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PolyBuzz and Character AI are both free character chat apps with huge libraries of user-made characters, including plenty of male love interests. Interest in PolyBuzz has grown fast over the past year, so if you’re a Character AI user wondering whether to switch (or the other way round), you’re not alone.
Here’s how PolyBuzz vs Character AI compares on what matters when you want an AI boyfriend: the free plan, memory, how far romance can go, voice, and safety. Neither app pays us a commission. At the end, we also cover the companion apps worth considering if neither one quite fits what you want from a boyfriend, which is often the case once you’ve spent a few weeks with either.
In one line: Character AI is the better free app, and PolyBuzz is the one that lets you pay for memory.
| Feature | PolyBuzz6.6/10 | Character AI7.2/10 |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Casual mobile roleplay | Free, safe-for-work chat |
| Starting price | From $9.90/mo | Free; c.ai+ $9.99/mo |
| Free plan | Yes, with ads | Unlimited, with ads |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android |
| Boyfriend mode | Yes. Large library of user-created male characters. | Yes. Many user-made male/romance characters, but romantic content is filtered. |
| Memory | Short on free (~30 messages); paid tiers extend to ~100 messages or permanent memory. | Limited context; pinned memories help, but long-term recall is weak. |
| Voice messages | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Voice calls | — | ✓ Yes |
| Image generation | — | — |
| Custom characters | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Group chat | — | ✓ Yes |
| Adult content | Filtered | Not allowed |
| Link | Visit PolyBuzz | Visit Character AI |
Free plan and ads
PolyBuzz is free with ads, including ads that appear in the middle of a chat, plus message limits. Poly Standard ($9.90 a month) is mainly about removing ads; it keeps the same memory as the free tier.
Character AI offers free, unlimited text chat, with ads and some limits. Its c.ai+ upgrade is $9.99 a month or $94.99 a year.
Winner: Character AI. Both show ads, but unlimited chat beats a capped free tier, and PolyBuzz’s mid-chat ads are one of its most common complaints.
Memory
This is where PolyBuzz has something Character AI doesn’t.
PolyBuzz remembers roughly the last 30 messages on the free and Standard plans. Poly Premium ($19.90 a month) adds Long Memory of about 100 messages, and Poly Ultimate ($29.90 a month) adds Permanent Memory.
Character AI has a limited context window. Pinned memories let you keep key facts in play, but long-term recall is weak, and there’s no paid tier that fixes it.
Winner: PolyBuzz, if you’re willing to pay $29.90 a month. On free plans, both are weak, and Character AI’s pinned memories arguably give you more control. For context: Nomi AI’s standard Pro plan includes strong long-term memory for $15.99 a month. See can AI boyfriends remember you?
Romance and content rules
Character AI doesn’t allow adult content, and romantic scenes are filtered. Flirting and slow-burn romance are fine; intimate scenes get cut off.
PolyBuzz prohibits NSFW in public areas. Some sources say private adult chats are tolerated, but users report replies becoming more restricted after updates, so you can’t count on it.
Winner: Tie. Character AI’s rules are stricter but clearer. PolyBuzz is looser in places but inconsistent. Neither is a good home for 18+ romance.
Voice and extras
Character AI has voice features including voice calls, plus group chats with multiple characters.
PolyBuzz has voice messages. We couldn’t verify voice calls or image generation.
Winner: Character AI.
Characters and platforms
Both have large libraries of user-made male characters, both let you create your own, and both have web, iOS and Android apps.
PolyBuzz’s pricing also varies by region, so what you see in the app may differ from the figures below.
Winner: Tie.
Safety and age rules
PolyBuzz’s age rating is inconsistent across app stores (18+, 17+ and Teen have all been reported), and the web version reportedly lacks an age gate. Users also complain about intrusive ads. It’s run by Cloud Whale Interactive Technology LLC.
Character AI accounts start at 13. Since 25 November 2025, under-18 users have lost open-ended chat and are limited to guided formats like Stories, enforced with behavioral age estimation and Persona ID or face checks. The company faces several teen-harm lawsuits, and Google and Character.AI agreed in January 2026 to settle some of them (terms confidential, pending court approval).
Winner: Character AI, for clearer and more consistent age rules, despite its legal troubles.
