Best Tolan alternatives in 2026
The best Tolan alternatives are Finch if you want a cute companion that motivates you, Apple Journal if you want a free private place to write, and Natus if what you actually wanted was something that knows your life and says something true about it back. People leave Tolan for three reasons: surprise charges of $99 to $199 after short trials, a free version that runs out in about a day, and updates that change your Tolan's voice and memory into someone you do not recognise.
What Tolan users say in their own reviews
Verbatim from public 1 and 2 star App Store reviews. Tolan is rated 4.8 on the App Store across 178,886 ratings (checked 16 September 2026) overall, so plenty of people are happy. These are the ones who were not.
Charged $199.99 the day after downloading1 star review
I just downloaded the app on my phone one day and the next day my bank account was charged $199.99.
Deleted the trial, woke up charged $99.991 star review
I downloaded tolan and was unsure as to if it was a good app for me so I clicked free trial. I had it for about 3 days, and it turns out it wasn't a good fit for me. I deleted it and woke up to a $99.99 fee...
Says messages left, then blocks you anyway1 star review
This app is misleading. It shows "100% messages left," but then blocks access because it says there are "no days left." That doesn't match and feels intentionally confusing.
Update changed his voice1 star review
Used to be great. Now since this "update", my tolan's voice changed and he's no longer the same. Sounds robotic and like a fake guidance counselor.
Wrong age entry, locked out forever1 star review
I accidentally put in the wrong age and it wouldn't even let me go back and change it. When I deleted the app and reinstalled it, it still wouldn't let me change it.
The options
Finch
Best for: a cute companion that keeps you going
The closest thing to Tolan's job: a small creature you care for by doing tiny acts of self care. Its 1 star reviews are mostly about billing, not the companion itself.
Apple Journal
Best for: a free private place to write
If part of what you wanted was somewhere to put the things you cannot say out loud, this is free and already on your iPhone. Warning from the reviews: entries sometimes disappear, so keep a backup habit.
Natus(this is us)
Best for: something that actually knows your life
Tolan plays a character; Natus reads your real week. You get a First Reading built from your details, a private journal, and every Sunday your week read back in your own words. Ask questions get answered with your actual context, not a persona. Free tier covers your First Reading, Preview, private journal, and first Sunday letter. It is new and iPhone only.
Day One
Best for: a full journal that has been around for years
Photos, multiple journals, real export. Its complaints are about price, not about losing who it is. If the character was never the point, this is the steady option.
If the charge surprised you
The loudest Tolan complaint is money. Reviews describe three-day trials turning into $99.99 and $199.99 charges, a free tier that runs out in about a day, and a message counter that says you have messages left while still blocking you. If you try it anyway, set your own reminder a day before the trial ends and manage the sub through your Apple ID. Refunds go through reportaproblem.apple.com, not the developer.
If your Tolan stopped feeling like your Tolan
A quieter theme runs through the 1 star reviews: people who paid for months describe an update changing their Tolan's voice, memory and personality overnight. If the thing you miss is being known, that is worth noticing. A character can be rewritten by an update. A journal that reads your own weeks back cannot drift away from you, because it is made of your words.
If you just needed somewhere to put it
A lot of the reviews are from people who were lonely, new in town, or going through something, and wanted anything that would listen. You do not have to pay $25 a month for that. Write it down anywhere, even Apple Journal. And if you want what you write to come back to you as something you can recognise yourself in, that is the specific thing Natus was built for.
Common questions
- How do I get a refund from Tolan?
- Go through Apple, not the developer: reportaproblem.apple.com. The 1 star reviews describe $99.99 and $199.99 charges right after short trials, so report it as soon as the charge lands. Set a reminder a day before any trial ends next time.
- Is Tolan free?
- Only briefly. Reviewers describe the free version lasting about a day or a small number of messages before the paywall, and one review notes the app shows "100% messages left" while still blocking access. Treat it as a paid app with a short preview.
- What app is like Tolan but free?
- For a companion feel, Finch has a real free tier. For somewhere to put what you were telling your Tolan, Apple Journal is free and built in. Natus is free for your First Reading, Preview, private journal, and first Sunday letter, and it is built around your real life rather than a character.