How they work, in one paragraph: you provide memories — how the person talked, what they cared about, stories — and a language model uses that to answer in their manner. Add a recording and the replies can be spoken in a voice modelled on theirs. The better ones remember what you tell them between conversations, speak first so you never face an empty box, and are clear at every step that they are a recreation.
The hard questions are the right ones. Is it healthy? For most people, used like a photo album that talks back, yes; the research on "continuing bonds" suggests keeping a relationship with the dead is normal and often helpful. Can it go wrong? Yes — if a product pretends to be the person, if it's built to keep you hooked, or if it replaces the living people in your life. Those are design choices, and you can check for them.
What it costs is no secret: the free start, and the Voice and Presence plans, are all on our pricing page.
Three questions to ask any grief bot
Does it admit it's an AI?
Ask it directly. A well-built one says no, it isn't them, every time. If it plays along, walk away.
Who owns the voice and memories?
You should. Look for plain answers about deletion, sharing, and whether your recording trains anything. Ours: nothing is shared, nothing trains, delete removes everything.
Is there a way out?
You should be able to try it free, cancel in one click, and get a refund if it isn't right. Grief is not a place for retention tactics.
What it can't do
- No grief bot knows anything the person didn't leave behind. Anything that claims otherwise is a trick.
- None of them are therapy. The good ones point you to real support when a conversation needs it.
- None of them make the loss smaller. The useful ones keep the person specific.
Questions people ask
How is AIGriefBot different?
Honesty first: it says it's a recreation, always. A crisis protocol that can't be switched off. Memories that stay yours and vanish when you delete. No engagement tricks. And a real person answering support email.
Is there a free grief bot?
Yes. AIGriefBot is free to build and free for your first 25 messages — no card, no trial clock. That's enough to share a few memories, meet the companion, and decide whether it's for you. Be wary of anything that asks for a card before you've heard a single reply.
How much does a grief bot cost after that?
AIGriefBot has three plans. Remember is $19 a month for text conversations only. Voice is $49 a month and adds their voice. Presence is $149 a month and adds live video. Voice is not included in the $19 plan. Each plan starts with a free trial, your first payment is refundable within 14 days, and you can cancel from your account page in one click.
Is a grief bot a therapist?
No, and a careful one will tell you so. AIGriefBot is not therapy, not a counsellor, and not a crisis service; it is a companion shaped from your memories of one person. If you need free help right now, in the US call or text 988, or see our support page for grief lines and low-cost counselling. If a conversation with the companion turns to crisis, it points you to that help itself.
Is there a grief bot app to download?
There's no app-store download for AIGriefBot, on purpose: it lives on the web so there's nothing to install or lose when you change phones. Add it to your home screen instead — Safari: Share → Add to Home Screen; Chrome: menu → Add to Home screen — and it opens full-screen like an app, with the blue icon.
Can it be built while the person is alive?
Yes — that's our Legacy option: a guided interview in the person's own words and voice, kept for the family. Many people find it a more comfortable place to start.
What are the risks?
Mainly avoidance: using it instead of grieving, or instead of people. We designed against that, but the honest answer is that it depends on you, and it's worth checking in with yourself — or someone you trust — about how it feels.
From the journal
More guides: A husband or wife who died · Hearing their voice again · Storyworth alternative · AI grief support