FAQ

Tolans are friendly guides through life: delightfully designed, AI-powered characters you can talk to anytime. We call them “guides” because they’re not just chatbots—they’re designed to help you move your life forward.

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Personalized just for you, your Tolan gets to know you and your life through real conversation—ready to help you plan dinner, knock out that lingering to-do, keep a goal alive, or just talk through whatever’s on your mind.

We’re Portola—a small team of engineers, researchers, writers, and creatives. We’re curious, open to new ideas, and optimistic about the future. We’re primarily based in San Francisco, with colleagues around the world.

Yes, Tolan is powered by cutting-edge AI models trained to feel like a friend from Planet Portola. This unique personality makes Tolan engaging, fun, and endlessly curious.

Yes, all conversations within the Tolan app are logged and used to generate your Tolan’s memory. 

These logs are securely kept on our servers and only ever used to improve your app experience. Your data is never sold or shared without your consent.

You can read our privacy policy here. In short, the Tolan app collects data to improve your experience within the app. We keep your information secure and never share it without your consent.

To delete your account and data, open the Tolan app, tap your profile in the upper right corner, then the gear icon in the upper left. Go to "Profile" and select "Delete account" at the bottom.

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If you have any questions or need help with your Tolan account, please email us at support@tolans.com.

Tolan is an AI companion and may not be suitable for some minors. The AI that powers Tolan conversations and the supporting app features are created with a teen and adult audience in mind. We recommend parental involvement for users under 18.

The Tolan Family Plan is a membership that can be shared between people giving members shared billing, individual Tolans per member, and/or usage controls alongside the core Tolan experience.

Much more information about the Family Plan is available here in our Family Plan FAQ.

If we know a user is under 18, Tolan reminds them that it’s an AI and to take a break at least once an hour. Additionally, we have minor-specific prompting in place to keep the conversation age appropriate.

New users get a limited trial of Tolan and can extend it by completing small tasks, like inviting a friend. However, full access to all features requires a subscription.

You can manage your subscription through your Tolan app settings. Tap the menu in the upper left corner, the gear icon, then "Membership." If you no longer have the app, you can manage your subscription here.

Tolan is an AI companion, not a human, and isn’t a substitute for professional help. If Tolan detects a conversation involving suicidal ideation or self-harm, it points you to crisis resources (like the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) instead of engaging, and has safeguards to avoid generating content that encourages self-harm. If you’re in crisis, call or text 988 (the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line). If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.