Official descriptions checked. Performance not tested.We checked public descriptions of character creation. We have not tested paid plans, long-term conversations or generated media.
The dates behind the details.
Supporting sources read 3 Oct 2026 – 4 Oct 2026. Dates apply to individual fields; an access attempt or a recent entry edit does not verify all features and prices.
Is Character.AI a fit for your character?
Start here if you need
Original roleplay characters.
A detailed official creation guide
Check before committing
Visibility is different from a data-retention guarantee
A complete purchase price is not established here. Confirm current free limits, paid access and renewals directly with the platform.
Make a useful comparison
Keep the same personality brief, opening scene and required controls when comparing a different platform. Sources describe features; they do not establish the quality of a reply.
Compare this shortlistCreation workflowCosts & source limitsPrivacy questionsAlternatives
The details that shape your choice.
Official sources describe these controls. Availability can depend on your plan and setup. Documentation does not establish output quality.
Character & conversation
- Personality controls
- Documented
Definitions accept character details and example dialogue; greetings establish the opening scene.
Character creation quickstartSupporting sources read 3 Oct 2026
- Saved context & memory controls
- Not established
- Image generation
- Documented
The creator can generate an avatar. The guide mentions image and video generation; current allowances are unverified.
Character creation quickstartSupporting sources read 3 Oct 2026
- Character voice
- Documented
Choose or create a character voice. The older Voice FAQ describes free access; current numerical limits and voice quality are untested.
Character creation quickstart Character.AI Calls & Voice FAQSupporting sources read 3 Oct 2026 – 4 Oct 2026
- Multiple-character chats
- Not established
Visibility & portability
- Private character visibility
- Documented
Public, unlisted and private visibility are documented. This controls character access, not data retention.
Character creation quickstartSupporting sources read 3 Oct 2026
- Character export
- Not established
- Programmatic character API
- Not established
Access & setup
- Local installation
- Not established
- Account & model setup
- Documented
Creation flows are described for the web and mobile app.
Character creation quickstartSupporting sources read 3 Oct 2026
- Conversation languages
- Not established
- Free starting point
- Documented
Unlimited basic-chat messaging is documented; premium styles are separate. Open-ended chat is unavailable to under-18 users. An older FAQ describes free Character Voice; current limits are unverified.
Character.AI plan comparison Character.AI free chat-style rollout Character.AI age-dependent access Character.AI Calls & Voice FAQSupporting sources read 4 Oct 2026
Private visibility controls who can access a character. Check data retention and processing separately. Memory controls describe saved context; recall is untested. Language support has not been assessed.
Find platforms for this workflow Understand memory and context Record a memory check Compare documented free accessSources & check dates · 5 public references
- Character creation quickstart Read 3 Oct 2026 · Publisher updated 17 Jun 2026
- Character.AI plan comparison Read 4 Oct 2026 · Publisher updated 22 Sept 2026
- Character.AI free chat-style rollout Read 4 Oct 2026 · Publisher updated 28 Sept 2026
- Character.AI age-dependent access Read 4 Oct 2026 · Publisher updated 3 Sept 2026
- Character.AI Calls & Voice FAQ Read 4 Oct 2026 · Publisher updated 23 Aug 2024
Character.AI data handling.
A private character and a private conversation are different questions. These notes describe published documents; account settings, exports and deletion outcomes were not tested.
- Who can access conversation data?
- Read the conditions
The creator-access FAQ says other character creators cannot read your conversations. That statement does not establish staff access or provider processing.
Provider-access conditions were not established from the help articles in this review.
Character.AI creator access to chats - Can conversations improve the AI?
- Read the conditions
The training FAQ describes using content for model improvement. Its EEA/UK opt-out excludes new content from generative-model training; other improvement uses can continue.
The newer July summary refers more broadly to opt-out. Availability outside EEA/UK and treatment of earlier content need checking in the full policy and account.
Character.AI model-training settings Character.AI July privacy update summary - How long is data kept?
- Not established in this review
A retention timetable was not established from the reviewed help articles.
The full policy did not return readable text in the research tool. No retention duration is inferred from Delete Account.
- What does deletion cover?
- Read the conditions
The help article documents permanent account deletion through account-data settings.
