Character.AI vs Talkie: which AI companion app is better?
Character.AI vs Talkie: Character.AI wins, 7.5 to 6.6, on memory and group chats; neither allows 18+ content, and Talkie's edge is short videos made from your chats.
Our pick
Fandom roleplay and free voice calls
Unlimited messages with ads and basic memory
Try Character.AI free
Voice chat and short videos from chats
Free chat and voice chat; Talkie+ adds daily Gems
Try Talkie freeOur verdict
These are the two big general-audience character apps, and both ban explicit content. Character.AI keeps under-18s out of open-ended chat, while Talkie accepts users from age 14. Both offer free voice conversations: Character.AI's two-way calls and Talkie's real-time voice chat. Character.AI's memory is stronger, with Story Memory, pinned facts and a Lorebook for c.ai+, where Talkie's covers the current conversation.
Talkie's extras are media. It generates images and turns a recent chat into a short video in 5 to 10 minutes. Free use is rationed by an energy meter you refill with ads or gems, and Talkie+ costs $9.99 a month. Character.AI never caps messages, and c.ai lite is $4.99 a month. Character.AI has iPhone and Android apps; Talkie's main app is on Google Play only. See the Talkie review for its plans.
- You want stronger memory and pinned facts
- You want group chats and scenes
- You want an iPhone app
- You want short videos made from your chats
- You want real-time voice chat on Android
- You want image generation built into chats
Character.AI vs Talkie side by side
| Feature | Character.AI | Talkie |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 7.5/10 | 6.6/10 |
| Cheapest plan | $4.99/mo c.ai lite monthly plan ($2.49 a week also offered); c.ai+ is $9.99 a month or $94.99 a year |
$9.99/mo Talkie+ monthly, as stated in Talkie's own FAQ |
| Month to month | $4.99 | $9.99 |
| Free plan | Unlimited messaging with full ads, basic memory, 15 memory pins and a daily taste of premium chat styles | Chat and real-time voice chat are free; Talkie+ adds daily Gems and extra perks |
| Pictures | Yes | Yes |
| Video | No | Yes |
| Voice notes | Yes | Yes |
| Live voice calls | Yes | Yes |
| Group chats | Yes | No |
| A character builder | Yes | Yes |
| 18+ chat | No | No |
| Memory | Long-term | Conversational |
| Company | Character Technologies, Inc., United States (Menlo Park, California address) | SUBSUP PTE. LTD., Singapore |
| Refunds | Payments are non-refundable except where required by law; app store purchases are refunded through Apple or Google | Recharges are generally non-refundable except for system errors or duplicate charges; no refunds for partial subscription months |
| Monthly visits | 183M visits a month | 5.4M visits a month |
How they score
First bar Character.AI, second bar Talkie. How the scores work.
Price and free plans
Character.AI is cheaper: its lowest plan works out at $4.99 a month against $9.99 for Talkie. Character.AI costs $4.99 month to month. Talkie costs $9.99 month to month.
Character.AI free plan: Unlimited messaging with full ads, basic memory, 15 memory pins and a daily taste of premium chat styles. Talkie free plan: Chat and real-time voice chat are free; Talkie+ adds daily Gems and extra perks.
Features compared
Both apps offer pictures, voice notes, live voice calls and a character builder. Only Character.AI offers group chats. Only Talkie offers video.
Memory: Character.AI is listed as long-term, Talkie as conversational.
Who runs them, refunds and billing
Character.AI is run by Character Technologies, Inc., United States (Menlo Park, California address). Talkie is run by SUBSUP PTE. LTD., Singapore. Character.AI refunds: Payments are non-refundable except where required by law; app store purchases are refunded through Apple or Google. Talkie refunds: Recharges are generally non-refundable except for system errors or duplicate charges; no refunds for partial subscription months.
Frequently asked questions
Is Character.AI better than Talkie?
Character.AI scores higher in our ranking, 7.5 against 6.6 out of 10. It comes out ahead on conversation, memory.
Which is cheaper, Character.AI or Talkie?
Character.AI, from $4.99 a month against $9.99. Both prices are the cheapest plan each app advertises, usually billed yearly.
Do Character.AI and Talkie have voice calls?
Character.AI: yes, live voice calls. Talkie: yes, live voice calls.
Which has the better free plan?
Character.AI: Unlimited messaging with full ads, basic memory, 15 memory pins and a daily taste of premium chat styles. Talkie: Chat and real-time voice chat are free; Talkie+ adds daily Gems and extra perks.
Can Character.AI and Talkie send pictures and videos?
Character.AI: pictures yes, video no. Talkie: pictures yes, video yes.
More comparisons
Keep reading
- Character AI reviewUnlimited free chat and free voice calls, but no adult content.
- Talkie reviewFree voice chat and chat-to-video, but no adult content.
- Character AI alternativesApps like Character.AI that allow 18+ roleplay and custom characters.
- Talkie alternativesApps like Talkie with live calls, video and lasting memory.
- Compare appsEvery AI girlfriend app compared head to head.
- Best AI girlfriend appsThe full ranking of every AI girlfriend app we track.
