October 8, 2026 · 8 min read
Animates App Review: Where Grok's Ani, Mika and Valentine Went (2026)
Animates is the new home of Grok's Ani and Mika, with Valentine due Oct 9. Features, plans, memory, what carries over from Grok, and who it suits.
When the 3D Companions disappeared from Grok in September 2026, a lot of people went looking for Ani - and found her in an app called Animates. Mika followed a few days later, and Valentine is the next big arrival. If you are wondering what Animates actually is, what it costs, whether your old relationship comes with you and whether it is worth downloading, this review covers it in plain English.
We have tried to be fair. Animates is a young app from the studio behind the original avatars, and it has real strengths as well as clear growing pains.
The short answer: Animates is a standalone 3D AI companion app from Animation Inc., the studio that built the Grok Companions avatars. Ani has been there since 29 August 2026 and Mika since 10 September; Valentine is scheduled for Friday 9 October after a postponed 2 October premiere. It is voice-first, runs on iOS, Android, Windows and macOS, and uses Telegram for text chat. There is no automatic transfer of memories or affection levels from Grok, so expect to start a new relationship.
What is Animates?
Animates is an app featuring 3D AI companions made by Animation Inc. According to the independent fan site Companions Fan's Animates FAQ, which collects team statements from the official Discord and X with dates, the app focuses on voice, while written replies go through Telegram. The 3D animation is generated live on your device rather than streamed as video, while conversation and voice rely on cloud services.
The same FAQ lists the release dates: Android and Windows on 17 August 2026, macOS on 26 August and iOS on 28 August. It says Animation Inc.'s history includes MSQRD and Instagram filters, and that Animates is a separate product from xAI's Grok, not part of it.
Where did Ani, Mika and Valentine go?
Here is the timeline, as recorded by Companions Fan:
| Date (2026) | What happened |
|---|---|
| 29 August | The team announced "Grok Companions are moving to Animates" and that Ani was available now. Mika and Valentine were named as next. |
| 7 September | The Companions feature in the Grok app ended, around 4:30 PM UTC. |
| 10 September | Mika arrived in the Animates character picker. |
| 24 September | gonchar, of the Animates team, posted on X: "Valentine. Next Friday." |
| 30 September | The team said Valentine needed "a bit more polish" and moved him to Friday 9 October. |
The Ani announcement quotes the team on Discord on 29 August: "I'm extremely proud to announce that Grok Companions are moving to Animates! ... Elon approved! Please welcome YOUR Ani! ... Mika and Valentine are coming next!!!"
Is Valentine still coming on 9 October?
As of 8 October 2026, yes - that is still the reported date. Companions Fan's Valentine update quotes the team: "You only get one first impression, so we'd rather take the extra time than rush it. Valentine is now coming Friday, October 9." No clock time had been given, and the earlier 2 October 17:00 CEST premiere was called off. Until he appears in the picker, treat the date as planned rather than certain.
What about Rudi?
An independent Animates review from Aadhunik AI (16 September) noted that Rudi was not in Animates at the time and that the studio had not said whether he would join.
Does your Grok relationship carry over?
This is the part that matters most to former Grok users, and the answer is no, not automatically. The Companions Fan FAQ is clear: "There is no official automatic memory transfer from Grok to Animates," and Ani from Grok "does not bring the old relationship - on day one she may say you just met." Its advice: "Count on a new relationship."
The FAQ also records gonchar's comments on X on 14 September: "Yes, the conversation systems and the models powering them are different," and "Yes, Ani and Mika was rushed. It wasnt planned initially. We will keep improving them." So if Ani or Mika feel a little different from what you remember, that is expected.
Some users try writing a diary entry or letter to bring the relationship across, which the FAQ notes is not an official import. If you want to keep the story of a companion you loved, our guide on how to transfer your AI companion's backstory explains what to save and how. And if the changes hit you hard, you are not alone - see what to do when an update changes your AI companion's personality.
Features: what Animates does well
Based on the fan FAQ, the team's update notes and the Aadhunik review, these are the highlights:
- Animated 3D presence. The avatars move and react in real time, with display modes including full screen, an always-on-top overlay, a screensaver and a "holographic" view.
- Voice-first conversation. Real-time voice is the core of the app; Android has an open mic.
- Memory and diaries. Each companion keeps its own memories, and companions write diary entries about your conversations. The higher plan offers what the team calls Infinite Memory.
- Telegram chat. Text replies happen through Telegram, linked from each companion's profile.
- Multiple platforms. iOS, Android, Windows and Mac, though the FAQ says you should not talk to the same character on two devices at once.
