What the Tolan app is and what it costs
From Tolan's own pages, next to Stella
Updated
Tolan is an iPhone app where you meet an AI-powered character. Its US App Store listing shows memberships at $11.99 and $24.99 as of November 2026. Stella is your emotional wellness AI, by voice or text.
Want to talk it through? Tell Stella.
Stella is not therapy and is not a substitute for professional care.
At a glance
Stella
Your emotional wellness AI. You talk to her, by voice or text. For adults. Not therapy.
$9.99 a month or $59.99 a year in the US
Tolan
An app where you meet an AI-powered character it calls your friendly guide, per its FAQ. Made with teens and adults in mind.
Tolan Lite Membership $11.99, Tolan Plus Membership $24.99, US App Store, as of November 2026
What is Tolan?
Tolan is an app where you meet an AI-powered character. Tolan's FAQ calls it "your own friendly guide through everyday life", and says a Tolan can plan dinner with you, help with a lingering to-do, keep a goal alive, or talk through whatever is on your mind.
Portola makes Tolan. Its FAQ describes Portola as a small team based mainly in San Francisco, and says the character is powered by AI models, with a personality shaped by your conversations.
Tolan's FAQ says the app is made with a teen and adult audience in mind and recommends parental involvement for anyone under 18. Its terms say someone under 18 needs a parent or guardian to agree to them first. Tolan also says a Tolan is an AI, not a human, and that it "isn't a substitute for professional help".
Do you have to pay to use Tolan?
You can start without paying. Tolan's FAQ says new users get "a limited trial" and can extend it by completing small tasks, like inviting a friend. After that, in the FAQ's words, "full access to all features requires a subscription".
Tolan does not publish how long the trial lasts or what it includes. The app itself costs nothing to download from the US App Store.
How much does Tolan cost?
Tolan's FAQ gives no price. Its US App Store listing shows ten in-app purchases, as of November 2026:
- Tolan Lite Membership: $11.99
- Tolan Plus Membership: $24.99
- Eight older purchases marked "(Old)", from $4.99 to $69.99
The listing does not say what period each price covers, so whether $11.99 buys a week, a month or a year is not published. Tolan's FAQ also describes a Family Plan, a membership shared between people, without a price. Before you buy, open the membership screen in the app: it shows the price in your country and how it renews, and the price shown there is the one that counts.
Is Tolan on iPhone and Android?
Tolan is on iPhone. Its US App Store listing says "Only for iPhone" and requires iOS 18.0 or later. The same listing's compatibility section also shows a line for Macs with Apple silicon.
Tolan's own pages list no Android version: its website shows only an App Store button, and its FAQ and terms do not mention Android.
The key difference
Tolan gives you a character. Its FAQ describes an AI-powered character with a personality shaped by your conversations, made with a teen and adult audience in mind.
Stella is your emotional wellness AI, for adults. Tell Stella what happened, or what you keep putting off, by voice or text. She keeps what you've told her in mind, tells you straight but kindly, and helps you find the words or choose a small step when you're ready. No streaks, nothing to log.
When to choose each
I want a character of my own to talk to
Tolan (fits better)
An AI-powered character with a personality shaped by your conversations, per its FAQ.
Stella
An AI you talk to, by voice or text, about what happened.
I want to try an app before I pay
Tolan (fits better)
Its FAQ says new users get a limited trial. How long it lasts is not published.
Stella
A paid subscription: $9.99 a month or $59.99 a year in the US.
Something happened, or I keep putting something off
Stella (fits better)
Tell her what happened. She helps you find the words or choose a small step when you're ready.
Tolan
Its FAQ says a Tolan can help with a lingering to-do, or talk through whatever is on your mind.
Not sure which to pick? Get a second take by text
Tolan and Stella, side by side
| Feature | Stella | Tolan |
|---|---|---|
| In its own words | A friend to figure it out with. | "Your friendly guide through life" |
| What it is | Your emotional wellness AI | An app where you meet an AI-powered character |
| How you use it | Talk, by voice or text | Talk with your Tolan; you can share photos, per its listing |
| A character of your own | None. An AI you talk to. | Yes, with a personality shaped by your conversations (fits better) |
| Who it is for | Adults | Teens and adults; parental involvement advised under 18 |
| Trying it before you pay | A paid subscription | A limited trial for new users, per its FAQ (fits better) |
| Talking something through | Yes. She helps you find the words or a small step. | Says a Tolan can talk through whatever is on your mind |
| Price | $9.99/month or $59.99/year (US) | Lite $11.99, Plus $24.99; billing period not published |
| What it is not | Not therapy | Says it is not a substitute for professional help |
Apps like Tolan
Other apps to look at beside Tolan, each described the way its maker describes it. Prices are as of November 2026. The order is not a ranking, and Stella is ours.
