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.
Home / Free & budget / Text generation web UI
Text generation web UI
The standard interface for running local models
Our verdict. Not a companion app, but the plumbing most local companion setups are built on. Best for: Running local models with a browser UI.
At a glance
Compiled from public sources — pending verification- Price
- Free and open source.
- Free tier
- Yes — usable without paying
- Price band
- Free
- 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 · Web
- Traffic
- —
- Privacy & safety notes
- Fully local; supports API and extension ecosystems.
What it does well
- Supports nearly every local model
- Active extension ecosystem
- Free and open source
Where it falls short
- Technical audience only
- No polish at all
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4.3The self-hosted frontend the power users all run
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4.0The most empathetic free AI, with unlimited voice
Completely free, genuinely warm, and no upsell wall. Not a roleplay product, but an excellent listener.
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.