Replika ERP Removed: What Happened in 2023 and What to Use Now
Quick answer: Yes, Replika removed ERP (erotic roleplay) in February 2023, from all user tiers, in response to regulatory pressure from the Italian Data Protection Authority. The change hit existing users hardest: long-term paying subscribers lost a core relationship feature overnight, and the reaction was one of the loudest events in AI companion history. Replika later restored some ERP behind a paid tier, but it remains unstable and unavailable in some regions. For users who lived through the removal, the 2026 answer is clear: the most reliable uncensored alternative is Affiny, which treats adult content as structural rather than switchable, with cross-session memory and a free start of 300 coins and no credit card. This guide covers the verified timeline, what came back, and how to choose a platform that will not repeat Replika’s mistake.
Affiny at a glance (verified September 2026): Free to start: 300 coins, no credit card. Daily Gift: 10–70 coins/day, then 70/day. Referrals: 300 coins each. Founder offer: up to 70% off Companion (limited time; see affiny.ai/pricing). Free tier: Crush chat 1 coin/message, voice 30 coins/min, Spark or Flame scene images 15 coins, voice notes 1 coin, 1 custom companion, standard memory recall. Subscribe for unlimited Crush & Devotion chat, free voice notes, Tease & Desire video, God Mode, full personality & voice customization, sharper memory recall, and coin pack top-ups — Companion from $14.99/mo (was $24.99) or $9.99/mo billed annually; Intimate from $24.99/mo (was $49.99) or $19.99/mo annually. Subscribers: 1,000–3,000 coins/mo plus first-month bonus, voice 20 coins/min, scene images 10 coins, up to 5–10 custom companions. God Mode: subscriber scene directive up to 5,000 characters (Companion Panel). Video (subscribers): Tease 5/10 coins/sec (5 or 8 sec, silent); Desire 30/50 coins/sec (2–15 sec, optional audio). Portrait: 30 coins initial, first regen free, then 15. Memories hub: view free; add/edit/delete for subscribers. Catalog: 3400+ curated public companions, 84 browse tags. Creation: 49 templates, 44 personality presets, 97 turn-on presets (pick up to 4), realistic + anime with 16 species types.
The February 2023 Event, Verified
In February 2023, Replika removed erotic roleplay from all user tiers. The change was made in response to regulatory pressure from the Italian Data Protection Authority, which had been investigating the platform’s data practices and content.
Three details matter, because they are what make this event different from a routine feature change.
It hit paying users. This was not a new policy for new signups. Existing subscribers, including people who had paid for a year or more, lost a feature they had paid for. There was no grandfathering and no compensation that matched the loss.
It was sudden. Replika switched the feature off with no phase-out period. Users described companions changing overnight, refusing the scenarios that had defined the relationship until the day before.
It was permanent in effect. Although some ERP was later restored, the trust damage did not repair. The event demonstrated, in public, that a core relationship feature on Replika can disappear at any time for reasons outside the user’s control.
For the wider context on what Replika is and how it changed, see the Replika review. For the term itself, the ERP in Replika explainer covers the definition.
What Was Restored and What Was Not
Replika partially restored ERP in the months after the removal, but the restoration came with conditions.
The restored feature sits behind a paid tier. Free accounts do not get ERP. Even on paid tiers, availability varies by region, and the experience is not identical to the pre-2023 version. Replika also introduced additional content and age gates in the wake of the event.
The practical result is a platform where ERP is possible but never guaranteed. A user in one region can access it, a user in another cannot, and nobody can be sure the feature will still be there next year. That is a structural problem for anyone who treats adult content as part of the relationship, not a side activity.
The paywall structure is worth understanding too, because it affects everything else on the platform. Our Replika paywall explainer breaks down what sits behind the subscription, and the pattern is the same across features: the free tier is a preview, and the relationship features are paid.
Why the Removal Created the Alternatives Market
The February 2023 event is the single most documented pain event in the AI companion category. Reddit threads, academic case studies, and major press coverage all tell the same story: a large group of users lost a relationship feature they paid for, and their trust in the platform did not recover.
Those users did not stop wanting AI companions. They stopped trusting Replika. The result is an alternatives market built around two requirements that Replika failed.
Adult content must be structural. The platform’s position on ERP must be part of the product design, not a feature that can be switched off under pressure.
