UPDATED OCTOBER 31, 2026
Best AI Character Chat Apps on iPhone (2026): 9 Compared
The best AI character chat apps on iPhone right now are Character.AI for the biggest library and voice calls, zeta for free, unlimited story chats rated 13+, Duple for characters you design yourself, Dippy for free chat with image generation, and Caveduck for choosing the AI model behind a chat. Saylo, Moescape, Lizlis and Hangjam round out the list. Seven character chat apps, including PolyBuzz, CHAI and Soulplay, left the App Store in October 2026, so we checked that all nine were still live on October 31, 2026. Prices are in USD.
AI character chat apps compared
An AI character chat app is an app for talking to fictional AI characters, usually from a library other people made, where you can also create your own. All nine below are free to download and were live on the App Store in the US on October 31, 2026. The store rating shows how many people have rated each app, which is a rough guide to how established it is.
| App | Best for | Age rating | App Store rating | Free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Character.AI | The biggest library, with voice calls | 18+ | 4.3 from 561K ratings | Unlimited messages on the free chat styles |
| zeta | Free, unlimited story chats for teens and up | 13+ | 4.7 from 44K ratings | Free, unlimited chats, per its listing |
| Duple | Designing your own characters instead of browsing strangers’ ones | 16+ | New listing | Duple Lite: up to 2 companions, text chat, long-term memory, about 150 chat replies a day |
| Dippy | Free chat plus image generation | 18+ | 4.3 from 2.4K ratings | “Unlimited Free Messages” |
| Caveduck | Choosing the AI model behind each chat | 13+ | 3.9 from 44 ratings | Free download; Wings currency in-app |
| Saylo | Turning stories into comics and videos, with friends | 18+ | 3.9 from 1.3K ratings | Free download; top-ups in-app |
| Moescape | Anime characters and art in one app | 16+ | 4.6 from 1.7K ratings | Free download; Mochi currency in-app |
| Lizlis | Creative writing with original characters | 13+ | 4.6 from 256 ratings | Free download with a chat limit, per App Store reviewers |
| Hangjam | Community characters with memory, from a smaller team | 18+ | 4.4 from 883 ratings | Free download; free chats are limited, per App Store reviewers |
Character chat apps that left the App Store
Seven character and companion chat apps disappeared from the App Store in the US in October 2026, and Talkie’s iPhone listing changed into a general AI tools app. None of the companies has said publicly why. Apple updated its App Review Guidelines on October 16, 2026, but that is context, not a confirmed cause. Most are still on Android or the web. If your app is on this list, cancel any App Store subscription in your Apple ID settings, and start with Character.AI or zeta on iPhone.
| App | What happened | When | Still on | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PolyBuzz | iPhone app removed from the App Store | October 15, 2026 | Android and the web | Details |
| Blush | iPhone app removed from the App Store | October 14, 2026 | Android | Details |
| CHAI | iPhone app removed from the App Store | October 22, 2026 | Android and the web | Details |
| Tipsy Chat | iPhone app removed from the App Store | October 24, 2026 | Android and the web | Details |
| ChaChat | iPhone app removed from the App Store | Around October 30, 2026 | Nowhere we could find | Details |
| Soulplay | iPhone app removed from the App Store | Around October 30–31, 2026 | Android and the web | Details |
| HiWaifu | iPhone app removed from the App Store | Around October 30–31, 2026 | Android | Details |
| Talkie | iPhone listing now “Talkie Lab - AI Playground”, a general AI tools app | Checked October 31, 2026 | Android and the web for character chat | Details |
Which AI character chat app fits you?
Want the most characters? Character.AI. Want to chat free without counting messages? zeta or Dippy. Want characters nobody else has? Duple, where you design them. Want control over the AI? Caveduck. Want to make comics or play with friends? Saylo. Into anime art? Moescape. Writing fiction? Lizlis.
For roleplay and text adventures specifically, see our best AI roleplay apps guide. Leaving Character.AI? Try Character.AI alternatives.
Character.AI
Character.AI is the default for a reason. Its App Store listing says it hosts millions of AI characters made by its community, you can design your own with a personality, backstory and voice, and you can switch between texting and “live voice calls.” Its blog says “Unlimited messaging stays on every tier.” For example, you can chat with a fan-made detective by text, then call the same character when you are walking somewhere.
