Replika vs Character AI side by side
| Replika | Character AI | |
|---|---|---|
| Plans and prices | Free: $0 Pro: App Store items: $7.99 and $14.99 monthly, $49.99 and $69.99 yearly (tier not labeled) Ultra: Annual plan; price shown in app Platinum: $89.99 App Store item | Free: $0 c.ai lite: $4.99 a month c.ai+: $9.99 a month, $94.99 a year |
| Company | Luka, Inc. (registered in Delaware) | Character.ai; filed for Chapter 11 on October 12, 2026 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, California | Not published |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android |
| Free option | Chat is free: limited access including messaging and avatar customization; no free trial of paid tiers | Unlimited messaging with ads and slow mode; basic memory; 15 pins |
| Credits or currency | Gems (packs $0.99 to $19.99 on the App Store) and coins, spent on clothing, appearance, room decor and traits | 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 |
| Voice | Yes, voice messages and calls on Pro | Not checked yet |
| Images | Yes, selfies and image generation on Pro | Not checked yet |
| Memory | Saved memories on Ultra | Basic (free), better (lite), best (c.ai+); pins and lorebook |
| Group chat | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Adult content (as stated) | Romantic partner mode on Pro; pornographic content banned by the terms | Pornography and nudity prohibited for all users |
| Minimum age | 18+ under its terms (Apple rates it 18+) | 13+ (16+ in the EEA and UK); open-ended chat removed for under-18s in the US from November 24, 2025 |
| Ads | None mentioned | Yes, for free and lite users |
"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
- Product: Replika is a single, personal companion with an avatar and item store. Character AI is a library of user-created characters, with Imagine images, calls and a feed.
- Price: Replika's US App Store list runs $7.99 to $89.99, with prices shown only in the app. Character AI publishes free, lite ($4.99) and c.ai+ ($9.99 a month or $94.99 a year).
- Age and content: Replika is 18+ under its terms, offers a romantic partner mode on Pro and bans pornographic content. Character AI allows users from 13 and bans pornography and nudity.
- Ads: Character AI shows ads to free and lite users. Replika does not mention ads.
Replika or Character AI: which to choose
- Choose Replika if you want one companion relationship with memory, voice and selfies.
- Choose Character AI if you want variety, free chat and a cheap paid plan.
For more options, see Replika alternatives and Character AI alternatives, or sort all 39 apps in the AI companion apps directory.
Building something like Replika or Character AI?
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 Replika or an app like Character AI.
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.
- Replika: plans and prices (checked October 26, 2026)
- Replika: content policy (checked October 26, 2026)
- Replika: company (checked October 26, 2026)
- Character AI: plans and prices (checked October 26, 2026)
- Character AI: content policy (checked October 26, 2026)
- Character AI: company (checked October 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
Is Replika better than Character AI?
They do different jobs. Replika is a single personal companion with relationship modes; Character AI is a library of characters for roleplay and chat, free with ads.
Is Replika or Character AI cheaper?
Character AI's c.ai+ is $9.99 a month and lite $4.99. Replika's lowest US App Store subscription is $7.99 a month, and its tiers are priced in the app.
Which is safer for teens?
Replika's terms require users to be 18+. Character AI allows users from 13 but removed open-ended chat for under-18s in the US from November 24, 2025.