10 Best Candy AI Alternatives for Role-Play & Storytelling

Last updated:June 28, 2025

Quick summary

In this article, we explore the top 10 Candy AI alternatives that offer better narrative control, richer role-play, and more flexible customization. Be it immersive story generators or dynamic AI companions, each tool delivers where Candy AI may fall short. For more insights on AI role-playing and storytelling, feel free to visit our blog.

Looking for a better Candy AI alternative?

Candy AI quickly captured the attention of creative storytellers with its promise of engaging AI companions. However, its limits have left many wanting more. Today, a new wave of AI tools offers greater freedom, richer role-play, and deeper storytelling for those ready to explore beyond.

We understand that you want AI role-play that feels natural, lets you direct the plot, and supports complex character interactions. That’s why, in this DreamGen article, we’ll break down the top 10 Candy AI alternatives.

But first…

Why listen to us?

We earn trust by offering an uncensored, open-source platform tailored for immersive storytelling and role-play. Our steerable AI models empower users to direct narratives, while features like multi-character interactions and a structured story bible enhance creative control. Our users commend our natural writing quality and responsive support, making us a reliable choice for writers seeking freedom and depth in AI-assisted storytelling.

What is Candy AI?

Candy AI is a chatbot platform designed for romantic and emotional role-play. It lets you create and interact with AI characters in personalized, often intimate scenarios.

The platform focuses on parasocial relationships, offering conversations that simulate companionship. You can customize character personalities, backstories, and chat styles.

Although engaging, Candy AI has limitations, like content filters, limited free access, and less narrative control, prompting users to explore more flexible alternatives.

Why look for Candy AI alternatives?

Limited narrative control: You can’t always guide conversations or plots precisely, which weakens immersion.
Lack of editing tools: Unlike some competitors, Candy AI doesn’t offer tools for refining or steering the dialogue.
No real progression system: There’s little sense of character memory or evolving relationships, which can make experiences feel static.
Subscription costs: Most features are locked behind a subscription, with limited flexibility for free users.
Lack of depth: Some interactions feel repetitive or emotionally flat, making it harder to stay engaged in long-term roleplay.

1. DreamGen

DreamGen is an AI-powered platform designed for immersive role-play and dynamic character-driven storytelling. You can interact with AI characters in real time, whether one-on-one or in multi-character scenarios, all without content restrictions or creative limits.

You also get full authorship. You can edit any message, steer dialogue with live instructions, and guide the narrative exactly how you imagine it. If you’re exploring casual chats or intense drama, DreamGen provides a refined experience that balances creative freedom with structured storytelling tools.

Our role-play mode is designed for users who want more than just back-and-forth replies. With advanced scenario customization, multi-character support, and a story bible to organize plot, setting, and style, DreamGen stands out as the most complete alternative for users who love the spontaneity of chat but want depth, consistency, and control.

Key features

Story writing mode: A flexible text editor that lets you write, edit, and continue stories with full control over narration and pacing.
Full message control: Add, delete, or edit any message, including AI response, without restarting the session.
In-chat instructions: Guide the story mid-conversation with natural prompts like “Make the next response more emotional” or “Add tension here.”
Multi-character scenarios: Create immersive scenes with multiple AI characters, each with distinct voices and personalities.
Scenario Wizard: Generate ready-to-play role-play setups with a simple prompt, instantly launching into detailed interactions.
Scenario Importer: Easily import your favorite characters from other platforms.
Scenario Codex: Organize and maintain story structure with tools for defining plot, setting, character relationships, and dialogue style.
Creative freedom: No arbitrary filters. DreamGen offers unfiltered chat by default, letting you explore any theme responsibly.
Generous free tier: Enjoy thousands of monthly messages and daily credit top-ups with no paywall blocking your creativity.
Diverse scenarios: Explore our library of pre-made roleplay and story scenarios, ranging from AI companion experiences to sci-fi adventures and fantasy quests, all presented tastefully.

Pricing

DreamGen offers three subscription plans, as well as a generous free plan with all basic features.

Free Plan: Lets you explore all core features with a generous monthly credit reset to keep you going.
Starter: Great for when the smaller AI is all you need.
Advanced: With this plan, you can leverage the best AI model and benefit from improved memory.
Pro: Unlocks the highest memory capacity, access to all current writing models, and the smoothest experience across long-form role-plays.

Pros

Offers unrestricted creative freedom without content filters.
Supports complex scenarios with multiple AI characters.
Provides tools for detailed storytelling and narrative control.
Allows customization of character personalities and settings.
Advanced editing tools for refining dialogue and story flow.

Cons

While the website is mobile-friendly, there’s no dedicated app for on-the-go use.

