Character.AI is the giant of AI roleplay: a free app where you can chat with millions of characters made by other users, from detectives and dungeon masters to film villains and anime heroes, or build your own. It was founded in 2021 by two former Google engineers and grew faster than any companion app, with tens of millions of downloads on Google Play alone.
We like it for two reasons: messaging is unlimited even on the free plan, and the sheer range of characters means there is always someone new to talk to. It is not, however, a romance app: its filters keep things mild, and it is a general characters platform rather than an AI girlfriend or AI boyfriend service. Here is our Character.AI review: what is free, what c.ai+ and the new lite plan cost in the UK, what changed for safety, what the October 2026 bankruptcy means, and how it compares with Replika and Kindroid.
Character.AI Promo Code: None needed
Best deal: c.ai+ at £99.99 a year, about £8.33 a month; lite from £1.99
| Offer detail | What you get |
|---|---|
| Promo Code | None needed. Character.AI does not publish promo codes |
| Welcome offer | Free plan with unlimited messaging; occasional in-app promotional prices for c.ai+ |
| Who qualifies | Users aged 18 or over for open-ended chat; the UK App Store rates the app 18+ |
| Key terms | Subscriptions renew automatically; web purchases are not refunded |
| How to claim | Sign up at character.ai or in the app and choose c.ai+ or lite from the subscription screen |
Character.AI: key facts
- Official website: character.ai
- Owner: Character Technologies, Inc. (in Chapter 11 since 12 October 2026)
- Headquarters: Menlo Park, California, USA
- Founded: 2021
- Ratings: App Store 4.1 (67k ratings, UK App Store); Google Play 1.9 (2.44m reviews, Google Play UK); Trustpilot 1.2 (732 reviews)
- Headline offer: Free plan with unlimited messaging (with ads); c.ai+ and lite subscriptions
- Promo Code: None needed (Character.AI does not publish promo codes)
- Price from: £1.99 (lite) or £9.99 a month (c.ai+), UK App Store; c.ai+ £99.99 a year
- Free plan or trial: Yes: unlimited messaging, with ads, swipe caps and slow mode at peak times
- Payment methods: Apple App Store, Google Play, Web
- Best features: Millions of user-made characters plus your own; Unlimited messaging on every tier; Pinned memories, Lorebook and voice calls
Character.AI at a glance
- Owner: Character Technologies, Inc., Menlo Park, California; in Chapter 11 bankruptcy since October 2026
- Launched: founded 2021 by Noam Shazeer and Daniel De Freitas
- Platforms: web, iOS and Android
- Free plan: yes; unlimited messaging with ads
- Paid from: £1.99 (lite) or £9.99 a month (c.ai+), UK App Store
- Suits: general characters and roleplay; mild romance only
- Ratings: App Store (UK) 4.1/5 from 67k ratings; Google Play (UK) 1.9/5 from 2.44m reviews; Trustpilot 1.2/5 from 732 reviews
Our verdict
Character.AI is still the easiest place to try AI roleplay for nothing, with a character library nobody else matches. But it has spent two years tightening rules, adding ads and limits to the free plan, and settling lawsuits, and in October 2026 its maker filed for bankruptcy. If you want a companion, partner or anything adult, look elsewhere. If you want free, varied storytelling and can live with ads, it still earns its place.
Pros
- Unlimited messaging on the free plan
- Millions of user-made characters, and you can create your own
- c.ai+ annual plan works out at about £8.33 a month
- New lite tier from £1.99 for fewer ads and some premium chats
- Under-18 users are kept out of open-ended chat
Cons
- Full-screen ads, swipe caps and slow mode for free users
- Filters keep romance mild; not suitable as an AI girlfriend or boyfriend
- Google Play rating of 1.9 from 2.44 million reviews
- Parent company filed for Chapter 11 in October 2026
- Settled lawsuits over teenage users’ mental health
What Character.AI does and who it is for
You search the library for a character, or write your own with a greeting, a description and example dialogue, and chat. You can swipe to see alternative replies, call characters by voice, pin memories so they stick, and join stories that other users have built. Newer additions include Lorebook, for keeping world details consistent, and “styles” that change how characters write.