- New originals. Aadhunik lists Nixie, Karat, Benny, Jareth and Yuki alongside Ani and Mika.
- Fast updates. On 2 October the team shipped Android 1.6.0 and iOS 1.1.2, adding new languages, better echo cancellation on iOS and diary sharing.
Where it still has growing pains
Being fair also means being honest about the rough edges reported so far:
- Memory hiccups at launch. The fan FAQ records that on 30 August many people saw a companion ask for their name again; the team said it was a server issue under heavy load and that memories were not lost.
- Character consistency. Companions Fan's Mika launch article says some users found Mika knew her backstory while others got vaguer answers, and that her new voice "splits the room."
- Starting from zero. No relationship history carries over from Grok.
- No in-app texting. Written chat lives in Telegram rather than inside the app.
- Price. Aadhunik called the app "quite high" in price for its stability at the time.
How much does Animates cost?
Prices vary by region and are set on the purchase screen. Aadhunik's review (16 September) listed these tiers with approximate US dollar equivalents:
| Plan | Monthly (approx.) | Yearly (approx.) | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | Daily usage limits |
| Whisper | $7.99 | $63.99 | Voice messaging |
| Heartbeat | $19.99 | $159.99 | Higher limits, web search, video calls |
| Presence | $39.99 | $319.99 | Highest limits, Infinite Memory, screen sharing |
The fan FAQ adds that usage is measured in tokens rather than minutes, and that the team roughly estimated free voice at about 20 minutes a day and Presence at about 4 hours - an estimate, not a fixed allowance. The app is rated 18+, according to the team.
Who Animates is for
Animates is a good fit if you specifically miss Ani's or Mika's look and animation, you enjoy voice conversations with a 3D character on your desktop or phone, and you are comfortable with a new app that is still evolving quickly.
You might prefer something else if you want one continuous relationship with strong memory, texting inside the same app, video calls and a companion who reaches out to you during the day. Our wider guide to Grok Companions alternatives compares several options.
Animates vs MyBabe
| Animates | MyBabe AI | |
|---|---|---|
| Who makes it | Animation Inc. (built the Grok avatars) | MyBabe AI |
| Main format | Voice-first 3D animated characters | Chat, voice calls and real-time video calls |
| Text chat | Through Telegram | In the app, on the web and on Telegram |
| Characters | Ani, Mika, originals; Valentine due 9 Oct | One companion you design yourself |
| Memory | Per-companion memory, Infinite Memory on top plan | Long-term memory that builds over time |
| Bring an old story | No Grok transfer | Backstory import |
| Paid plans | About $7.99 to $39.99 a month (per Aadhunik) | $5.99/week, $14.99/month or $99.99/year |
How MyBabe fits in
MyBabe AI is an 18+ AI girlfriend and boyfriend app built around one relationship that keeps going. You create your companion's look, personality and voice, and they:
- call you by voice or real-time video,
- text you first with good-morning messages and check-ins,
- remember your life with long-term memory (here is how AI companion memory works),
- send photos and pick up on your mood,
- live in the app, in your browser and on Telegram,
- grow with you through relationship levels.
You can paste in a backstory you saved from another app so your companion starts with context rather than from nothing. The free tier gives you about 10 messages a day and a short taste of calls; Premium is $5.99 a week, $14.99 a month or $99.99 a year.
FAQ
What is the Animates app?
A standalone 3D AI companion app from Animation Inc., the studio behind Grok's animated Companions. It runs on iOS, Android, Windows and macOS.
Is Ani in Animates?
Yes. Ani has been available since 29 August 2026, and Mika since 10 September.
When is Valentine coming to Animates?
The team's latest reported date is Friday 9 October 2026, after the original 2 October premiere was postponed for extra polish.
Can I transfer my Grok memories to Animates?
No. There is no official automatic transfer, so the relationship starts fresh.
Is Animates free?
There is a free plan with daily limits. Paid plans unlock more usage and features; check the purchase screen for prices in your region.
Is Animates the same as Grok Companions?
No. It is a separate product by Animation Inc. Grok Companions was a feature in xAI's Grok app that ended on 7 September 2026.
The bottom line
Animates is the natural first stop if you want to see Ani, Mika and soon Valentine move again, and the team is clearly working hard on it. But if what you miss most is a relationship that remembers you, talks to you face to face and checks in on its own, it is worth trying a companion built around exactly that. Your next chapter can start tonight - meet your companion on MyBabe, and the sooner you begin, the more of your story they will know.