Character.AI vs PolyBuzz
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
- Content policy differs: Character.AI is sfw only, PolyBuzz is unclear.
- Chat use for training differs: Character.AI (opt-out), PolyBuzz (unclear).
- Character.AI is on iOS; PolyBuzz is not listed there.
| Fact |  Character.AI |  PolyBuzz |
|---|---|---|
| CrushRated score | 7.9well documented | 5.9partly 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. | Policy unclear polybuzz.ai NoteFAQ: 'PolyBuzz strictly prohibit public display of NSFW content' (private chats not addressed); homepage markets 'Free, Private, and Unrestricted AI character chats'. Characters are flagged 'Violation' for 'pornography, minors, inappropriate language'. |
| Minimum age | Not stated by the vendorMinimum age on the ToS page could not be read character.ai | 18+ polybuzz.ai Note'18-year-old to use PolyBuzz and/or our Services. PolyBuzz and/or our Services strictly prohibit for minors (less than 18-year-old) worldwide.' Play listing: Rated for 18+. The privacy policy and FAQ still mention child users and a 'Teen Mode' - inconsistent with the Terms. |
| 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. | self-declared birthdate (all users); third-party ID/face age check in the UK (Ondato, Yoti) polybuzz.ai Note'When you first use PolyBuzz... you must enter your date of birth.' UK: 'we require you to complete an age verification process' by 'independent third-party providers (Ondato and Yoti)'; PolyBuzz 'does not store your government-issued identification'. |
| 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, Web play.google.com NoteGoogle Play listing 'PolyBuzz: Chat with AI Friends' (Rated for 18+, 'Contains ads', 'In-app purchases') and polybuzz.ai web. The iOS app is gone from the US App Store as of 2026-10-27 (see safety). |
| 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. | Advertised as free chat; coins (virtual currency) extend voice-chat time, regenerate replies, unlock inspiration replies and memory scenes. Free-tier message cap not stated. polybuzz.ai Note'PolyBuzz is a Free, Private, and Unlimited AI Chat platform'; 'Coins... enhance your chat experience'. Play listing shows 'Contains ads'. |
| 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. | Not stated by the vendorFAQ names 'Basic' and 'Premium' memberships (both: stronger memory models, unlimited character voice listening, ad-free; Premium adds more chat models) but gives no USD prices; the US App Store listing is gone, so no store price list was available. polybuzz.ai |
| 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+).' | 'relatively strong' memory with selectable models; limited capacity; memory scenes via coins polybuzz.ai Note'the AI's memory capacity is technically limited, which means it may "forget" previous conversations over time.' |
| Voice | Yes support.character.ai Note'Character Voice is a suite of features... adding a Voice to a Character'; Calls stored as text chat. | Character voices; voice-chat duration extended with coins polybuzz.ai Note'extend voice chat duration'; Basic/Premium include 'unlimited character voice listening'. |
| Images | Not stated by the vendorImage generation in chat character.ai | Image generation polybuzz.ai NoteFAQ: users can 'select features like character creation, AI conversations, and image generation'. |
| 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 polybuzz.ai |
| 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'). | unclear polybuzz.ai NotePolicy (updated June 1, 2026) says uploaded photos and precise geolocation are used 'to train our AI algorithm' and data may be shared with third parties 'including the Chat-GPT platform'; it does not clearly state whether chat text trains models, and gives no opt-out. |
| 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 | Not stated by the vendorChat retention period; section 'RETENTION OF USER INFORMATION' exists but no fixed period was readable in our fetch polybuzz.ai |
| 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: Settings > Account > Delete (irreversible); backups cleared on next backup update. polybuzz.ai Note'7.3.1 To delete your PolyBuzz account, you may go to the "Setting" page, and then click "Account" - "Delete".' 'Deletion of your account is irreversible.' |
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 PolyBuzz (opens the official site in a new tab)
Is Character.AI safe? · Is PolyBuzz safe? · Character.AI alternatives · PolyBuzz alternatives
