Alright, so you want something besides Character.AI, huh? Can’t blame ya — it’s been kinda janky lately and let’s be real, the filters are more aggressive than my dog at the doorbell. So, here’s the deal:
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Janitor AI – People swear by it for more NSFW or “open” convos. Customizable characters out the wazoo, but you’ll need to bring your own OpenAI or Kobold API. Setup can be a chore, but once you get it running? Chef’s kiss.
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Pygmalion – If you like getting technical, this one’s more DIY, but the RP/character stuff is solid and uncensored. Big RP communities use it, but it’s not super user-friendly if you’re not into tinkering.
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Chai – Apps for both iOS and Android, less filter-happy, convos actually feel like chatting instead of wrestling an algorithm. Some folks complain it’s paywalled after a while, though.
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NovelAI – Designed mostly for story writing, but also works for in-depth character convos and RP. Way more flexibility, but you gotta pay, otherwise limits are tight.
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Replika – More like a virtual friend than a character sim, and the convos sometimes get weirdly off-topic, but hey, options are options.
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Cleverbot – Old school, mostly for nostalgia or boredom-fueled existential crises.
Tbh, none are perfect replacements, but between Janitor, Chai, and NovelAI you should hit most of what you’re missing from Character.AI, maybe even more. Just brace for paywalls and the occasional setup headache.