The Best Chai App Alternatives in 2026 (After Chai Left the App Store)

Updated November 6, 2026. Prices are US App Store or official prices checked that day. Apps change fast, so check before you pay.

If you're looking for a Chai app alternative, here's the short answer. Chai's iPhone app left the Apple App Store on October 22, 2026, and as of November 6 it still isn't back. Chai is not shut down: the Android app is still on Google Play, and if the app is already on your iPhone it keeps working. But you can't download it again on iOS, and no return date has been given. The best replacements depend on what you liked about Chai: a big library of community bots (Janitor AI, SpicyChat), one deep companion (Kindroid, Nomi), full control (SillyTavern), or keeping your bots and chats in an app that runs anywhere (Cleus).

One disclosure up front: Cleus is our product, so weigh that. It's listed first, and we've tried to be plain about where it's weaker. Every other app is judged on the same facts: official pages, App Store listings and recent reporting.

What happened to the Chai app?

Here is what can be confirmed, and what can't.

• The date. According to CompanionHunt, which tracked the listing, Chai's US App Store page was live on the morning of October 22, 2026 and returned "Not Found" by that evening. AI Companion Guides found it missing in all 20 storefronts it tested on October 26.
• Still missing today. On November 6, Apple's own app lookup returned no result for Chai's App Store ID (1544750895) in the US, UK and Germany, and the old App Store link returned a 404 error.
• What Chai said. CompanionHunt quotes a post by Chai's founder on r/ChaiApp the same day: "while we're working on improving our Apple app, it is currently unavailable to download in Apple App Store." The post added that people who already have it installed are unaffected. No return date was given.
• Android and web. The Google Play listing ("Chai: Chat AI Platform" by Chai Research) is still up, with 10M+ downloads, a 2.6-star rating from 856K reviews, and an update dated November 4, 2026.
• Why. Nobody has said. Apple hasn't commented, and Chai hasn't said whether it pulled the app or Apple did. The timing lines up with an Apple rule change: on October 16, 2026, Apple tightened its App Review Guidelines on nonconsensual intimate imagery (guideline 1.2) and on "bait-and-switch" apps that change after review (2.5.19). But no one has linked that update to Chai, so treat it as context, not the cause.

Chai isn't alone. PolyBuzz left the US App Store about a week earlier, around October 15, and Tipsy Chat around October 21–22, according to AI Companion Guides. A US App Store search on November 6 returned no PolyBuzz listing. SpicyChat went through the same thing in 2025, and Talkie came back to iOS under a new name after its own removal.

What Chai users liked, and what they want now

Chai built its name on a few things: fast, free chat on your phone, a huge pile of community-made bots, and, for a long time, looser rules than Character.AI. Chai Research says it has 10M+ active users and serves 51,000 different AI models, which is why the bot library felt endless.

2026 changed a lot of that. Reported changes in the past year include:

• Tighter free use. Review sites tracking Chai report that ad-funded free messaging ended in 22 countries in January 2026, and that a "pieces" currency replaced most unlimited free chat in September and October. These are user and press reports, not Chai announcements, so details vary by region.
• Age checks. Chai's Safety Center says it uses Persona for age checks, by selfie age estimate or government photo ID. Users under 18 are not allowed.
• A stricter content line than its reputation. The same Safety page says Chai's models are designed to refuse sexually explicit content.
• No export. Chai's FAQ doesn't describe a way to export chats or bots, according to CastManor's review of it.

So most people searching "apps like Chai" want some mix of: a phone-friendly app that won't vanish from a store, lots of bots, a fair free tier, adult roleplay with adult characters, memory that holds up, and a way to keep their old characters.

The best Chai alternatives in 2026, compared

1. Cleus: best for bringing your Chai bots with you

Disclosure: this is us.

Cleus is an uncensored AI app with chat, characters, story writing, images and video. Its characters section is built to feel like texting a person: chats sit in an Instagram-style DM inbox, and replies arrive as natural texts, usually one short message, sometimes a few, with typing and "Seen" beats.

