Character AI vs Chai side by side
| Character AI | Chai | |
|---|---|---|
| Plans and prices | Free: $0 c.ai lite: $4.99 a month c.ai+: $9.99 a month, $94.99 a year | Subscription: Prices not published on the web; US App Store listing not found on October 30, 2026 |
| Company | Character.ai; filed for Chapter 11 on October 12, 2026 | Chai Research Corp. |
| Headquarters | Not published | Palo Alto, California |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | iOS, Android |
| Free option | Unlimited messaging with ads and slow mode; basic memory; 15 pins | Not published |
| Credits or currency | Charms: earned or bought ($0.99 to $49.99 packs on the US App Store); buy extra Imagine images and skip slow mode or ads | Not published |
| Voice | Not checked yet | Not published |
| Images | Not checked yet | Not published |
| Memory | Basic (free), better (lite), best (c.ai+); pins and lorebook | Not published |
| Group chat | Not checked yet | Not published |
| Adult content (as stated) | Pornography and nudity prohibited for all users | 18+ only; adult roleplay must stay fictional; sexually explicit images or video and sexual content of real people prohibited |
| Minimum age | 13+ (16+ in the EEA and UK); open-ended chat removed for under-18s in the US from November 24, 2025 | 18+ |
| Ads | Yes, for free and lite users | Not published |
"Not published" means the app does not show it on the pages we checked; "Not checked yet" means we have not verified that field. Prices are in US dollars as published.
The key differences
- Age and content: Character AI allows users from 13 and bans pornography and nudity. Chai is 18+ only, keeps adult roleplay fictional and bans sexually explicit images or video.
- Price: Character AI: free, lite $4.99 a month, c.ai+ $9.99 a month or $94.99 a year. Chai: prices not published on its website, and its US App Store listing did not load when we checked.
- Scale (company figures): Chai says 10M+ active users, over $55M raised and a $120M run-rate as of October 1, 2026. Character AI does not publish a current user or revenue figure on its own pages.
- Company: Chai Research Corp. is in Palo Alto, California. Character.ai filed for a Chapter 11 sale on October 12, 2026.
Character AI or Chai: which to choose
- Choose Character AI if you want published prices, a free plan and web plus mobile apps.
- Choose Chai if you are an adult who wants adult-oriented roleplay on mobile.
For more options, see Character AI alternatives and Chai alternatives, or sort all 39 apps in the AI companion apps directory.
Building something like Character AI or Chai?
Both apps show the same business: a companion people come back to, a subscription, and paid extras on top. WhiteLabelFans builds and runs that business under your own brand and domain, with companions, AI chat, memberships, tokens, tips and custom photo requests in place and high-risk payments and compliance handled. Partners keep up to 60% of total site revenue. See how to build an app like Character AI or an app like Chai.
Sources
Every price and policy above comes from the app's own website, help center, terms or US App Store listing, on the date shown. Prices are in US dollars, exclude tax and change often. Monthly equivalents of annual plans are our division by 12. The full dataset with a source for every field is on the AI companion apps directory.
- Character AI: plans and prices (checked October 26, 2026)
- Character AI: content policy (checked October 26, 2026)
- Character AI: company (checked October 26, 2026)
- Chai: plans and prices (checked October 30, 2026)
- Chai: content policy (checked October 30, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
Is Chai like Character AI?
Yes, both let users create characters and chat with them. Chai is 18+ only and allows fictional adult roleplay; Character AI allows users from 13 and bans pornography and nudity.
How much does Chai cost compared with Character AI?
Character AI's c.ai+ is $9.99 a month. Chai does not publish its subscription prices on its website, so we cannot compare them.
Is Chai bigger than Character AI?
Chai says it has 10M+ active users and a $120M revenue run-rate. Character AI does not publish current figures on its own pages, so the two cannot be compared on the same basis.