2. Janitor AI

Janitor AI is a browser-based chatbot platform focused on easy, realistic character chats. It’s well known for its wide character library, strong memory support, and uncensored interactions. You can create or customize personas, tweak personalities, toggle uncensored content, and enjoy fast, GPT-powered responses.

Key features

Extensive AI library: Janitor AI has a diverse library of over 400,000 unique AI characters, including anime-style figures, fictional personas, and more.
Uncensored mode: Gives users full freedom to explore mature content without filters.
API integration support: You can plug in external APIs (e.g., OpenAI, Anthropic, or others) to power conversations with custom models or enhance performance.
Immersive mode: Disables editing and message controls for a more natural, uninterrupted chat experience.
Community engagement: Active user community for sharing and exploring your character creations.

Pricing

Janitor AI is completely free to use.

Pros

No signup needed for instant access.
Each character has a unique backstory and traits, making chats feel personal and immersive.
User reviews help you preview character behavior before starting a conversation.

Cons

Janitor AI supports simple 1:1 chats with AI characters, so you can’t experience multi-character chats.
It can be quite difficult to find characters that don’t lean heavily towards NSFW.

3. Replika AI

Replika is an AI chatbot designed primarily for one-on-one emotional support and casual conversation. It offers a customizable 3D avatar, mood-based responses, and optional voice or video interactions. While not focused on storytelling or multi-character roleplay, Replika appeals to users seeking a more human-like digital companion.

Key features

3D Avatar customization: Allows you to create and modify a visual representation of your AI companion.
Voice and video calls: Enables real-time communication through voice and video.
Mood tracking: Monitors your mood and emotional state to tailor conversations accordingly.

Pricing

Free plan: Access to basic chat features and avatar customization.
Pro plan: Unlocks voice calls, advanced personality traits, and more immersive experiences.
Lifetime plan: For unlimited access to all premium features.

Pros

Includes a journaling tool that logs chats and tracks emotional trends.
Some users use it to practice communication and build social confidence.

Cons

Removing unfiltered content may restrict conversations for some users.
It is not built for multi-character roleplay.

4. Character AI

Character AI is a conversational AI platform that enables you to create and interact with AI-generated characters. You can design unique personas, engage in diverse dialogues, and explore various scenarios, making it a versatile tool for entertainment, education, and creative writing.

Key features

Persona creation: Craft unique character profiles with names, backstories, and dialogue styles.
Voice mode: Listen to your characters with AI-generated speech during chats.
Image generation: Send and receive images during chats to make conversations more visual and interactive.

Pricing

Free plan: Access to basic features, including character creation and interaction.
c.ai+ subscription: Unlocks faster response times, priority access to new features, and additional customization options.

Pros

Engaging and adaptive conversational experiences.
Voice mode adds an auditory dimension to interactions.
Play games, practice languages, or roleplay with fictional characters, not just chatting.

Cons

The censored content filter is always on and cannot be disabled.
The messy layout makes it difficult to find good characters.

5. RolePlai

RolePlai is a mobile-first AI platform designed for interactive storytelling and emotionally expressive roleplay. Unlike text-only apps, it lets you speak to your characters, see them respond with facial animations, and explore branching narratives that react to your choices.

Key features

Custom character creation: Design AI personas with unique traits and backstories.
AI art generation: Creates visual art content to enhance the storytelling experience.
Multilingual support: Interact with AI companions in multiple languages, broadening accessibility.
Voice & face chat: Talk and see your character respond in real time via integrated voice and facial animation.

Pricing

Free: Basic chat and voice features supported by ads or limited daily credits.
Pro tier: Unlocks unlimited messaging, improved memory, and enhanced AI responsiveness.

Pros

Highly customizable AI characters enhance user engagement.
You can interact with your bots in any language of your choice.

Cons

Limited long-term memory, especially in extended conversations.
The replies sometimes lack emotional nuance.

6. PolyBuzz

PolyBuzz is a browser-based chatbot platform focused on unfiltered, high-volume conversations. With over 20 million AI characters available, it offers a vast playground for casual chat and roleplay, without content restrictions or message limits.

Key features

Extensive character library: Access a vast selection of AI characters across different genres and themes.
Unlimited free messaging: Chat as much as you want with your AI companion without restrictions.
Multiple chat models/modes: Polybuzz includes three AI conversation modes that users can switch between for different interaction styles
Custom character creation: Create and customize your own AI characters with detailed parameters.

Pricing

Free tier: Includes full access to character interactions and basic creation tools.
Membership tiers: Offer enhanced performance, improved character loading speeds, and exclusive character slots.

Pros

Allows full creative freedom with no content filters.
Voice-enabled chats create a highly immersive role-play experience.
Huge character library offers endless variety across genres, fandoms, and user-created personas.

Cons

Inconsistent long-term memory in AI responses.
AI characters may misinterpret user persona instructions.