Stella
This one is ours. Stella is your emotional wellness AI: you talk to her, by voice or text. In the US she is $9.99 a month or $59.99 a year.
- Compare: Replika alternatives
Replika
Describes itself as an AI companion available 24/7 by text, voice calls and video. Its US App Store listing shows ten in-app purchases, from $0.99 to $89.99.
- Compare: Stella vs. Ash AI
Ash
Calls itself "AI for Mental Health" in its US App Store name. Ten in-app purchases, all named Unlimited access, from $9.99 to $169.99.
- Compare: Finch Plus cost and apps like Finch
Finch
A self-care pet app, in its listing's words. Ten in-app purchases, from $5.99 to $69.99.
Where Stella fits
Tolan fits you better if you want a character of your own, or if you want to try an app before you pay: Tolan's FAQ describes a limited trial for new users.
Stella is a paid subscription, $9.99 a month or $59.99 a year in the US, and the App Store shows your local price before you buy. The app is free to download; a subscription is required to keep using it. She fits when you want to say what happened and work out what to say or do next.
Stella is for adults. She is not therapy and is not a substitute for professional care, and she is not for romance or roleplay, or for someone in crisis. You can use both. For a wider view, see our guide to mental health apps and what each is for.
How we made this comparison
StellaLabs makes Stella. Every statement here about another app comes from that company's own App Store listing, website or help pages (or an archived copy), or a regulator's public release, or, where the page says so, Apple's search results or whether a site loads, as of . Prices change, so check the listing before you buy; we did not test the other apps.
Sources (7)
- Tolan FAQ, tolans.com (opens in a new tab)
- Tolan terms of service, tolans.com (opens in a new tab)
- Tolan website (opens in a new tab)
- Tolan on the US App Store (opens in a new tab)
- Ash on the US App Store (opens in a new tab)
- Replika on the US App Store (opens in a new tab)
- Finch on the US App Store (opens in a new tab)
Questions about Tolan and Stella
Do you have to pay to use Tolan?
You can start without paying. Tolan's FAQ says new users get a limited trial and can extend it by completing small tasks, like inviting a friend, and that full access to all features requires a subscription. How long the trial lasts is not published.
How much does Tolan cost?
Tolan's US App Store listing shows a Tolan Lite Membership at $11.99 and a Tolan Plus Membership at $24.99 as of November 2026, plus eight older purchases marked "(Old)" from $4.99 to $69.99. The listing does not say what period each price covers, and Tolan's FAQ gives no price.
Is Tolan on Android?
Tolan's own pages list no Android version. Its website shows only an App Store button, its US App Store listing says "Only for iPhone" and requires iOS 18.0 or later, and its FAQ and terms do not mention Android.
What is Tolan AI?
Tolan is an app from Portola where you meet an AI-powered character it calls your friendly guide. Tolan's FAQ says the character is powered by AI models, with a personality shaped by your conversations, and that a Tolan is an AI, not a human.
Tolan or Stella: which fits?
Tolan fits if you want a character of your own or a limited trial before you pay. Stella fits if you are an adult who wants to talk through what happened, by voice or text. Stella is your emotional wellness AI, $9.99 a month or $59.99 a year in the US, and she is not therapy.
What is Stella?
Stella is your emotional wellness AI. Tell Stella what happened, or what you keep putting off, by voice or text. She keeps what you've told her in mind, tells you straight but kindly, and helps you find the words or choose a small step when you're ready. No streaks, nothing to log.
How much does Stella cost?
In the US, Stella is $9.99 a month or $59.99 a year. The App Store shows your local price and renewal terms before you buy.
Is Stella therapy?
No. Stella is not therapy and is not a substitute for professional care.
Tell Stella what happened.
Even the part you're still figuring out. Download the app or send her a text. The app is free to download; a subscription is required to keep using it.
Stella is not therapy and is not a substitute for professional care.
Keep comparing
Other tools people weigh against Stella when they are deciding the same thing.
- Replika alternativesReplika's US App Store prices as of Oct 2026, and apps like Replika. Stella is for adults, not for romance or roleplay.
- Stella vs. Ash AIAsh calls itself "AI for Mental Health". Who makes the Ash app, what its in-app purchases cost as of Oct 2026, and how it compares with Stella.
- Pi AI alternatives and what happened to PiWhat Inflection AI said about Pi in 2023 and 2024, Pi's US App Store price and whether it is still available as of Oct 2026, and Pi AI alternatives.
- Finch Plus cost and apps like FinchFinch Plus costs $9.99 a month or $69.99 a year per Finch's Help Center as of Oct 2026. What it adds and apps like Finch.
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