Where it stands out
Most apps in this category open with a question. Sweetdream opens with a scene — it leads with a situation and lets you answer into it. Over two weeks that made it the most pleasant one to come back to, even though it is not the most capable on paper.
The free tier
Worth singling out, because in this category "free" usually means a demo that runs out in twenty messages. Here the conversation stays open and the limits fall on the media instead. If you want to find out whether an AI companion is for you before paying anyone, start here.
Where it falls behind
The memory is shorter than Nomi's — details from a week back come and go — and the character builder is thin next to Camsoda AI's. In long sessions it repeats phrasings more than the top three do.