It suits people who want stories rather than a relationship. Think of a sixth-form leaver revising for an A-level history resit who wants to quiz a “Tudor courtier” character. Or a tabletop gamer prepping a Friday campaign who wants an AI dungeon master to test a plot twist. Or someone who just wants a chat with a fictional detective on a long train to Edinburgh. If you want an AI girlfriend or AI boyfriend who remembers your week, Replika, Nomi or Kindroid are built for it.
Is Character.AI free? Free vs paid features
Yes, and messaging is unlimited on every tier. But the free plan has grown more restrictive. Character.AI introduced full-screen ads during chats for free users in early 2026, along with a daily cap on swipes (alternative replies), slow mode at busy times and fewer memory pins. Extra swipes and other extras can be paid for in Charms, an in-app currency.
The lite plan, launched on 28 September 2026, removes banner ads, reduces interstitial ads, cuts slow mode, adds a daily allowance of premium-style messages and gives more memory pins. c.ai+ adds unlimited premium chats, no ads, the full memory suite, style controls and early access to features such as Lorebook.
Character.AI price: c.ai+, lite and Charms
The UK App Store lists:
| Plan or pack | UK price | US$ | € |
|---|---|---|---|
| c.ai+, monthly | £9.99 | $13.31 | €11.86 |
| c.ai+, yearly | £99.99 | $133.25 | €118.66 |
| lite (two price points, weekly and monthly options) | £1.99 and £4.99 | $2.65 and $6.65 | €2.36 and €5.92 |
| Charms packs | £0.99 to £49.99 | $1.32 to $66.62 | €1.17 to €59.32 |
Dollar and euro figures are conversions of UK prices. In the US, Character.AI sells lite at $4.99 a month or $2.49 a week.
The cheapest way to pay. If ads are your only gripe, lite is the cheap fix. If you chat daily, c.ai+ yearly at £99.99 saves about £20 against twelve monthly payments. When DailyStoke weighed it up, the bankruptcy was the deciding factor: until a buyer is confirmed, we would pay monthly rather than commit to a year.
Character.AI features that matter
The character library. Millions of user-created characters, searchable by name or theme, plus your own creations.
Memory. Pinned memories let you mark messages a character should keep in mind; free users get fewer pins. c.ai+ adds the full memory suite. Character.AI is not designed to remember your life across weeks the way companion apps are.
Voice. Voice calls with characters, unlimited on c.ai+.
Styles and Lorebook. Styles such as PipSqueak 3 and ShortSqueak change how replies read; Lorebook keeps story facts consistent.
Content. Character.AI’s filters are designed to keep conversations non-explicit. Flirting and mild romance happen, but adult roleplay is not allowed, which is why romance-minded users drift to Nomi or Kindroid.
Is Character.AI safe? Under-18 rules, lawsuits, bankruptcy and healthy use
Character.AI has the most eventful record in the category:
- October 2024: Megan Garcia sued in Florida after her 14-year-old son, Sewell Setzer III, died by suicide following conversations with Character.AI bots.
- September 2025: the US Federal Trade Commission opened an inquiry into how seven chatbot companies, including Character.AI, affect children.
- 25 November 2025: Character.AI removed open-ended chat for under-18s, after a period limiting teens to two hours a day, and introduced age assurance to sort users into age groups.
- January 2026: Character.AI, its founders and Google agreed to settle the Garcia case and four others in New York, Colorado and Texas. Terms were not disclosed.
- 12 October 2026: Character Technologies filed for Chapter 11 in the US Bankruptcy Court for Delaware. Disney’s $20 million bid for a perpetual, non-exclusive licence to selected intellectual property opens the auction. The company says the platform stays online during the sale, billing and subscriptions are unchanged, and paid users will get notice before any change; if no buyer emerges, the platform will be wound down. Chief executive Colin Adams replaced Karandeep Anand, who left in September 2026 to join Disney.
