The Chai Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Chai in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Chai
The Insider’s Guide
Mobile app for chatting with AI characters that users create
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI assistants, read from Chai’s own pages.
Made by Chai Research Corp. · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Chai’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Chai’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 9 of the 71 other AI assistants we grade
Chai is a consumer app where people build AI characters and stories and talk to them. It is made by Chai Research Corp., which trains its own language models for the product. The app is adults-only and sold through the iOS and Android stores.
To get you started, here are 7 things to know about Chai, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No prices are published on the vendor's site or its Google Play listing, and it's adults only.
- 1
Best for a mobile app for chatting with AI characters
Chai is an iOS and Android app for chatting with characters that users create.
- 2
It runs on 2 platforms
iOS and Android.
- 3
User-made AI characters
People create their own AI characters and stories and share them with others on the platform.
- 4
Conversations in character
The Google Play listing says the chatbots reply in character, with a large selection of characters to choose from.
- 5
In-house language models
The company says it trains its own models for the product rather than relying on open-source ones.
- 6
A 2.2 GPA, above 9 of 71
That is against the other AI assistants we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 7
Keep it
To replace Chai you would be making an AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Chai at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- iOS, Android
- Made by
- Chai Research Corp., since 2021
- Category
- AI Assistants
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for a mobile app for chatting with AI characters
Chai is an iOS and Android app for chatting with characters that users create. No prices are published on the vendor's site or its Google Play listing, and it's adults only. It isn't a work assistant, and the website lists a web version as coming soon.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | No price is shown on the vendor's site or the Google Play listing, which says only that there are in-app purchases and ads. |
| Free plan and trial | C | The app carries ads and in-app purchases, and the Safety Center says some regions need a paid subscription. |
| Features | C | User-made characters, in-character chat, in-house models and safety filters. A narrow job: character chat, not general work. |
| Ease of use | B | No rating on record, but it's an app you install and start chatting in, with nothing to set up. Age checks apply. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | iOS and Android only, with no web version yet and no integrations. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Chai is for
- Fits if you want to chat with characters other users made on your phone
- Works for adults who want to write their own character
Who it is not for
- Not for you if you're under 18: age is checked by selfie or ID
- Not for you if you want a work assistant, as it's character chat only
- Watch out: no price is published, and some regions need a paid subscription
- Watch out: the web version is listed as coming soon
Good to know
Good for
- Adults who want to role-play or chat with fictional and user-made characters
- People who like creating and sharing their own AI characters
Worth knowing
- Prices could not be confirmed: the vendor's site and its Google Play listing show none, which says only that the app has in-app purchases and ads.
- The company's Safety Center says that in some regions use of the service requires a paid subscription.
- Adults only: users must be 18 or older, and the company says it checks age through selfie estimation or ID verification by a third party.
- Runs as an iOS and Android app; the website lists a web version as coming soon. It is a character-chat product, not a general work assistant.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Chai's current pricing could not be confirmed from its own site.
No price is shown on the vendor's site or the Google Play listing, which says only that there are in-app purchases and ads.
We could not confirm Chai’s current prices from its own site, so this guide lists no plans. chai-research.com has them.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: iOS and Android
Mobile app for chatting with AI characters that users create. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, chat assistant.
User-made characters, in-character chat, in-house models and safety filters.
- User-made AI characters
- People create their own AI characters and stories and share them with others on the platform.
- Conversations in character
- The Google Play listing says the chatbots reply in character, with a large selection of characters to choose from.
- In-house language models
- The company says it trains its own models for the product rather than relying on open-source ones.
- Safety filters and reporting
- The app has optional filters for mature content and anonymous in-app reporting of characters and messages.
Where it runs
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Chai is made by Chai Research Corp., and has been around since 2021.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
9/71
Other AI assistants it is graded above
Chai's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 9 of the 71 other AI assistants we grade, and level with 10.
It stands best on ease of use (B, above 30 of 71) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 72 AI assistants we grade, cut by the letter each got. Chai’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 6 of 71
- CFree plan and trialAbove 8 of 71
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 71
- BEase of useAbove 30 of 71
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 2 of 71
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Chai you would be making an AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 52 of the 71 other AI assistants grade higher.
What you could not
- An AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make.
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. Chai’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Character.AI, Poe, Pi and ChatOn
The 4 tools Chai is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
Character.AI
Free plan · from $4.99/mo
Chat and voice calls with user-made AI characters.
- Character.AI has a free plan. Chai does not.
- Only Character.AI lists a web app.
- Character.AI also covers community.
- 3.4GPA
Poe
Free plan · from $4.17/mo
One app for chatting with AI models from many different labs.
- Poe has a free plan. Chai does not.
- Only Poe lists a web app.
- Only Poe lists macOS and Windows apps.
- 2.8GPA
Pi
Free
Emotionally intelligent personal AI for talking things through.
- Pi has a free plan. Chai does not.
- Only Pi lists a web app.
- Pi also covers natural-language input.
- 2.4GPA
ChatOn
Free plan · from $6.99
Multi-model AI chatbot app with image tools and web search.
- ChatOn has a free plan. Chai does not.
- Only ChatOn lists a web app.
- ChatOn also covers AI search.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
9
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Chai free?
Chai has a free plan.
What platforms does Chai work on?
Chai is available on iOS and Android.
Does Chai have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Chai is listed for iOS and Android.
Does Chai have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Chai is listed for iOS and Android.
Is Chai open source?
Chai is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Who makes Chai?
Chai is made by Chai Research Corp. It dates from 2021.
What are the alternatives to Chai?
The closest alternatives to Chai in our directory are Character.AI, Poe, Pi and ChatOn.
How does Chai compare with other AI assistants?
Chai's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 9 of the 71 other AI assistants we grade, and level with 10.
Could I make my own version of Chai?
To replace Chai you would be making an AI model, which you can rent by the request but not make.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Chai’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Chai's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Chai Research Corp. Prices change, so check chai-research.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Chai, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/chai
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Chai: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/chai
Know someone choosing between AI assistants?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/chai/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded AI assistants after Chai, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- AI Assistants Insider's GuideEvery one of the 72 AI assistants we grade, compared
- Gemini Insider's GuideGoogle's AI assistant, tied into Gmail, Docs and other Google apps3.8 GPA
- Chatbox Insider's GuideAI chat client for your own API keys or a hosted model plan3.4 GPA
- ChatGPT Insider's GuideOpenAI's general-purpose AI assistant for chat, images and voice3.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Chai’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Chai is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Chai Research Corp. Prices and plans change: check chai-research.com before you buy.