Why people look for a PolyBuzz alternative
PolyBuzz is one of the biggest free character apps, with more than 20 million characters and chat that starts without sign-up. People who search for apps like PolyBuzz usually hit one of these limits:
- Memory. Its own FAQ admits characters can forget earlier parts of long chats, and the stronger memory models sit on paid tiers.
- No calls or group scenes. Our data lists voice playback but no live calls, group chat, personas or scenarios.
- Ads and queues. Free chat carries ads, and faster replies are a paid perk.
- Mixed rules. Public content is moderated while private chats are not filtered, and a Teen Mode sits alongside 18+ terms. Adults who want clear 18+ rules often prefer an app built for them.
- Refunds and data. Completed purchases are not refunded without due reason, and ad SDKs receive device and location data.
Our PolyBuzz review covers what it does well, and Is PolyBuzz safe? covers the privacy terms.
PolyBuzz vs the top alternatives, feature by feature
PolyBuzz compared with six alternatives on features
| App |
Pictures |
Video |
Voice notes |
Live calls |
Build your own |
Group chat |
Memory |
| PolyBuzz |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Long-term |
| Secrets AI |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Lorebook + legacy |
| Candy AI |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Conversational |
| OurDream |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Long-term |
| Nomi AI |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Persistent |
| Selira AI |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Long-term |
| Kindroid |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Long-term |
PolyBuzz still leads on library size and on free, sign-up-free chat. Every alternative shown beats it on at least one feature it lacks: group chat on five of the six (all but Candy AI), live calls on four and video on all six. On price, PolyBuzz Standard at $9.90 a month is cheaper month to month than most of these apps; Selira AI ($7.99) is the exception. Compare two directly in PolyBuzz vs Secrets AI or Candy AI vs PolyBuzz.
What to look for in an app like PolyBuzz
Decide first what you want more of, because no app matches PolyBuzz's library for free.
- If memory is the problem, choose an app where memory is the product, not a paid model: Secrets AI's Lorebook or Nomi AI's layered memory. Our AI girlfriend memory ranking goes deeper.
- If you want to talk out loud, look for live calls, not voice playback. Secrets AI, OurDream, Nomi AI, Kindroid and TryNectar AI all take calls.
- If you use PolyBuzz on your phone, note that most adult apps run in the browser. Nomi AI and Kindroid have store apps; see our iPhone and Android guides.
- If you import cards, check that the new app has a character builder. All eight picks let you create your own.
Free alternatives to PolyBuzz
PolyBuzz's free plan is generous, so a free alternative has to be honest about its limits. Seven of the eight picks are free to start:
- Selira AI: Unlimited chat, 2 companions, 3 days of history, the closest to PolyBuzz's open free chat.
- HeyGF: 30 messages a day, no photos or videos.
- Secrets AI: 20 messages a day, no images or calls.
- TryNectar AI: 15 messages and 10 images a day.
- Nomi AI: One-to-one chat, 400-character messages.
- Candy AI: 5 messages, 1 custom character, 1 image, a short taster.
OurDream has no free plan. Our free AI girlfriend ranking compares every free tier we track.
How we chose these PolyBuzz alternatives
We started from the 31 AI girlfriend apps in our ranking, kept those that allow 18+ chat and let you build your own characters, and favored apps that fix PolyBuzz's gaps: memory, live calls, group chat and a clear free plan. We then ordered them by our overall score, which weighs conversation, memory, pictures and video, value, voice and trust. General character apps such as Character.AI, Janitor AI and SpicyChat are not ranked, so they are not picks here; compare them in Character AI vs PolyBuzz or PolyBuzz vs SpicyChat.
PolyBuzz itself scores 7.3. Every score comes from what each app publishes on its own pricing, feature and terms pages, re-checked monthly, as set out in our methodology. Apps cannot pay to move up.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to PolyBuzz?
Secrets AI is the best PolyBuzz alternative in our September 2026 ranking, scoring 8.5 against 7.3. It adds an editable long-term memory, group chats and live calls, with 20 free messages a day.
What is a free alternative to PolyBuzz?
Selira AI is the closest, with uncapped free text chat plus group chat and personas. HeyGF gives 30 free messages a day and Secrets AI 20 a day.
Is there an app like PolyBuzz with better memory?
Yes. Secrets AI keeps an editable Lorebook of what each character learns, and Nomi AI is built around short, medium and long-term memory. PolyBuzz's own FAQ admits its characters can forget long chats.
Which PolyBuzz alternative has voice calls?
Secrets AI, OurDream, Nomi AI, Kindroid and TryNectar AI all take live voice calls. PolyBuzz has character voice playback but no two-way calls in our data.
Which PolyBuzz alternative has an iPhone app?
Nomi AI and Kindroid have official App Store apps. Most other adult companion apps run in the browser, and you can add them to your home screen.
Is Character AI better than PolyBuzz?
They suit different people. Character.AI scores 7.5 and blocks adult content but gives free voice calls; PolyBuzz scores 7.3 and does not filter private chats. Neither is in our AI girlfriend ranking.
