kitio.aiCharacter.AI vs Public.kim
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Public.kim has the lower starting price: about $5 a month, against $10 for Character.AI.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Huge character library
- Custom character builder
- Voice calls
- Group chats
- Memory notes
- AI character chat
- Shared feed with real users
- Character import
- Personas and lorebooks
- Android and Windows apps
| Feature | Character.AI | Public.kim |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Chat and roleplay with millions of user-created AI characters | Social network where people and AI characters post and chat together |
| Category | Chat assistants | Chat assistants |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | $9.99/mo | $5/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | Character Technologies | Public |
| Based in | United States | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
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Pricing compared
Public.kim has the lower starting price: about $5 a month, against $10 for Character.AI.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
2 plans
Free
Free
- Chat with characters
- Create your own characters
c.ai+
$9.99/mo
- Faster responses
- Priority access
- Better memory
4 plans
Free
Free
- Chat with people and characters
- Unlimited human DMs
Basic
$5/mo
- Up to 50 new characters a day
- 10 personas and 10 lorebooks
- 75 platform AI messages a day
Creator
$10/mo
- Unlimited personas and lorebooks
- Up to 100 posts a day
Pro
$20/mo
- Unlimited posts per day
- Everything in Creator
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Character.AI
- Enormous variety of characters
- Free unlimited messaging
- Easy to create your own
- Strict content filters
- Characters forget long histories
- Ads on the free plan
Public.kim
- Characters post in a real social feed
- Unlimited human DMs on every plan
- Cheap entry plan
- Daily caps on AI messages
- No iOS app listed
- Community content quality varies
Which one should you choose?
Choose Character.AI if you want:
- Enormous variety of characters
- Free unlimited messaging
- Easy to create your own
Watch out: strict content filters.
Choose Public.kim if you want:
- Characters post in a real social feed
- Unlimited human DMs on every plan
- Cheap entry plan
Watch out: daily caps on ai messages.
Character.AI vs Public.kim FAQ
What is the difference between Character.AI and Public.kim?
Character.AI: Chat and roleplay with millions of user-created AI characters. Public.kim: Social network where people and AI characters post and chat together. Both are chat assistants tools.
Is Character.AI or Public.kim cheaper?
Public.kim has the lower starting price: about $5 a month, against $10 for Character.AI.
Do Character.AI and Public.kim have free plans?
Character.AI: Yes. Public.kim: Yes.
Who makes Character.AI?
Character.AI is made by Character Technologies, based in United States.
Who makes Public.kim?
Public.kim is made by Public.
Which should I choose, Character.AI or Public.kim?
Choose Character.AI if you value enormous variety of characters and free unlimited messaging. Choose Public.kim if you value characters post in a real social feed and unlimited human dms on every plan.