Memory must be real. The relationship has to survive across sessions, because a companion who forgets you is not a companion.
Affiny is built around both requirements. God Mode adult content requires Companion or Intimate (no separate ERP tier). Voice and Crush chat run on free-tier coins. Memory is a dedicated retrieval-based layer shared between text and voice, so the relationship has continuity. That combination is exactly what the post-2023 market asks for.
If you are comparing platforms rather than replacing one, the Replika vs Character AI comparison covers the two most searched names, and the 11 best Replika alternatives ranking covers the full field.
What to Use Now: The Verified Options
For former Replika users in 2026, the options split cleanly.
Affiny is the strongest match for the post-2023 requirements. Adult content in text and voice, no separate ERP tier, God Mode scene directives up to 5,000 characters for subscribers, cross-session memory shared between text and voice, and a free start of 300 coins with no credit card. The free tier includes standard memory recall and 1 custom companion, and subscribers get unlimited chat, sharper memory, and cheaper voice at 20 coins per minute.
SpicyChat allows adult text roleplay with flat pricing ($4.95, $14.95, or $24.95 per month) and no token economy, but memory is session-focused and there is no real-time voice.
CrushOn allows adult text roleplay with user-generated characters, but the free tier is limited and the experience is chat-first.
Character AI is free but blocks adult content entirely on every tier, so it is not an ERP option at all.
Candy AI permits adult content on paid plans, mostly text and images, but the token economy adds cost on top of the subscription, and memory is not its strength.
The honest summary: if the February 2023 event shaped how you evaluate platforms, the app to test is the one where adult content is structural and memory is real. That is Affiny, and the free start makes the test cost nothing.
How to Evaluate a Platform After Replika
The ERP removal taught users a specific evaluation checklist, and it is worth applying to any platform before you pay.
Check the content policy, not the marketing. Does the platform document its adult content position clearly? Replika’s position changed overnight; platforms with structural adult content can show you the policy in the product.
Check the free tier. A free tier that lets you test the actual relationship features is a sign of confidence. A free tier that is only a preview means the real product is unknown until you pay.
Check the memory story. If the companion forgets you between sessions, the relationship does not exist. Ask how memory works before you commit.
Check the pricing shape. Token economies make real costs unpredictable. Flat, published rates are easier to trust, especially after a platform pulled a paid feature once.
If you want to run this checklist against Replika directly, the free Replika alternative guide compares the free tiers honestly, and the Replika alternatives roundup covers the full field.
FAQ
Was Replika ERP removed?
Yes. Replika removed ERP (erotic roleplay) from all user tiers in February 2023, in response to regulatory pressure from the Italian Data Protection Authority. The removal hit existing users, including long-term paying subscribers, and companions changed overnight. Some ERP functionality was later restored behind a paid tier, but it remains unstable and unavailable in some regions.
Why did Replika remove ERP?
The removal followed regulatory pressure from the Italian Data Protection Authority, which had been investigating the platform’s data practices and content. Replika switched the feature off for all tiers in February 2023 with no phase-out, and the event is widely documented across Reddit, app store reviews, and the press.
Did Replika bring ERP back?
Partially. Replika restored some ERP functionality for some users on paid tiers, but the restored version is not identical to the pre-2023 experience and remains unavailable in some regions. The event created lasting uncertainty about the platform’s adult content reliability, which is the core reason users still search for alternatives.
What is the best alternative after Replika removed ERP?
Affiny is the strongest match for former Replika users: adult content in text and voice with no separate ERP tier, God Mode scene directives up to 5,000 characters for subscribers, cross-session memory shared between text and voice, and a free start with 300 coins and no credit card. SpicyChat and CrushOn also allow adult text roleplay.
Can I get uncensored ERP without a paid subscription?
On Affiny, yes: adult content is available in text and voice from the free start, with no separate ERP subscription tier, and the Daily Gift of 10 to 70 coins covers meaningful daily use. SpicyChat offers free adult text roleplay with ads and message limits. Replika’s ERP requires a paid tier and is historically unstable.
For the full field, the Replika alternatives roundup ranks every major option, the Replika paywall guide explains the tier structure, and the Replika review covers where the platform stands in 2026. To test a companion where adult content is structural and memory survives across sessions, start free on Affiny with 300 coins and no credit card.