Price
| Plan | PolyBuzz | Character AI |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Yes, with mid-chat ads and limits | Unlimited text chat, with ads |
| Entry | Poly Standard, $9.90/mo (mainly ad-free) | c.ai+, $9.99/mo or $94.99/yr |
| Better memory | Poly Premium, $19.90/mo (about 100 messages) | Not available |
| Best memory | Poly Ultimate, $29.90/mo (Permanent Memory) | Not available |
Both apps’ prices vary by region. Check the checkout screen before you subscribe.
Winner: Character AI for value. PolyBuzz only makes sense to pay for if you specifically want its memory tiers.
Can you have an AI boyfriend on PolyBuzz or Character AI?
Yes, on both. Each has a large library of user-made male characters, from slow-burn romance leads to fantasy and anime love interests, and each lets you create your own boyfriend with a custom personality. They’re good for exploring what kind of AI romance you enjoy before paying for anything.
The limits are similar too. Romance is filtered (strictly on Character AI, inconsistently on PolyBuzz), and on free plans neither remembers a relationship for long. The main question is whether PolyBuzz’s paid memory is worth it to you. For most people who get to that point, a dedicated companion app is the better spend.
What switching looks like
There’s no way to move chats between the two apps, but your boyfriend’s personality is just text.
- Copy his description and greeting from whichever app you’re leaving.
- Search the other app’s library for a similar character, or paste your notes into its character creator.
- Tell him the key facts early, since neither app’s free memory reaches far back.
- Cancel any subscription through the app store you used. Our cancellation guide explains how.
Our scores
Character AI scores 7.2 out of 10 in our rankings; PolyBuzz scores 6.6. Character AI wins on its generous free tier, voice and clearer rules; it loses points for the filter and weak memory. PolyBuzz loses points for intrusive ads, expensive memory and an inconsistent age policy. See our methodology.
Which should you choose?
- Choose Character AI if you want the best free, safe-for-work experience with voice and no message limits.
- Choose PolyBuzz if you’ve found characters you love there and you’re willing to pay for Long or Permanent Memory.
- Choose neither if you want one boyfriend with great memory or romance without a filter. See below.
Or skip both
If you’re comparing these two because you want a more serious AI boyfriend, a dedicated companion app will serve you better than either:
- Nomi AI gives you the strong long-term memory PolyBuzz keeps for its $29.90 tier, on a $15.99 plan (about $8.33 a month billed yearly). It has voice calls, selfies, apps on every platform and unfiltered romance for adults.
- CrushOn AI keeps the browse-a-big-library experience of both apps, but unfiltered, from $5.99 a month. Plans have message caps and Mozilla flagged its privacy policy.
- Candy AI is the pick if you want to see him: a male character builder, strong images, voice messages and 18+ chat, with tokens for media.
For more, see PolyBuzz alternatives, Character AI alternatives and our ranking of the best AI boyfriend apps.
Frequently asked questions
Is PolyBuzz better than Character AI?
For most people, no. Character AI's free tier gives you unlimited text chat without PolyBuzz's message limits, and it has voice calls and a web version alongside its apps. PolyBuzz wins only on paid memory: its $29.90 Ultimate tier adds Permanent Memory, which Character AI doesn't offer.
Does PolyBuzz have a filter like Character AI?
Both filter content. Character AI doesn't allow adult content. PolyBuzz prohibits it in public areas, and while some sources say private NSFW is tolerated, users report replies becoming more restricted after updates. Neither is a reliable choice for 18+ romance; see our NSFW AI boyfriend guide.
Which has better memory, PolyBuzz or Character AI?
On free plans, both are weak: PolyBuzz remembers about the last 30 messages, and Character AI has a limited context with pinned memories. PolyBuzz lets you pay for more, about 100 messages on Premium ($19.90/mo) and Permanent Memory on Ultimate ($29.90/mo). Nomi AI offers strong long-term memory for less.
Is PolyBuzz safe for teens?
Its age rating is inconsistent across app stores (18+, 17+ and Teen have been reported), and its web version reportedly lacks an age gate. Character AI allows accounts from 13 but has removed open-ended chat for under-18s since November 2025. The AI boyfriend apps we recommend are all 18+.
Is PolyBuzz free?
Yes, PolyBuzz is free to start, with ads (including mid-chat ads), message limits and a memory window of about 30 messages. Poly Standard ($9.90/mo) mainly removes ads. Character AI is also free, with unlimited text chat. See our list of free AI boyfriend apps.