# Character AI vs Rackup

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Rackup at none against Character AI's 11. Rackup also leads on ads (none vs shown). Character AI's advantage is chart position (#44 vs unranked) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Character AI sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per 7 days. Rackup asks for nothing beyond the download.

Character AI ships an update every 3 weeks, Rackup every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Character AI | Rackup |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (560K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/character-ai-chat-talk-text/id1671705818/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **560K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 23.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#44** | — |
| Size | 259 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Character.AI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1643189032) | [Zarian Lewis](https://appshunter.io/developer/1778958931) |

## What reviewers say

### Character AI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/character-ai-chat-talk-text/id1671705818)

**Currently charting:** #44 Top Grossing · Entertainment, #68 Top Free · Entertainment (US App Store)

Engage in dynamic AI conversations and create your own intelligent chatbots. Explore millions of user-generated characters, roleplay, build worlds, or simply chat. Interact via text or voice calls for a personalized AI experience.

**Highlights:** AI Chat and Voice Calls, Create Custom AI Chatbots, Millions of User-Generated Characters, Roleplaying and Storytelling, Adaptive AI Personalities, Community Sharing

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Character.AI Lite | $2.49 | per 7 days |
| Character.AI Lite | $4.99 | per month |
| Character.AI+ | $9.99 | per month |
| Character.AI+ | $94.99 | per year |
| Charms Starter Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Charms Small Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Charms Medium Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Charms Large Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Charms Extra Large Pack | $24.99 | one-time |
| Charms Extra Extra Large Pack | $49.99 | one-time |
| Charms Extra Extra Extra Large Pack | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Highly entertaining and engaging
- 👍 Realistic and responsive AI
- 💡 Ability to create custom characters
- 🚀 Smooth and intuitive app experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and server issues
- 🔒 Overly sensitive content filter
- 🐛 AI memory and personality issues
- 🔒 Lack of NSFW toggle option

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent waiting times and server overload
- Logged out users unable to log back in
- Deleted messages not saving properly
- AI responses resetting mid-conversation

**Requested features**

- Option to disable NSFW filter for adult users
- Improved AI memory and personality consistency
- Ability to delete saved chats and characters
- More customization options for character creation


### Rackup

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rackup-pool-table-waitlist/id6780570414)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Character AI free?

Character AI is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Rackup free?

Rackup is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Character AI or Rackup have ads?

Character AI shows ads; Rackup does not.

### Which is updated more often, Character AI or Rackup?

Character AI ships an update every 3 weeks, and Rackup every 2 months. Most recently, Character AI was updated on October 28, 2026 and Rackup on October 7, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*