Quick answer
CrushOn.AI is the stronger pick for uncensored, text-first roleplay in 2026, with a genuinely usable free tier (100 message credits/month, 8K memory) and paid tiers starting at a reported $5.99/month for Standard. Candy.ai is the better choice if polished visuals matter most — it leads the category on image generation and character customization, but its $13.99/month plan burns through token packs that push real costs to $25–$80/month for active users. Neither is built for small-business use; both are consumer entertainment platforms.
Bottom line: CrushOn.AI wins on roleplay fidelity, free-tier generosity, and predictable pricing, while Candy.ai wins only if image and video generation are the priority — and its token system makes real costs unpredictable.
TL;DR
- CrushOn.AI's free tier includes 100 message credits/month with 8K memory; Candy.ai's free tier stops at roughly 5 messages total.
- Candy.ai's paid plans run $13.99/month, $8.99/month billed quarterly ($26.97), or $3.99/month billed annually ($47.88) — verified on its own subscription page.
- CrushOn.AI's reported tiers: Standard $5.99/mo, Premium $14.99 (down from $19.99), Luxe $39.99, Elite $89.99, Imperial $199.99.
- Candy.ai's token system is the biggest complaint: 100 included tokens run out in about a week of image use, and heavy users report $50–$80 months.
- CrushOn.AI's Trustpilot rating is 1.8/5, driven mostly by billing and moderation complaints — not chat quality.
- Candy.ai leads on visuals: V2 image engine, 47 adjustable character parameters, voice calls, and Live Action video mode.
- CrushOn.AI users praise uncensored roleplay fidelity; Candy.ai users report conversations turning bland and repetitive.
Head-to-head
| Spec | Candy.ai | CrushOn.AI |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $13.99/mo; $8.99/mo quarterly; $3.99/mo annual + token packs | Reported $5.99–$199.99/mo across five paid tiers, no token metering mentionedBest |
| Free tier | ~5 messages total, 1 custom character, 1 image | 100 message credits/month, 8K memoryBest |
| Roleplay quality | Users report bland, repetitive conversations | Bots stay in character; uncensored fidelity praisedBest |
| Visuals & multimedia | Image gen (V2 engine), voice calls, video up to 120 sec, Live Action modeBest | Text-first; no comparable media generation |
| Memory | Fades after ~21 days; manual memory pinning added in 2026 | 8K memory free, but context loss in long sessions |
| Trust & billing | Discreet 'Everai' billing, TLS 1.2+, GDPR claims; app-store clones are a phishing riskBest | Trustpilot 1.8/5; billing and unauthorized-charge complaints |
| Setup | ~5 minutes, email-only signup, browser-based PWA | Browser-based, immediate free access |
Scores
Overall reflects the full published rubric (see methodology); breakdowns highlight the criteria most decisive for this matchup.
Candy.ai
candy.ai ↗Candy.ai is a browser-based, 18+ AI companion platform built by EverAI Limited (Malta), launched in 2023 and now claiming over 50 million registered users. It focuses on visual immersion: users pick from 100+ premade realistic and anime companions or build their own through a deep customization system (ethnicity, body type, hairstyle, voice, personality archetypes, relationship type), then interact via text, AI image generation, voice calls, voice messages, and the Live Action video mode added in late 2025. A V2 image engine (late 2025) and upgraded video generation (February 2026) sharpened output quality. The platform runs as a Progressive Web App — no App Store or Play Store listing — with GDPR-compliant claims, TLS 1.2+ encryption, and discreet billing under the merchant name 'Everai'. Its main structural quirk is a two-layer cost model: the subscription covers unlimited text, while tokens pay for images, voice, video, and NSFW private content.
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo | 5 messages total, pre-made characters, 1 custom character, 1 image |
| Premium monthly | $13.99/mo | Unlimited text, custom characters, NSFW, 100 tokens/month |
| Premium quarterly | $8.99/mo | Same features, billed $26.97 every 3 months (35% off) |
| Premium annual | $3.99/mo | Same features, billed $47.88 for 12 months (70% off) |
Pros
- Best-in-category image generation quality; error rates dropped roughly 70% after the V2 engine update
- Deepest character customization in the space with 47 adjustable parameters
- Clean, intuitive interface — praised as 'one of the cleanest interfaces I've used'
- Unlimited text chat on premium with fast 3–5 second responses
- Discreet billing ('Everai' on statements), TLS 1.2+ encryption, GDPR-compliant claims
- Aggressive discounts: annual plan at $3.99/month effective
Cons
- Token system inflates real costs: heavy users report $50–$80 months on top of the $13.99 base
- Free tier is effectively a trial — about 5 messages total that never refill
- Users report conversations turning bland and repetitive despite #1 affiliate-site rankings
- Memory fades after roughly 21 days; context resets break long storylines
- Images, voice calls, and video are locked behind premium tokens
CrushOn.AI
crushon.ai ↗CrushOn.AI is an established uncensored character-chat platform built around text-first roleplay. Its free tier is unusually generous for the category: 100 message credits per month on the free model set, 8K memory, and per-character history of up to 200 messages (deleted after 7 days of inactivity). Free users also get access to Claude Sonnet 3.7 models per community reports. The platform hosts a huge community character catalog that users describe as full of 'absolute gems', and its reputation rests on roleplay fidelity — bots reportedly stay in character regardless of content, with users calling it 'the only AI I know that has genuinely removed all potential filters'. Paid access runs through six tiers (Free, Standard, Premium, Luxe, Elite, Imperial) with weekly, monthly, and annual billing toggles. The trade-offs are operational: a Trustpilot score of 1.8/5 driven by billing and payment-method complaints, plus user reports of memory and context loss in long sessions.
