Updated · Research-based · Partner links disclosed
Choose Candy AI if you want visual AI-girlfriend features, generated media and adult-content access. Choose Character.AI if you want the largest character library, stronger free chat and SFW creative roleplay. Candy AI wins overall in our scoring, 76 to 69, mainly because it offers a more complete adult companion product.
Both scored on the same 100-point method. The cyan dot marks the leader on each row.
| Dimension | Candy AI | Character.AI |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | Score 76 out of 100 | Score 69 out of 100 |
| Best for | Visual & video experience | Variety of characters & roleplay |
| Conversation quality (/25) | 21 | 20 |
| Memory & consistency (/25) | 17 | 11 |
| Privacy & data (/20) | 13 | 15 |
| Customization (/15) | 13 | 10 |
| Value (/15) | 12 | 13 |
| From | A$5.99/mo (annual, AU) | Free; Lite $4.99/mo |
| Free tier | Limited demo | Yes |
| Adult content | Adult content (gated) | No NSFW |
| Try it | Try Candy AI | Try Character.AI |
Use this before clicking through: comparison pages should settle the buying tradeoff, including what happens after the headline monthly price.
| App | Real monthly cost | Refund/cancel warning | Token/media risk | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| candy ai | Regional subscription plus media tokens; no same-currency total-cost test | Cancellation does not request a refund. General direct-card subscription requests: within 24 hours, no more than 20 tokens used, no user-side technical issues. Token packs require no use. Terms separately describe EU/UK 14-day initial-purchase withdrawal, prorated for consumed services, not renewals. | Terms generally include 100 tokens/month, with the allowance disclosed at checkout. Official sources conflict: terms say remaining tokens expire at period end; help says tokens stay hidden on Free and become usable after resubscribing. Purchased versus included balances and actual wallet behavior remain unresolved. | Official policy; token conflict unresolved; prior AU checkout record, not new testChecked 2026-10-31 |
| character ai | Free for standard chat; $4.99/mo for Lite or $9.99/mo / $94.99/yr for c.ai+ in the US, plus optional Charms | Flash-sale terms showed no partial refunds for unused billing-period time; app-store refunds go through Apple/Google and web refunds through the Help Center route. | Lite has an unpublished daily premium-message allowance. US Apple lists Charm packs from $0.99 to $49.99, but quantities and per-action costs are unpublished. | HighChecked 2026-09-16 |
Pick Candy AI for visual companionship and media-led adult roleplay, but budget for token costs. Pick Character.AI for free or low-cost character variety, creative SFW chats and a huge community library, accepting weaker memory and no NSFW content.
Best visual & video experience
Widest variety, now adults-for-chat
Choose Candy AI if you want visual AI-girlfriend features, generated media and adult-content access. Choose Character.AI if you want the largest character library, stronger free chat and SFW creative roleplay. Candy AI wins overall in our scoring, 76 to 69, mainly because it offers a more complete adult companion product.
Pick Candy AI for visual companionship and media-led adult roleplay, but budget for token costs. Pick Character.AI for free or low-cost character variety, creative SFW chats and a huge community library, accepting weaker memory and no NSFW content.
Source-audit version: October 12, 2026. Each row has its own check date. This is a comparison of public evidence, not a controlled hands-on performance ranking. Unknowns stay unknown; editorial scores are unchanged.
| App / source check | Model & platform | First limiter & full bill | Memory proof | Exit & privacy | Provenance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candy AI2026-10-31 | Exact model/version not public in reviewed termsOfficial web terms | Terms generally cap free users at 5 messagesSubscription + monthly token amount at checkout (generally 100) + optional refills | Durable memory and correction controls not benchmarked | Cancel in settings; terms say token expiry, help says hidden until resubscribing; conflict unresolvedTerms/privacy disclosures are not an independent architecture audit | Official terms/privacy and public Help API; no paid test; Oct 29 AU price record separatePrimary source ↗ |
| Character.AI2026-10-12 (age); 2026-09-16 (plans) | Proprietary model; exact version not verifiedWeb/mobile verification controls documented | Standard free chat; premium allowance/ads vary; age classification is separatePreviously documented US Lite $4.99 / C.AI+ $9.99 monthly; current checkout and Charms extra | Paid features do not establish superior long-term recall or remove filters | Cancel through payment channel; deletion is separate; export recovery not testedC.AI names Persona for selfies/ID fallback and says IDs kept one week; processor policy recheck blocked | Official public Help API; subscription evidence separately datedPrimary source ↗ |
A future hands-on comparison must record the same tasks, dates, model/version, platform, free/paid state, recall and correction checks, costs and exit steps for every app. A vendor claim alone does not pass that protocol. Read our full method.