Removal from backups, previously shared content and training datasets was not established by this article.
Character.AI account deletion - What can I export or request?
- Read the conditions
Account settings document Export data on web and mobile.
The delivered archive and its contents were not inspected; account export is not proof of a portable character card.
Character.AI account-data export
Web presence & audience
- Linking networks
- 3,903
- Linking IP addresses
- 8,129
- Since previous index
- Down 52 places
How widely the domain is linked across distinct networks (referring subnets). A lower rank means a larger link footprint. These numbers do not measure visits, active users or character quality.
Related platforms, in context
Linking networksSelected from this guide’s alternatives. Bars share a linear scale.
A closer look at the audience
Monthly visits, visitor countries, age and gender are not included in this open dataset.
Reasons to investigate
- A detailed official creation guide
- Public, unlisted and private visibility choices are explained
- Definitions can include character-sheet details and example dialogue
Keep in mind
- Visibility is different from a data-retention guarantee
- Quality across long conversations is not measured here
- Plan limits and current content policies need separate checks
What is Character.AI?
Character.AI is a character-chat platform with an official guide for creating original characters. The guide covers a name, avatar, voice, greeting, tags, visibility and optional descriptions and definitions.
The starting question is what you want another person to understand in the first exchange. A character can be easy to discover and still lack a coherent role. Establish the character’s perspective and opening situation before optimizing its public presentation.
From profile to personality
The quickstart distinguishes profile information from the character definition. It describes structured character details, example dialogue or a combination of those approaches. Visibility controls determine whether a character is public, unlisted or private.
A useful definition explains motives and demonstrates tone. Compare a brief factual character sheet with a short dialogue example, then check the difference yourself. We have not benchmarked which format performs best.
What to check before choosing it
For public characters, review how the name, greeting and tags communicate the intended experience. For private projects, check the current policy on stored conversations and account data separately from the visibility setting.
Run a short scene and then revisit it later. Record whether the character follows its own premise and whether earlier details remain available. The creator’s documented controls are established; recall, response quality and paid-plan value are not measured in this guide.
Creating a character
Use the official guide for the current interface. These notes outline the documented workflow or the checks to make before choosing access.
- Choose Create, then Character in the web or mobile interface.
- Set a name, avatar, voice and greeting.
- Add tags, a description and a character definition where needed.
- Select the intended visibility and create the character.
Common questions
Can I make a private Character.AI character?
The official guide describes visibility options including private and unlisted. Visibility controls do not, by themselves, establish how the platform processes account data.
Can I define a character with example dialogue?
Yes. The official quickstart describes example dialogue as one approach to a character definition.
Is this a hands-on review?
No. It is a guide based on the official creation documentation, checked on October 3, 2026.
Character.AI alternatives to explore
Different workflows are useful comparison points. These are related platforms, rather than a tested ranking.
Considering a different workflow?
Choose alternatives by the controls you need, with the tradeoffs visible.
Public characters to explore
A sourced selection of 4 profiles. Descriptions come from public pages; conversations have not been tested. Activity counts are dated snapshots, not a quality score.
Creative Helper
By @Kir_Iziki
A writing partner whose public description focuses on developing stories and creative ideas.
Why this character
A clear creative task, with substantial public activity to help identify this specific character.
English teacher
By @fatihaydin
A fictional teacher persona, introduced as Tom, for English conversation and language questions.
Why this character
Shows a practical learning use case. Teaching accuracy and conversation quality have not been tested.
Fantasy RPG
By @Sharkism
An adventure narrator whose introduction invites you to define a character and a fantasy world.
Why this character
A useful example of a world-building character: the conversation represents a setting, rather than one person.
Sherlock Holmes
By @Lil_Enders
A community-created interpretation of the fictional detective, introduced as a consulting investigator.
Why this character
Makes creator attribution essential: several characters share this name, and this link identifies one version.
Sources & disclosure
These links show the basis of this entry. Official pages describe the product; directory pages document discovery. Neither substitutes for a hands-on test.
- Official character creation quickstartOfficial source
The research collection began on 3 October 2026 with AI-assisted discovery and source-based writing. Later scoped checks are recorded in the review history. No sponsored placement or affiliate tracking is active in this version. Read the editorial policy.