Watch out: The free plan has ads; the blog says c.ai Lite removes banner ads and Character.AI+ has “zero ads.” Character.AI filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on October 12, 2026 and is being sold (our update), so export anything you want to keep.
Store listing: rated 18+ · 4.3 from 561K ratings · c.ai Lite $4.99 or $2.49; Character.AI+ $9.99 or $94.99; Charms packs $0.99 to $49.99. Sources: App Store listing · official blog · our update (checked October 31, 2026).
zeta
zeta, from Scatter Lab, is built around you as the main character in a story. Its listing promises “truly free, unlimited chats,” character creation “in 1 Minute” with a name, personality and description, and a Smart Reply button when you are stuck. Its listing says it can also turn a chat moment into an illustrated snapshot in about 15 seconds. For example, you could start a rivals-to-friends school story and keep it going for weeks without paying.
Watch out: Its library leans hard on romance tropes such as “mysterious bosses and billionaire CEOs.” Paid passes and packs are sold in-app, so check what the free tier covers before you buy.
Store listing: rated 13+ · 4.7 from 44K ratings · zeta pass $14.99; 1-day pass $2.79; packs $1.99 to $139.99. Sources: App Store listing (checked October 31, 2026).
Duple
Duple is the pick if the characters you want do not exist yet. Instead of a public library, you create companions yourself, with their background, appearance and style, and you can have more than one: Duple Lite allows up to 2 and Duple Plus raises that to 10, 15 or 30. They keep long-term memory and send generated selfies and photos. For example, you could make one character for slow-burn romance and another as a sarcastic friend, and switch between them.
Watch out: There is no community library to browse and no live voice: Duple is text chat with pictures. It is iPhone-only (no iPad app), and some features are Plus-only.
Store listing: rated 16+ · New listing · Duple Plus $6.99/wk · $14.99/mo · $69.99/yr; Dokens packs from $1.99. Sources: Duple pricing · App Store listing (checked October 31, 2026).
Dippy
Dippy, from Impel Intelligence, mixes a community character library with your own private or shared creations. Its listing advertises “Unlimited Free Messages,” image generation from a prompt, and illustrations that show a character’s mood. For example, you can make a private character inspired by a book and keep it to yourself, or publish it for others.
Watch out: It sells an ads-free subscription, so expect ads on the free tier. Its listing promises characters with “perfect memory,” which is a marketing claim, not something we tested.
Store listing: rated 18+ · 4.3 from 2.4K ratings · Dippy Super $9.99 to $12.99/mo or $99 to $119.99/yr; Ads Free $4.99/mo. Sources: App Store listing (checked October 31, 2026).
Caveduck
Caveduck, from Warp Space Inc., says it is “home to 160K+ characters” and lets you “switch anytime—even mid-chat” between AI models, from quick banter to cinematic storytelling. You set a persona, listen to character voices and narration, and turn an exchange into a scene image. For example, you can run a mystery on a fast model and switch to a richer one for the reveal.
Watch out: Its App Store page has very few ratings so far, and it runs on a Wings currency rather than a simple monthly plan, so costs are harder to predict.
Store listing: rated 13+ · 3.9 from 44 ratings · Wings packs $2.99 to $59.99. Sources: App Store listing (checked October 31, 2026).
Saylo
Saylo, from X Original, is closer to a story studio than a chat app. You customise each character’s appearance, voice, personality and background, and Saylo keeps track of story details so a plot “can continue from where it left off.” It can turn plots into Visual Stories, videos, comics or images, and Party Mode lets several people and characters share one story room.
Watch out: It is the lowest-rated app here on the App Store (3.9), and the many plans, passes and top-ups make the real price unclear.
Store listing: rated 18+ · 3.9 from 1.3K ratings · Plus $9.99/mo; Pro $19.99/mo; ads-free $2.99/mo. Sources: App Store listing (checked October 31, 2026).
Moescape
Moescape is an anime-first storytelling platform. Its listing offers original characters and worlds, “multiple AI models for creative writing and storytelling,” and anime-inspired image and video generation, with a library of community characters and fan art to browse.
Watch out: Four subscription tiers plus a currency is a lot to work out, and the art tools pull focus from chat if conversation is all you want.
