Character.AI vs Chai
Both apps side by side, from each vendor's own pages. Latest check Oct 27, 2026. No winner here: the score shows who puts more in writing, and you pick who you'd rather date.
Where they differ
- Cheapest paid plan by monthly cost: Character.AI from $4.99/mo, Chai from $13.99/mo.
- Chat use for training differs: Character.AI (opt-out), Chai (yes).
- Character.AI is on iOS; Chai is not listed there.
- Character.AI is on Web; Chai is not listed there.
| Fact |  Character.AI |  Chai |
|---|---|---|
| CrushRated score | 7.9well documented | 8.1well documented |
| Content policy | SFW only blog.character.ai Note'Our policies do not allow non-consensual sexual content, graphic or specific descriptions of sexual acts, or promotion or depiction of self-harm or suicide.' ToS lists 'obscene or pornographic' content as prohibited (character.ai/tos). Classification 'sfw-only' is our reading of these policies. | SFW only chai-research.com NoteSafety Center says models are 'designed to refuse the generation of... sexually explicit content'; EULA: 'The generation, sharing, or distribution of sexually explicit images or videos of any kind on the Chai AI platform is strictly prohibited.' App is rated 18+ for mature themes; users can turn on safety filters to hide explicit messages. Classification is our reading of these statements. |
| Minimum age | Not stated by the vendorMinimum age on the ToS page could not be read character.ai | 18+ chai-research.com Note'CHAI is strictly for adults. Minors cannot use CHAI — you must be 18 or older to use the app.' Rated 18+ on the App Store and Mature 17+ on Google Play. |
| Age check | age assurance (login/activity/third-party signals); selfie age check via Persona if flagged under 18; ID upload only as last step support.character.ai Note'we look at a number of signals, including login info, activity on the platform, and some signals from third parties'; 'all you have to do is snap a selfie' via Persona. Updated Aug 1 2026. | age assurance via Persona: selfie age estimation or government photo ID; in some regions a paid subscription is required chai-research.com Note'Age checks are provided by Persona, a third-party identity verification provider.' 'A quick selfie is used to estimate whether you are over 18.' |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, Web support.character.ai NoteSubscriptions can be managed in 'App Store or Google Play subscription settings'; web purchases go through Stripe. | Android chai-research.com NoteCompany page: 'available as the CHAI app on iOS and Android'. As of 2026-10-27 the iOS app is delisted from the US App Store (page returns 404; installed copies keep working per the founder), so only Android (Google Play, 'Mature 17+') is downloadable. No official web chat app was found. |
| Free tier | Free plan includes unlimited messaging; waiting room only under high load; 15 memory pins; ads shown. support.character.ai Note'free and unlimited messaging for ALL users' (c.ai+ FAQ, updated Sep 14 2026). Lite FAQ: free has 15 memory pins and shows ads. | Free tier exists but is region-dependent; in some regions a paid subscription is required. Message caps are not stated on official pages. chai-research.com Note'In some regions, use of the service requires a paid subscription.' Privacy policy: 'We use personal data to send you advertisements if you have a free subscription.' |
| Paid plans |
2 more plans
Note'then $9.99/month thereafter'; lite price: '(c.ai) lite starts at $4.99/mo' (lite FAQ, updated Sep 18 2026). Regional pricing applies. |
NoteThe App Store page returns 404 on 2026-10-27, so this price could not be re-checked live. Third-party reviews list a Premium yearly price and an 'Ultra' tier (about $29.99/month); neither is confirmed by a primary source. |
| Memory | Pinned memories (15 free / 30 lite), Story Memory, private Lorebooks in c.ai+ support.character.ai Note'(c.ai) lite includes 30 memory pins (up from 15 on free)... The full memory suite, including private Lorebooks, is part of (c.ai+).' | Not stated by the vendor chai-research.com |
| Voice | Yes support.character.ai Note'Character Voice is a suite of features... adding a Voice to a Character'; Calls stored as text chat. | Not stated by the vendor chai-research.com |
| Images | Not stated by the vendorImage generation in chat character.ai | Not stated by the vendorImage generation; a third-party review says the app has no image generator chai-research.com |
| Group chat | Not stated by the vendorCurrent availability; 2023 announcement of Character Group Chat for c.ai+; current status not confirmed blog.character.ai | Not stated by the vendor chai-research.com |
| Used to train models | opt-out policies.character.ai Note'we retain certain data that you share with us to help train and improve our AI models'; opt-out via Settings > Data & Privacy > 'Improve the Model for Everyone' (page states steps for EEA/UK users; Jul 1 2026 policy update says users can opt out 'at any time'). | yes chai-research.com Note'We use personal data derived from your in-app conversations with chatbots to enhance and fine tune the artificial intelligence models on which these chatbots operate. Before we use any conversation data in this way, we remove personal identifiers.' No opt-out toggle is stated in the text read. |
| Chat retention | Not stated by the vendorChat retention period; policy page text not readable in our fetch; privacy policy says some data is retained for legal compliance and security policies.character.ai | For as long as necessary, 'not exceeding... the duration of the account and five (5) years following its deletion'. chai-research.com NotePrivacy policy, last updated October 12th 2026. |
| Deleting your data | In-app/web account deletion (permanent); data export available. support.character.ai Note'Account Deletion is permanent and cannot be reversed.' Web: Profile > Profile Settings > Account > Manage Account & Data > Delete Account. Export: see 'How do I download my data' (linked from the Oct 12 2026 blog). | In-app: Profile > Settings > Delete Account (all users, any country); permanent, subject to the retention limits above. chai-research.com Note'All users, regardless of their location or country of residence, can delete their account and associated personal data directly within the APP.' |
Well documented (7.5 and up) Partly documented (5.0 to 7.4) Thinly documented (below 5.0) The score counts what an app documents, not how good its chat is. Cautions are shown beside it and do not change it.
Visit Character.AI (opens the official site in a new tab) Visit Chai (opens the official site in a new tab)
Is Character.AI safe? · Is Chai safe? · Character.AI alternatives · Chai alternatives