On data, the UK App Store privacy label says location, contact info, identifiers and usage data may be used to track you across other companies’ apps. You can download a copy of your data or close your account from the app or website, which is worth doing now if your chats matter to you.
On healthy use: characters can be compelling company, especially late at night. They are not a substitute for real friends or professional help. If you are struggling, Samaritans are free on 116 123 in the UK, and 988 is the US crisis line.
What users say about Character.AI
The ratings split hard by platform: 4.1 out of 5 on the UK App Store from 67,000 ratings, but 1.9 on Google Play in the UK from 2.44 million reviews, and 1.2 on Trustpilot from 732 reviews. Most complaints are about ads, limits and changes to the free plan.
Ezra K., from the US, gave it four stars on Trustpilot in September 2026: “It’s my chill out app, but too many ads so it a 4”.
Alesha R. on Google Play in August 2026: “I’ve been using this app for years and at first I loved it, loved being able to roleplay and talk to different characters.”
ALA! was blunter in July 2026: “Horrible. Started off well, with no ads, unlimited replies + swipes + go-ons.”
And Millie C., in August 2026: “at first this app was great, but with more and more updates added to it, it started getting worse and worse.”
How to get started with Character.AI and how to cancel
Getting started
- Sign up at character.ai or download the app from the App Store or Google Play.
- Complete age assurance if asked; open-ended chat is for adults.
- Search for a character or create your own with a greeting and description.
- Pin key messages so the character keeps track of the story.
Cancelling
- Web: open your profile settings, then the subscription section, and cancel. Web purchases are not refunded.
- iPhone: Settings, your name, Subscriptions, Character.AI, Cancel Subscription.
- Android: Google Play, profile icon, Payments and subscriptions, Subscriptions, Character.AI, Cancel subscription.
- Deleting the app does not cancel a subscription. Store refunds are handled by Apple or Google.
Character.AI vs Replika vs Kindroid
| Character.AI | Replika | Kindroid | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, unlimited messaging with ads | Yes, unlimited text chat | One-time 50-message preview |
| Paid from | £1.99 (lite) or £9.99 a month (c.ai+) | £7.99 a month | £14.99 a month |
| Best for | Free roleplay with many characters | A gentle long-term companion | Detailed custom companion with calls |
| Suits | General characters; mild romance | AI girlfriend, boyfriend or friend | AI girlfriend, boyfriend or friend |
| App Store (UK) | 4.1 (67k ratings) | 4.2 (19k ratings) | 4.6 (769 ratings) |
Pick Character.AI for variety and free storytelling.
Pick Replika if you want one companion who knows you, and a free plan without ads.
Pick Kindroid if you want a partner-style companion with voice and video calls and fewer content limits.
Character.AI alternatives
- Nomi: group roleplay with several characters and strong memory, adults only.
- Kindroid: deep customisation and calls on its Standard plan.
- Replika: the original AI companion, free to chat.
- Anima: a simple friend or partner app with a browser version.
Character.AI FAQs
Is Character.AI free?
Yes, with unlimited messaging. Free users see ads and face swipe caps and slow mode at busy times.
How much is c.ai+ in the UK?
£9.99 a month or £99.99 a year on the UK App Store. The lite plan is listed at £1.99 and £4.99.
Is Character.AI shutting down?
Not for now. Its maker filed for Chapter 11 in October 2026 and says the platform stays online during the sale; it will be wound down only if no buyer emerges.
Can you have an AI girlfriend or boyfriend on Character.AI?
Only in a mild sense. Its filters block explicit content, so dedicated companion apps suit romance better.
Can under-18s use Character.AI?
Not for open-ended chat. Since 25 November 2025 under-18s have been blocked from it, and the UK App Store rates the app 18+.
Is Character.AI safe?
It has added age assurance and settled lawsuits over teen users. Adults should check privacy settings and download their data while the sale is under way.
What are Character.AI Charms?
An in-app currency for extras such as additional swipes, sold in packs from £0.99.
How do I cancel c.ai+?
Cancel where you paid: in the web settings, the App Store or Google Play.
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