Ask
Packaging

Legacy chat styles move behind the c.ai+ paywall

Character.ai pricing

Character.ai removes legacy chat styles for free users and soft-launches them behind its c.ai+ subscription.

From Character.ai's pricing timeline
Legacy Chat Styles Removed; Soft Launch Behind c.ai+ Paywall

Character.ai completed its migration to PipSqueak 2 on May 8, 2026, removing all legacy chat styles (Roar, Dynamic, Pawly, Meow, Nyan) from the free tier. Only PipSqueak 2 and DeepSqueak remain free; Soft Launch was re-added exclusively behind the c.ai+ paywall. Eight r/CharacterAI threads cleared 2,000 upvotes in 30 days, including one at 7,600+ upvotes.

About Character.ai
character.ai ↗

Character.ai offers a freemium model with a free tier for all users, a new $2.99/month (or $1.49/week) (c.ai) lite tier launched September 7, 2026, and a c.ai+ subscription at $9.99/month or $94.99/year.

Pricing model subscriptionfreemium
Billing units active users
Sales motion self serveplg
Free tier
Yes
Commits
None
Transparency
public
Full Character.ai breakdown Plans, meters, and history All pricing activity Track changes across AI companies

Character.ai pricing history

  1. Sep 2026
    (c.ai) lite Tier Launched Between Free and c.ai+
  2. May 2026
    Legacy Chat Styles Removed; Soft Launch Behind c.ai+ Paywall
  3. Mar 2026
    Swipe and Go-On Limits via Charms System
  4. Feb 2026
    Mid-Chat Ads Rolled Out to Free Users
  5. Jan 2025
    c.ai+ Games Feature Launched
Full Character.ai timeline

More Character.ai activity

All pricing activity