Character.AI
4.4Millions of community characters with unlimited free text chat
The default starting point: unmatched variety and the most generous free tier in the category.
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Backyard AI
A polished desktop app for local companions
Our verdict. The easiest way to run a local companion without touching a terminal. Best for: Local companions with a friendly interface.
At a glance
Compiled from public sources — pending verification- Price
- Free local tier; hosted cloud tier from about $12/mo.
- Free tier
- Yes — usable without paying
- Price band
- $10–20/mo
- Adult content
- Optional mature mode — the product has an optional mature mode we do not cover on this site
- Voice
- Voice notes / TTS
- Images & video
- Image generation
- Memory
- Retains context across sessions
- Custom characters
- Yes
- Runs locally
- Yes — can run offline on your own machine
- Companion types
- Any character
- Visual style
- Mixed
- Platforms
- Desktop · iOS
- Traffic
- —
- Privacy & safety notes
- Local mode keeps conversations on your machine; cloud tier is optional.
What it does well
- Friendly desktop app
- No setup knowledge required
- Character card ecosystem
Where it falls short
- Needs decent local hardware
- Smaller community
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Before you buy. We publish prices from public pricing pages and label anything we have not personally checked. Prices on companion sites change often and regional pricing varies, so confirm the final amount at checkout. Affiliate disclosure.