Character AI alternatives
Character AI alternatives, for adults who want character chat and roleplay with fewer refusals, more control over the characters they build, or chats that stay on their own machine.
For adults. This page is written for people 18 or over, and several of the apps it compares are adult products.
Why people look for Character AI alternatives
- Character.AI's help centre states that pornographic content is against its terms of service and will not be supported at any point in the future. C.AI Help Center: What about NSFW?
- Every account now has to pass an age assurance check run by the identity provider Persona, and completing it does not by itself grant the 18+ experience. Character.AI states it does not directly handle or store the documents submitted. C.AI Help Center: What is Age Assurance?
ClickTug does not list Character.AI. Why, with sources, is on its entry in Assessed but not listed.
Character AI alternatives compared
| Fact | Venice AI | Backyard AI | DreamGen | SillyTavern | Kindroid | NovelAI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | $18/mo | $12/mo | $7.83/mo | Free | $15.99/mo | $10/mo |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Card to start | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Content filter | No documented output filter | No documented output filter | No documented output filter | No documented output filter | Light filtering | Light filtering |
| Age check | Self-declared at signup | Self-declared at signup | Self-declared at signup | None stated | Document or third-party verification | Self-declared at signup |
| Trains on your chats | Not stated | Not stated | States no | States no | Not stated | Not stated |
| Deletion | By request | By request | In account | Your own files | In account | By request |
| Runs on your hardware | No | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Last verified | 7 Aug 2026 | 9 Aug 2026 | 9 Aug 2026 | 10 Aug 2026 | 8 Aug 2026 | 9 Aug 2026 |
The best Character AI alternative if you want
One listed tool per need, and the reason is that listing's own recorded strength. These are picks by need, not a ranking.
Deep control over the characters you build
Lorebooks, author's notes, grammars and model parameters are exposed rather than hidden.
Everything on your own machine
Runs entirely on your own hardware, so no vendor holds your conversations.
Chats that are not used for training
States that content is not used for training unless you opt in, with the setting off by default.
A free tier with no card and no expiry
Free tier is a genuine tier with no expiry, and needs no card to start.
One ongoing companion, on web and phone
Web, iOS and Android, which few 18+ companion apps manage at once.
Before you switch from Character AI
- Export your chats first. On the web: Profile, Profile Settings, Account, Manage Account & Data, then Export data. In the app: Profile, the settings icon, then Export my data. How to export your data
- Cancel c.ai+ where you bought it. A web subscription is managed from Settings, Account, Manage, through a customer portal link sent by email. An app subscription is cancelled through Apple or Google Play. How to cancel c.ai+
- Delete the account last, because the help centre states deletion is permanent and cannot be reversed. On the web: Profile Settings, Account, Manage Account & Data, Delete Account. In the app: the settings icon, then Remove Account. How to delete your account
Read on the Character.AI help centre on 29 Sept 2026.
Questions about Character AI alternatives
Is Character AI 18+ now?
Not in the sense of being an adult product. Character.AI requires every user to complete an age assurance check through Persona. Accounts verified as 18 or older keep full chat, and accounts verified as under 18 are placed in a reading mode without it. Its help centre also states that pornographic content is against its terms.
Are there any NSFW Character AI alternatives?
For adults, yes. Of the tools compared on this page, Venice AI, Backyard AI, DreamGen and SillyTavern record no documented output filter. That is a different thing from having no rules: each still prohibits a specific list of conduct, set out on its listing. This page is written for adults.
Is there a flirty AI?
Yes. The apps on the ClickTug AI girlfriend hub are built around one ongoing character framed as a romantic partner, and each listing records what that vendor's own rules allow and prohibit.
Questions from Google People Also Ask, US English, for "character ai alternatives" and "ai chats like character ai", read 29 Sep 2026. Two questions in that box were not used: one compares two apps ClickTug does not list, and one asks about illegal sites.