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo | 100 message credits/month, 8K memory, 200-message per-character history (deleted after 7 days inactivity) |
| Standard | $5.99/mo | Entry paid tier |
| Premium | $14.99/mo | List price $19.99, currently discounted |
| Luxe | $39.99/mo | Flagged 'Most Popular' |
| Elite | $89.99/mo | High-tier access |
| Imperial | $199.99/mo | Top tier |
Pros
- Genuinely usable free tier: 100 credits/month with 8K memory
- Uncensored roleplay fidelity — bots stay in character per consistent user reports
- Large, high-quality community character catalog
- Low entry price at a reported $5.99/month for Standard
- 8/10 rating from Chat Bots Compared's detailed August 2026 review
Cons
- Trustpilot 1.8/5, with complaints skewing to billing and payment methods
- Unauthorized-charge allegations in community threads ('NOT a scam, but the payment methods... are')
- Memory and context loss in long sessions; forgetting basic facts
- Text-first — no image, voice, or video generation comparable to Candy.ai
- Pricing page is login-walled; dollar figures not publicly readable
Pricing compared: sticker price vs real cost
Free tiers: trial vs usable product
Conversation quality and memory
Which should you pick?
FAQs
Is CrushOn.AI really free to use?
Yes, with limits. The free tier includes 100 message credits per month on the free model set, 8K memory, and up to 200 messages of per-character history that is deleted after 7 days of inactivity. Community reports also note Claude Sonnet 3.7 model access on the free plan. Paid tiers start at a reported $5.99/month for Standard if you need more capacity.
How much does Candy.ai actually cost per month?
The sticker price is $13.99/month, dropping to $8.99/month on the quarterly plan ($26.97 billed) or $3.99/month on the annual plan ($47.88 billed) per Candy's own subscription page. However, the subscription only covers unlimited text — images, voice calls, and video consume tokens, and the included 100 tokens run out in about a week of active media use. Reviews report real totals of $25–$80/month depending on usage.
Which platform is better for uncensored roleplay?
CrushOn.AI has the stronger reputation here. Users on r/Crushon describe bots staying in character regardless of content and call it the only platform that has genuinely removed all filters. Candy.ai supports uncensored content but users more often complain about bland, repetitive conversation quality than about censorship.
Is Candy.ai safe to use?
Candy.ai states it uses TLS 1.2+ encryption in transit, GDPR-compliant data practices, and discreet billing that appears as 'Everai' on bank statements. The main documented risk is app-store clones: the official product is a browser-based PWA with no App Store or Play Store listing, so any store download is likely a phishing clone. Always use candy.ai directly.
Why is CrushOn.AI's Trustpilot rating so low?
CrushOn.AI holds a 1.8/5 on Trustpilot, but the complaints skew toward billing and payment methods rather than chat quality — including allegations of aggressive payment processes and unauthorized charges. Users praising the actual roleplay experience often distinguish the product from the billing practices, with one noting it is 'NOT a scam, but the payment methods... are'.
Can I use either platform for business purposes?
Neither is designed for business use — both are consumer entertainment platforms focused on AI companionship and roleplay, with 18+ content orientations. Small businesses looking at AI companion or character-chat technology for customer-facing applications would need different tooling entirely; these platforms' terms, content policies, and pricing models are built for individual subscribers.
Sources
- Candy.ai Subscriptions
- Candy AI Review, Is It Worth It After a Real Month? | Robo Rhythms
- Candy AI Review 2026: Best Visuals, Real Cost Is $25-60
- Candy AI Review (2026): Hidden Costs, Memory Issues & Is It Worth It?
- CrushOn.AI — curated fact sheet
- CrushOn AI Review: Six Tiers, One Number That Actually Matters
- CrushOn AI Pricing: Tiers, Unlimited, Refunds (Gals.ai)
- CrushOn.AI Alternatives: What the Meter Costs (Too Shy)
- r/Crushon — 'Crushon.ai ruined all other AI chats for me'
- Reddit thread: Candy AI blandness complaints
- Best AI Companion With Memory (2026)
- Candy.ai homepage
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