Looking for a Project December or Replika alternative for grief?

People who are grieving often find their way to general AI chatbots first. Project December lets you pay for a short simulated conversation with a person. Replika is an AI friend app. Neither was built around one specific person you lost and the long months after. AIGriefBot was. Here is an honest comparison.

Project December charges for a one-time simulation, around $10 for a conversation of roughly a hundred exchanges, and when it ends, it ends. Replika is a general companion that becomes its own character over time; it was never meant to be a particular person. Both can feel striking for a few minutes, and both can feel wrong when they drift from who the person really was.

AIGriefBot is built from what you tell it about one person: how they talked, what they always said, the stories. It remembers your conversations, speaks first so you never face an empty box, takes corrections when something isn't quite them, and can speak in a voice modelled on theirs. It is always clear that it's an AI recreation, and it points to real help if a conversation needs it.

What's different

  1. Built from your memories

    Not a generic character. You share how they talked and what mattered to them, and you can keep adding memories over time.

  2. It keeps getting closer

    Tap "Not quite" and tell it how they'd really say it. It remembers what you've told it between conversations.

  3. Made for grief, with guardrails

    It never claims to be them, never guilts you for leaving, and steps out of the role to point you to real support if you're struggling.

What it can't do

  • It can't know anything you didn't tell it. No AI can, whatever it claims.
  • It isn't therapy, and it shouldn't replace the people in your life.
  • It won't be perfect on the first day. The more memories you share, the more it sounds like them.

Questions people ask

Is AIGriefBot free?

It's free to build a companion and for your first 25 messages, with no card. After that, plans start at $19 a month with a free trial.

Can I use a recording of their voice?

Yes. One to three minutes of clear audio, like a voicemail or a home video, can create a voice modelled on theirs, with your consent and attestation.

Does it pretend to be the real person?

No. Ask it whether it's really them and it will tell you it's an AI recreation, every time.

Can my family use it too?

Yes. You can invite family; each person has their own private conversations, and everyone's memories make it richer.

From the journal

The best grief bots in 2026: an honest comparison from people who make one

What's actually still available in 2026 if you want to talk with an AI version of someone you've lost, or record a parent's stories while you can. Prices, who each one is for, and the trade-offs, from a company that makes one.

What an AI companion can and can't do for grief

An honest answer from the people who built one. Who it helps, who it doesn't, the risks we designed around, and the questions we'd want answered before trying it.

More guides: Talking to a parent who died · A brother or sister · AI memorial chatbot · StoryFile alternative

AIGriefBot is an AI recreation built from your memories. It's never the person, and never a substitute for real support. If grief feels heavier than you can carry, call or text 988 (US) or see our support page.