Character AI: Chat, Talk, Text
Millions of AI characters to chat, call, and roleplay with.
Overview
Character.AI is a platform hosting millions of user-generated AI characters across virtually every genre and personality type. Users can chat via text, make live voice calls, build custom characters with unique personalities and backstories, and share them with a large global community. The app is available on iOS, Android, and web, with support for 27 languages.
At a glance
Scores
- Conversation
- 3/5
- Memory
- 3/5
- Privacy
- 3/5
- Security
- 2/5
Based on user reviews and published policies.
Pricing
- Unlimited conversations with user-generated AI characters
- Unlimited voice calls (per store description)
- Character creation tools
- Community access — follow creators, share characters
- Banner/interstitial ads within conversations
Free tier confirmed. As of June 2026 (v1.16.3), users report a swipe/response-regeneration limit and a session time cap; exact numeric limits are not publicly documented.
- Ad-free experience
- Priority server access during peak hours
- Faster response times
- Early access to new features
Monthly $9.99 or yearly $94.99 (~$7.92/month effective). Sourced from App Store IAP listing. Full feature delta vs free tier is not published on an accessible pricing page; requires human verification.
- Cosmetic Charm items: Starter $0.99, Small $2.99, Medium $4.99, Large $9.99
One-time cosmetic IAP, not a recurring subscription.
What users say
Positives
- Enormous catalogue of community-created characters (millions) — cited as a unique differentiator even in negative reviews.
- Conversation memory reported by loyal users as distinctively strong compared to competing apps.
- Powerful no-code character creation tools: custom personality, backstory, and voice.
- Largest user base in the category: 50M+ Android installs and 542K App Store ratings.
- Real-time voice calls with AI characters included on the free tier.
Negatives
- Content filtering is strict even for users who declare themselves 18+; many users report that mild romantic interactions and light physical contact are blocked.
- Biometric age verification (selfie scan via a third-party service, with government ID as a fallback) is now required to continue using the app following the June 2026 v1.16.3 update; many users report technical failures during the verification process.
- Mid-conversation ads on the free tier — widely reported as disrupting the narrative and roleplay experience.
- Free tier swipe and session-time limits introduced in June 2026 (v1.16.3) — not clearly documented, frustrating for longtime users.
- Google Play rating of 1.89 (2.36M reviews) reflects significant user dissatisfaction following the v1.16.3 update.
Users report that Character.AI's greatest strength is its vast library of community-created characters, which loyal users describe as unmatched in variety; some also highlight its conversation memory as superior to competing apps. However, many users report frustration with the June 2026 v1.16.3 update, which introduced mandatory biometric age verification, mid-conversation ads, and free-tier usage limits — prompting widespread 1-star reviews and reported migration to alternative apps. Many reviewers also describe the content filters as overly aggressive for adult accounts, with mild romantic content routinely blocked.
« They filter kissing, including implying you kissed the bot on the cheek. »
« I only put 5 stars so this would be seen. I think I'm speaking for everybody when I say WE DO NOT NEED THE AGE VERIFICATION THING. And on top of that, it just doesn't work, I've tried multiple times and it scans my face but it says there was an error. »
« even though I want to give this app one star, but this is the only Ai chat bot app I use. because of the memory, I still haven't found one that has a big memory as C.ai. »
Privacy & safety
- Trains on your chats
- Yes
- Opt-out available
- Yes
- Discloses it's an AI
- Yes
- Data export
- Yes
- Account deletion
- Yes
- Age verification
- Strict
Character.AI trains its AI models on user conversations by default; users can opt out via Profile → Settings → Data & Privacy. Data export and account deletion are available. The company states it does not sell personal data for payment, and a targeted advertising opt-out is provided. A December 2024 security incident exposed data from fewer than 0.01% of accounts for approximately 10 minutes; the company reports it was resolved and procedures were strengthened. No independent security audits are publicly documented. The main privacy policy page is not directly accessible via web browser (JavaScript-rendered). As of June 2026, the app requires biometric age verification (selfie scan via a third-party service, with government ID as a fallback) to continue use.
Our take
Character.AI remains the reference platform for the scale and diversity of its community-generated character library, with no clear rival for sheer variety. The June 2026 v1.16.3 update — mandatory biometric age verification, in-app ads, free-tier usage limits, and tightened content filtering — triggered significant user pushback visible in the Google Play rating. These are preliminary findings; hands-on verification is needed before drawing firm conclusions.
Best for: Users seeking the largest library of community-generated AI characters for fiction, narrative roleplay, and fan interactions, who are willing to pay for the ad-free c.ai+ subscription.
Avoid if: You want unfiltered adult roleplay, are uncomfortable with biometric or government ID verification requirements, or primarily rely on the free tier (ads and usage limits significantly degrade the experience as of June 2026).
Sources
- Character.AI — Official site2026-06-26
- Character AI on App Store2026-06-26
- Character AI on Google Play2026-06-26
- Character.AI — Teen Safety page2026-06-26
- Character.AI — Safety overview2026-06-26
- Character.AI — Policy updates August 2025 (static page)2026-06-26
- Character.AI — Your Privacy Choices (static page)2026-06-26
- Character.AI Blog — Community Safety Updates2026-06-26
- Character.AI Blog — December 2024 Security Incident Report2026-06-26
Last updated 2026-06-26