Why it fits Chai users:

• Import. The import page at cleus.ai/characters/import accepts pasted text, Tavern and SillyTavern character cards (.png or .json, V1 to V3) and Character.AI exports. Paste an old chat log and the character starts with memories of you. Since Chai has no export, copy-paste is the way in (steps below).
• Memory. Each character saves memories about you and keeps a running summary of the chat. You can make it forget things or reset the bond.
• It feels alive. Bond levels go from 1 to 10 (Stranger to Soulmates) as you chat, with daily streaks. Characters follow up on things you told them ("how did the interview go?"), keep promises like "text me at 8", have moods that shift through the day, and can text you first at sensible hours. With romantic characters, the relationship can move from friends to dating, and around bond level 6 a character may ask you out.
• Voice and photos. Voice notes, voice calls that remember your texts, selfies, and "locked" private photos you unlock with credits (fictional characters only). Premium users can design a custom voice from a text description.
• No store to lose. Cleus runs in your browser and installs to your home screen like an app, so an App Store decision can't take it off your phone.

Content rules: Adult roleplay with fictional adult characters is allowed. NSFW characters are kept off public listings and are link-only. The lines Cleus won't cross: no sexual content involving minors, ever, and no explicit images of real people or nonconsensual intimate imagery. Anyone can report that through the takedown form at cleus.ai/report.

Price: Free accounts get a small daily credit refill with no card. Premium gives a bigger daily allowance; check current pricing on the site. Photos cost credits.

Weak spots: No native App Store or Play Store app. The public character library is much smaller than Chai's or Janitor's, so you'll likely import or create your own bots.

2. Character.AI: best if you want the biggest mainstream library

Character.AI has one of the largest libraries of user-made characters, and it runs on iPhone, Android and the web. The US App Store lists Character.AI Lite at $4.99 a month and c.ai+ at $9.99 a month or $94.99 a year. The free tier has ads.

The catch: the filter is strict, so it isn't a fit if you came to Chai for mature roleplay. Character.AI also no longer allows minors. And its parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2026. TechCrunch reported that the app keeps running during the sale, but the CEO said that if no viable bid arrives, "the platform will be wound down." Our Character.AI bankruptcy explainer covers what that means for your chats, and our Character.AI alternatives guide reviews the field in more depth.

3. Janitor AI: best for a giant library of community bots

Janitor AI is the closest thing to Chai's "endless bots" feel, with a very large community library and adult roleplay for users 18+. It now has an iPhone app, "Janitor: Interactive Stories", alongside the website. The App Store lists janitor+ at $12.99 a month or $99 a year; the free tier still exists, with a shorter memory window on its built-in model.

Power users can connect their own model through an API key or proxy. If you're weighing Janitor against its own rivals, our Janitor AI alternatives guide goes through proxies, context limits and pricing in detail.

4. SpicyChat: best for Chai-style browsing with mature content

SpicyChat looks and feels a lot like Chai: browse bots, tap one, start chatting. It allows NSFW content for adults, but in some places you must pass an age check first. Its docs list France, the UK, Italy, Australia and 26 US states, using a video selfie or ID through a third party.

Price: After a September 8, 2026 price change, SpicyChat's tiers are Get A Taste at $5.95 a month, True Supporter at $19.95 and I'm All In at $29.95. Existing subscribers keep their old price while their plan stays active.

Mobile: This is the part Chai refugees should know. SpicyChat's iOS app was removed from the App Store in August 2025 after Apple found it didn't comply with its guidelines. On iPhone you use the website added to your home screen. On Android there's an official APK from SpicyChat's site, not Google Play.

5. Kindroid: best for one deep, long-term companion

If you mostly talked to one or two Chai bots, Kindroid is built for that. Each "Kin" keeps a backstory, key memories and long-term memory, and you get voice calls, live video calls, selfies and group chats. It's 18+ and runs on iPhone, Android and the web.

Price: $15.99 a month or $159.99 a year in the US App Store, with Ultra at $28.99 and MAX at $68.99. Kindroid's site says new accounts can try it before subscribing, but it isn't a free app in the Chai sense.

6. Nomi: best for a companion with group chats

Nomi focuses on memory and emotional depth, with short, medium and long-term memory, two-way voice chats, selfies and group chats with several Nomis. Its site says you can start free without a card and that Nomi should "remain unfiltered and uncensored."

