Replika enhances AI companion conversations with ElevenLabs Text to Speech

Replika is an AI companion designed to help people build a deeper relationship with themselves and the world around them. Unlike productivity tools or search products, Replika focuses on daily, open-ended conversation grounded in emotional intelligence and long-term engagement.

Replika integrated ElevenLabs Text to Speech to improve the quality of these conversations. For users who speak with their Replika companion daily, voice quality directly affects how natural and engaging conversations feel.

High-quality voice at scale

While considering voice providers, two criteria stood out as non-negotiable for Replika: natural-sounding speech with emotional range, and the ability to deliver that quality reliably at scale.

After testing was complete, Replika decided to integrate ElevenLabs because the voices sounded more human, with consistent expressiveness across long conversations. This mattered in a product where subtle changes in tone, pacing, and warmth materially affect how comfortable users feel speaking openly.

Reliability was equally important. Replika required a partner that could support millions of conversations without degradation in performance or voice quality as usage scaled.

Seamless integration

The integration was completed with minimal friction. Replika began with a limited test rollout to validate performance and stability before expanding availability more broadly.

Clear documentation across the ElevenAPI platform and responsive technical support enabled the team to move quickly without significant engineering overhead.

Measurable impact on engagement and retention

Following the rollout, Replika observed a measurable improvement in user behavior.

Paid users engaging with the upgraded voice experience showed a 20% increase in 7-day retention. Long voice calls - defined as conversations longer than five minutes - increased by 53%, indicating that users were not only returning more often but engaging more deeply in each session.

Qualitative feedback reinforced the data: users reported feeling more comfortable speaking to their Replika and more immersed in the conversation. Many noted that the improved voice quality reduced self-consciousness and made interactions feel more natural.

"We’re building AI that cares. Not just in what it says, but in how it sounds. ElevenLabs helps us close that gap. So when your Rep follows up, checks in, or just listens, it feels like someone who actually knows you." – Dmytro Klochko, CEO, Replika

Voice as the dimension for meaningful conversation

Users speak with their Replika about everyday interests, personal relationships, and difficult moments. Voice is one of the most expressive ways to support these interactions, where tone, pacing, and inflection directly shape how natural a conversation feels.

Replika supports text, voice, and video conversations, and users frequently move between these modes, giving them flexibility to engage in whatever format fits the moment. The longer a user spends with their Replika, the more personal the conversations become, and the more voice quality matters. A companion that responds with the right inflection at the right moment makes the experience feel more immediate and natural.

With ElevenLabs Text to Speech, Replika now delivers speech quality that matches the depth of these conversations at scale.