Verdict
Character.AI is the largest and cheapest place to role-play with user-made characters, and its free plan has no message cap. It is not an adult AI girlfriend app: romance is allowed within limits, sexual content is banned and filters interrupt often. In October 2026 the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and said the platform could be wound down without a buyer, so don't pay for a year in advance.
What's good
- Unlimited free messaging and a huge library of characters
- The cheapest paid plans here: $4.99 a month for lite, $9.99 for c.ai+
- Group chats, voice calls and many creative formats
- The strictest age checks of any app we reviewed
- Interface available in 28 languages
What's not
- Filed for bankruptcy in October 2026, and the app may be shut down
- Sexual content is banned, and filters interrupt romantic roleplay
- The free plan has ads and slow mode at busy times
- Chats are used to train its models, and the documented opt-out covers only Europe and the UK
- Lawsuits, state investigations and an Italian fine over child safety
Score breakdown
Character.AIAverage of all 77 apps
Overview
Character.AI launched in 2022 and grew into the biggest platform for chatting with fictional and user-made characters. You can talk to millions of characters or build your own, start group chats, make voice calls and try creative formats such as Scenes, Stories and Books. Memory tools include pinned messages, Facts, Story Memory and a Lorebook.
The company has faced lawsuits from families of teenagers, investigations by US states and the FTC, and a 2026 fine in Italy. Since November 2025, users under 18 can no longer have open-ended chats, and every account goes through age estimation, with a selfie or ID check if flagged. On October 12, 2026, Character Technologies filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Disney placed a $20 million opening bid for a license to its technology that excludes the app and user data, and the company has said the platform will be wound down if no workable bid arrives.
Features
- Voice messages: YesCharacter voices
- Voice calls: YesVoice calls with characters
- Image generation: YesImagine image generation, safe-for-work
- Video: LimitedAvatarFX animated video
- Long-term memory: LimitedPins, Facts, Story Memory and Lorebook
- Group chats: YesGroup chats
- Build your own character: YesCreate public or private characters
- Community characters: YesMillions of user-made characters
Pricing
Character.AI is free to use. The lite plan costs $4.99 a month in the US, and c.ai+ costs $9.99 a month or $94.99 a year. Because of the bankruptcy, we suggest paying monthly.
| Plan | Monthly | Yearly plan | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | — | Unlimited messages with ads, slow mode at peak times and basic chat styles |
| lite | $4.99/mo | — | A daily allowance of premium-style messages, fewer ads and 30 memory pins. Also $2.49 a week in the US. |
| c.ai+ | $9.99/mo | $94.99/yr | Unlimited premium styles, no ads, no slow mode, better memory, 30 pins, Facts, an advanced Lorebook and 20% more Charms |
Charms, an in-app currency introduced in December 2025, can be earned or bought in packs from $0.99 to $99.99. They pay for extra image generations and for skipping ads or slow mode.
Prices are in US dollars before tax and change often. Check the official site before you pay.
Privacy & safety
Character.AI checks ages more strictly than any other app here, but it trains on user chats, faces lawsuits and state actions, and is in bankruptcy. Don't share personal details, and don't prepay for a year. The company says you can export or delete your data, so do that before any sale closes if you are worried.
- SeriousCharacter Technologies filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on October 12, 2026. Attorneys general from 40 states and Washington, DC asked for real age checks, no new uses of user data, and a chance for users to delete their data before any sale.
- SeriousFamilies sued the company over harm to teenagers, including a suicide, and those cases were settled with Google in January 2026. Kentucky and Pennsylvania sued in 2026, and the FTC opened an inquiry in 2025.
- CautionItaly's data protection authority fined the company €158,000 in July 2026 and ordered effective age checks.
- CautionUser chats are used to train its models. The documented opt-out applies only to users in the European Economic Area and the UK.
- NoteAge assurance starts with in-house estimation, followed by a Persona selfie or ID check. Persona deletes images and IDs within 7 days.
What users say
Character.AI holds 4.3 on the App Store from about 560,000 ratings, but only 1.2 on Trustpilot, where complaints focus on ads, filters, age checks and memory. In October 2026, Reddit discussion is dominated by the bankruptcy and what happens to users' chats.
Character.AI FAQ
Is Character.AI free?
Yes. Messaging is unlimited and free, with ads, slow mode at busy times, 15 memory pins and basic chat styles. Some features have daily limits.
How much does Character.AI cost?
Character.AI is free to use. The lite plan costs $4.99 a month in the US, and c.ai+ costs $9.99 a month or $94.99 a year. Because of the bankruptcy, we suggest paying monthly.
Does Character.AI allow adult content?
No. Pornographic content is banned for everyone, and asking for the filter to be removed can get you banned. Romance is allowed within limits. Users under 18 can't use open-ended chat, and accounts flagged by age estimation must verify with a selfie or ID through Persona.
Is Character.AI safe and private?
Character.AI checks ages more strictly than any other app here, but it trains on user chats, faces lawsuits and state actions, and is in bankruptcy. Don't share personal details, and don't prepay for a year. The company says you can export or delete your data, so do that before any sale closes if you are worried.
Alternatives to Character.AI
Sources
- OfficialCharacter.AI blog: an update on Character.AI
- OfficialCharacter.AI blog: changes for users under 18
- Pricingc.ai+ plan
- App storeCharacter.AI on the App Store
- NewsNBC News: Character.AI files for bankruptcy (Oct 2026)
- NewsTechCrunch: Disney to hire most of Character.AI's workforce (Oct 2026)
- RegulatorPrivacy.it: Italian fine on Character.AI (July 2026)
- User reviewsCharacter.AI on Trustpilot