Store listing: rated 16+ · 4.6 from 1.7K ratings · Plus $9.99; Pro $16.99; Premium $34.99; Platinum $46.99; Mochi packs $1.99 to $119.99. Sources: App Store listing (checked October 31, 2026).
Lizlis
Lizlis, from Excellia, LLC, calls itself “an AI character chat app for creative writing, storytelling, and original character creation.” You create a character with a name, personality, speaking style, background and relationship, then build scenes through chat and turn moments into images. It is newer and smaller, rated 13+, and on iPhone and Android.
Watch out: App Store reviewers complain about the free chat limit, for example “I HATE THE CHAT LIMIT!” Pro is expensive at $29.99 a month.
Store listing: rated 13+ · 4.6 from 256 ratings · Lizlis Plus $9.99/mo; Lizlis Pro $29.99/mo; gems $1.99 to $99.99. Sources: App Store listing (checked October 31, 2026).
Hangjam
Hangjam, from Yonder GG Inc, offers a library of community-made characters, “from ancient philosophers to anime idols,” and creation tools where you define personality, backstory, goals and greeting. It says characters “remember past messages” and adapt to your style. One App Store reviewer wrote that “the memory is good, the characters are so interesting.”
Watch out: Other reviewers say it is expensive and that they “expected unlimited chats.” It is a small app, so weigh that before paying for a long plan.
Store listing: rated 18+ · 4.4 from 883 ratings · Hangjam Plus $9.99; Hangjam Pro $19.99; longer plans up to $199.99. Sources: App Store listing (checked October 31, 2026).
Before you start
Character chats can feel personal fast. Read each app’s privacy policy, check whether you can export or delete your chats, and set a budget before buying currency, because several of these apps price chat in gems, Wings or Mochi. The removals this month are a reminder that an app can vanish from your phone’s store overnight. If you are struggling, talk to someone you trust or a local support line.
How we built this list
We started from the character chat apps in our directory, ran a scripted check of every App Store listing on October 31, 2026, and dropped any app that was no longer live in the US store. For the nine that remain, we copied age ratings, App Store ratings and in-app purchase prices from each App Store listing in the US store, and free-plan rules from the publisher’s own pages. Apps are ordered by how well they serve the reason given, not by a hands-on score. Features are what each publisher advertises, not test results, and quotes from reviewers are from the App Store. Adult-only web services are excluded. Read our methodology.
AI character chat apps: common questions
What is the best AI character chat app?
For the biggest library and voice calls, Character.AI. For free, unlimited story chats rated 13+, zeta. For characters you design yourself, Duple on iPhone. For free chat plus image generation, Dippy. For control over the AI model, Caveduck. All nine apps here were live on the App Store in the US on October 31, 2026.
Which AI character chat apps are free?
All nine are free to download. Character.AI says unlimited messaging stays on every tier, zeta promises truly free, unlimited chats, and Dippy advertises unlimited free messages. Duple Lite is free with about 150 chat replies a day. Caveduck, Saylo, Moescape, Lizlis and Hangjam sell currency or subscriptions, and some reviewers report free chat limits.
Why are AI chat apps disappearing from the App Store?
In October 2026 PolyBuzz, Blush, CHAI, Tipsy Chat, ChaChat, Soulplay and HiWaifu all left the App Store in the US. Apple updated its App Review Guidelines on October 16, 2026, but none of these companies has said publicly why its app was removed, so the cause is not confirmed. See our update.
Is there an AI character chat app for under 18s?
zeta, Caveduck and Lizlis are rated 13+ on the App Store, and Moescape and Duple are 16+. Character.AI, Dippy, Saylo and Hangjam are rated 18+. Age ratings are what each App Store listing showed on October 31, 2026.
Which AI character chat app has voice calls?
Character.AI advertises live voice calls with characters, and Caveduck offers character voices and narration. Duple has no live voice: it is text chat with pictures.
What happened to Talkie on iPhone?
On October 31, 2026 the iPhone app at Talkie’s App Store address was listed as “Talkie Lab - AI Playground,” a general AI tools app. See our Talkie alternatives guide for character apps that still fit.
Want characters nobody else has?
Design your own on Duple. Duple Lite is free on iPhone, with up to 2 companions.