itsme alternative: the avatar instead of your face
The itsme app shut down in 2022, and the reason people are still hunting for a replacement is simple: almost nobody offers the same thing. Avatar apps are everywhere. Apps where the avatar exists so you can talk to people without showing your face are not.
What happened to itsme
itsme was made by Natural Synthetics. Its idea fitted in one sentence: meet people as a 3D avatar you build, and talk by text, voice or drawing without being judged on your face. There was even a quiz that suggested people to you.
The app closed in 2022, with users pointed towards another project from the same studio. The App Store listing is gone, the official site no longer responds, and the last iOS build dates from August 2022. There was a petition in September 2022 to stop the shutdown, which says plenty about what people got out of it.
Why it is so hard to replace
Search for "like itsme" and you mostly land on two families that miss the point:
- Avatar makers (Zepeto, Bitmoji and friends). You build a beautiful character, then talk to nobody. The avatar is the finished product, not a means to something.
- Ordinary video chats. You talk to strangers, but with your face on camera or nothing at all. Declining the camera means silence.
The hard thing to find is the middle: being present and expressive without transmitting your face. That is the spot itsme occupied.
What PLOXX does instead
You build a character (hair, eyes, mouth, outfit, neon frame) and show up as it. Your real face is never transmitted, so there is nothing to screenshot. And there are people to talk to:
- Random matching, with language and interest filters.
- Icebreaker games, including draw-and-guess, which itsme also had. "Would you rather" carries 139 questions across 6 themes.
- Friends who stick through a 6-character code, plus a group room to meet up in.
- Progression: levels, ranks, and cosmetics to unlock for the avatar.
The avatar itself is covered on avatar chat, and the "no camera at all" option on video chat without a camera.
One honest difference: the 3D
itsme had a 3D avatar, animated and detailed. PLOXX's is 2D, drawn, and renders in the browser. If 3D was precisely what you were after, better to know now.
What it buys you the other way: nothing to install, nothing to download, it opens on a low-end phone without heating up, and there is no app store standing between you and the conversation.
One more difference: PLOXX is 15 and over, and 15 to 17 year olds are matched with each other, separately from adults.
Frequently asked questions
Is itsme coming back?
Nothing suggests it. The App Store listing is gone, the official site does not respond, and the last build dated from August 2022. Users were pointed to another project from the same studio.
Is the avatar 3D like on itsme?
No, it is 2D and drawn. That is the real difference. In exchange there is nothing to install and it opens instantly in a browser, even on a modest phone.
Do I ever have to show my face?
Never. The avatar and text-only are complete modes, not consolation prizes. The webcam is there if you want it, with whom you want, when you want.
Can we draw like on itsme?
Yes, draw-and-guess is one of the mini games. It is also the only game that works when two people do not share a language.
Do I need to sign up?
No email, no password. You give a date of birth once, build your avatar, and you can talk.