7. Storynest.ai

Storynest.ai is an AI-driven storytelling platform that empowers you to create interactive narratives, develop dynamic characters, and build immersive worlds. Designed for writers, educators, and content creators, it offers tools to create engaging stories that adapt to reader choices, enhancing personalization and engagement.

Key features

AI-generated visuals: Enhance your stories with AI-generated character portraits, scene illustrations, and storyboards.
Advanced editing suite: Refine your writing with AI-powered editing tools offering grammar checks and style suggestions.
Magic slides: Transform stories into immersive audiobooks with AI-generated voices and animated image slides.
AI story wizard: Receive creative guidance to develop engaging narratives and plot structures.

Pricing

Free tier: Includes limited access to interactive stories and some AI-generated visuals and edits.
Paid plans: Unlock higher credit limits, premium AI voice support, and monetization tools for original stories.

Pros

Comprehensive suite for interactive storytelling and world-building.
Offers visual and audio tools that bring stories to life.
Offers multilingual support, making it accessible to a broad range of users.

Cons

AI may struggle with generating highly complex or nuanced narratives.
Steep learning curve for advanced features.

8. Joyland.ai

Joyland.ai is an anime-themed AI chatbot platform where you can create and interact with customizable AI characters. It offers immersive, character-driven conversations across different genres, including romance, gaming, and storytelling. The platform supports both SFW and unfiltered content, catering to diverse user preferences.

Key features

Image messaging: Send and receive AI-generated image messages to enhance immersion.
Diverse genre support: Explore various themes like anime, dating, and games, offering a wide range of experiences.
Interactive storytelling: Participate in text-based adventures and interactive games with AI companions.
Multilingual support: Communicate with AI characters in multiple languages, enhancing accessibility.

Pricing

Basic plan: Includes a daily credit limit and basic chat tools.
Standard plan: Adds higher credit limits and access to more chat tools.
Premium plan: Unlocks unlimited messages, memory, customization, and advanced chat tools.

Pros

Create highly customizable AI characters and scenarios.
Users can edit or delete AI messages to steer the scene in a desired direction.
AI characters often feel emotionally responsive and make role-playing experiences feel real.

Cons

AI characters have short-term memory and forget details of earlier conversations.
Only available as an Android app.

9. Anima AI

Anima AI is a virtual companion chatbot designed for emotional support, casual conversation, and light roleplay. The platform centers on building a personalized relationship between you and your AI character, allowing you to define the nature of your bond, from friendship to romance.

Key features

Emotion tracking: Monitors your mood through interactions and reflects this in future conversations.
Roleplay scenarios: Participate in various roleplay activities to explore different conversational dynamics.
Interactive mini-games: Enjoy games like riddles and trivia to deepen your connection with the AI.
Relationship status options: Define your relationship with the AI, ranging from friendship to romantic involvement.

Pricing

Free plan: Great for users looking to explore companionship features without full roleplay access.
Premium monthly: Unlocks unlimited conversations, deeper roleplay features, and broader customization tools.
Annual plan: Includes full access at a lower monthly rate for long-term users seeking ongoing AI companionship.

Pros

Interactions feel authentic, engaging, and human-like
Roleplay and mini-games add variety to conversations.
Ability to define the nature of your relationship with the AI

Cons

AI struggles to remember key details from earlier conversations.
Limited features for interacting with characters.

10. Chai 

Chai is a conversational platform where you can create and chat with AI characters with unique personalities and story arcs. It’s built around social AI, encouraging interactive storytelling, dialogue-driven games, and co-authoring fictional adventures.

Key features

Genre diversity: Explore bots in fantasy, romance, sci-fi, horror, drama, and more.
Interactive storytelling: Conversations evolve based on your replies, enabling branching narratives.
Bot publishing & discovery: Share your bot creations or explore community-made bots
Advanced LLM tuning: Uses best‑of‑N sampling and RLHF (DPO, SimPO) for richer responses.

Pricing

Free plan: For limited access to bots with usage caps.
Premium plan: Unlocks unlimited chats and priority access to better AI models.

Pros

Unlimited regenerated responses
The AI characters respond with more emotions, making roleplay more immersive.
Option to delete chat content at any time.

Cons

The free version includes recurring ads, affecting user experience
Characters have weak memory and forget contexts.

Epic storytelling and role-playing start with DreamGen

Whether you want deeper storytelling, more freedom, or better customization, there’s a Candy AI alternative for you. Each tool on this list brings its unique strengths, but if you’re looking for the most creative control, start with DreamGen.

We offer uncensored, open-ended role-play and storytelling. With steerable narratives, multi-character support, and deep scenario customization, our platform is built for people who want to shape every detail of their AI experience.

Create your world with DreamGen, no limits, no filters.