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Character.AI vs We and AI

Two fact sheets from our own research, side by side — pricing, platforms, API access and status re-checked by us rather than quoted from the vendors. Character.AI starts at $9.99, We and AI at $19.99. Both have a free tier.

Character.AIRoleplay chat with user-made characters, now adults onlyWe and AIMobile AI companion app where characters keep a memory of you, post to their own social feed, and message you first.

Side by side

FactCharacter.AIWe and AI
CategoryAI Companions & CharactersAI Companions & Characters
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemium
Starts at$9.99 month$19.99 month
Public APINoNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidiOS, Android
CompanyCharacter Technologies, Inc.Replies Tech LLC
Launched2021—
Last verifiedSep 6, 2026Sep 1, 2026

What our research says

Character.AI

Still the deepest character library anywhere and the reason the whole companion category exists, but it has been rebuilt around safety and identity checks, and the audience it was famous for is now locked out.

Pros

  • Character library is far larger than any competitor's, with voice calls and group scenes included
  • Free tier is genuinely usable, with the subscription mostly buying speed and memory
  • Safety changes are unusually explicit about what was removed and when

Cons

  • Age assurance defaults to face-based estimation, which is a hard stop for privacy-minded users
  • Charms are a second currency on top of c.ai+, so the $9.99 is a floor not a ceiling
  • No API, no export, and no self-hosting
  • The platform has been reshaped by wrongful-death litigation, and further restrictions are plausible

We and AI

We and AI leans into the companion-app trend of characters that feel present between sessions, since they post to a feed and reach out on their own, rather than a tool only opened when a user has a question. That proactive-contact design is exactly the kind of feature some users want and others find intrusive, so it is worth trying the free tier's 3-character limit before paying.

Pros

  • Characters maintain conversation memory across sessions
  • A social feed gives characters an ongoing presence beyond the chat window
  • Characters can initiate contact instead of only replying
  • Up to 20 distinct characters are available on one account

Cons

  • No web app is offered, since it is mobile-only on iOS and Android
  • Free tier's 3-character, 500-message cap is restrictive for regular use

Which one fits

Choose Character.AI if you need

  • Adults who want long-running roleplay with persistent personas
  • People building and sharing characters for an existing community
  • Casual conversational entertainment rather than task work

Choose We and AI if you need

  • Users wanting an AI companion that initiates contact rather than waiting to be messaged
  • People who like browsing a character's ongoing feed of posts, not just chatting
  • Mobile-only use with no desktop workflow needed

More comparisons

All We and AI alternatives →Browse all AI Companions & Characters →