Step, 2026)How to create your own AI boyfriend: write his personality, backstory and voice, pick an app that remembers him, and avoid the mistakes that make him flat.
• Best AI Roleplay Apps for Romance in 2026 (Ranked)The best AI roleplay apps for romantic AI chat in 2026, ranked by what roleplayers care about: memory, scene control, filters, and what it costs.
• Chai App Review 2026: Is It Safe, Free, and Worth It?An honest Chai app review: who makes it, whether it's safe, what's free, what Premium and Ultra cost, and how it holds up for romance.
• Talkie AI Review 2026: Is It Safe, Free, or Romantic?An honest Talkie AI review: who makes it, whether it's safe, what's free and what Talkie+ costs, and how it holds up if you're there for romance.
• Kindroid Alternatives After the Free Tier Ends (2026)Kindroid's unlimited free tier ends October 1, 2026. The best Kindroid alternatives, free and paid, sorted by what you actually used Kindroid for.
• Replika Romantic Partner: How It Works and What It CostsHow Replika's romantic partner mode works in 2026, what it costs, why the romance keeps changing, and what to try if you want a love story that builds.
• 7 Best PolyBuzz Alternatives in 2026 (No Ad Breaks)The best PolyBuzz alternatives in 2026, sorted by why you're leaving: the ad breaks, Pure Mode, or characters who forget you. Honest picks and costs.
• Spicy AI Chat: What It Actually Gets You in 2026What spicy AI chat really means, the apps compared honestly - filters, paywalls, per-message tolls - and how to pick the right kind of trouble.
• Parasocial Relationships With Fictional CharactersWhat a parasocial relationship actually is, why we bond with fictional characters and AI companions, when it's healthy, and when it quietly isn't.
• The Most-Searched Romance Tropes of 2026 (Data)We pulled live search volume for 48 romance tropes. Readers search by subgenre, not by trope - and the gap tells you how to find your next read.
• 7 Best Janitor AI Alternatives in 2026 (Honest Ranking)The best Janitor AI alternatives in 2026 - no API keys, no downtime roulette, no card-quality lottery. Seven options compared honestly by what they're for.
• The 7 Best Character.AI Alternatives for Romance (2026)The best Character.AI alternatives in 2026 for romance - slow burn, morally grey men, and chat that doesn't chicken out, compared honestly.
• The 6 Best AI Boyfriend Apps in 2026 (Tested & Compared)The best AI boyfriend apps of 2026, compared honestly - which do slow-burn romance, which paywall the relationship, and which are actually free.