Price: The US App Store lists a Launch Plan at $9.99 a month and a Standard Plan at $15.99 a month or $99.99 a year. It runs on iPhone, Android and the web.

7. Talkie: best for casual chat and voice

Talkie is a big, casual character app with voiced characters. It has 50M+ downloads on Google Play, where it's rated Teen, so expect a filter. On iPhone it's back as Talkie Lab after its own removal from the US App Store in late 2024, which Distractify and Yahoo Tech reported. The App Store lists a $9.99 monthly plan, a $49.99 yearly plan and Talkie+ Pro at $24.99 a month.

It's a good pick for light, fast chats. It's the wrong pick if you want mature roleplay.

8. SillyTavern: best if you want full control

SillyTavern is free, open-source software (AGPL-3.0) that runs on your own computer: Windows, Mac, Linux, Docker, or Android through Termux. It's only an interface, so you connect a model yourself, through an OpenAI-compatible API, KoboldAI, AI Horde or others. It's built around character cards, so it's a natural home for bots saved as cards.

The trade-off: there's setup, and what's allowed depends on the model you connect. No one can pull it from a store, though.

How to move your Chai bots to another app

Chai has no documented export, so you'll do it by hand. It takes a few minutes per bot. The steps below use Cleus, but the first three work for any app that takes pasted text or character cards, such as SillyTavern or Janitor.

If your iPhone app still opens, do this soon. Installed copies work for now, but if you delete the app you can't get it back on iOS. On Android, Chai's Google Play app still works.

Which Chai alternative fits you?

If you also write longer stories with your characters, our uncensored AI story generators guide compares tools built for that.

Chai app alternatives FAQ

Was Chai removed from the App Store?

Yes. Chai's iPhone app stopped being available on October 22, 2026, and it was still missing on November 6. Chai's founder said the app is unavailable while the team works on improving it. No reason or return date has been announced.

Is Chai shut down?

No. The Android app is still on Google Play, with an update on November 4, 2026, and installed iPhone copies keep working. Only new iPhone downloads are blocked.

Can I still use Chai on my iPhone?

If it's already installed, yes, according to Chai's founder. If you delete it, you can't reinstall it from the App Store right now. Back up anything you care about before you delete the app.

What is the best free app like Chai?

For a free tier with lots of bots, Janitor AI and SpicyChat are the closest. Character.AI is free with ads but has a strict filter. Cleus gives free daily credits with no card. SillyTavern is free software, but you pay for whatever model you connect.

Can I export my Chai bots and chats?

There's no documented export. Copy each bot's description, greeting and your key chats into a note, then paste them into a new app. Cleus can turn a pasted chat log into memories, so the character remembers you.

Why were Chai and PolyBuzz removed from the App Store?

Neither app nor Apple has given a reason. Both left in October 2026, shortly after Apple tightened its review rules on nonconsensual intimate imagery and on apps that change after review. That's timing, not a confirmed cause.

Is there a Chai alternative with no filter?

Cleus, Janitor AI and SpicyChat allow adult roleplay with adult characters, and Nomi describes itself as unfiltered. None allow sexual content involving minors. Cleus also bans explicit images of real people. Our uncensored AI chatbots guide covers the wider field.

Sources

• CompanionHunt: Chai removed from the App Store (October 2026)
• AI Companion Guides: PolyBuzz, Chai and Tipsy Chat are gone from the App Store
• Apple Developer News: Strengthening App Review Guidelines (October 16, 2026)
• Apple iTunes lookup for Chai's App Store ID 1544750895 (US)
• Chai: Chat AI Platform on Google Play
• Chai Research: company page
• Chai Research: Safety Center
• CastManor: Chai's iPhone app is not in the App Store
• TechCrunch: Character.AI files for bankruptcy (October 13, 2026)
• Character AI on the US App Store
• Janitor: Interactive Stories on the US App Store
• SpicyChat: September 2026 Pricing Update FAQ
• SpicyChat: Mobile Apps
• SpicyChat: iOS App Notice (August 27, 2025)
• SpicyChat: Age Verification
• Kindroid: official site
• Kindroid on the US App Store
• Nomi: official site
• Nomi on the US App Store
• Talkie Lab on the US App Store
• Talkie on Google Play
• SillyTavern documentation
• Distractify: What happened to Talkie AI?