App & tool guide · AI companions & chatbots
Character AI
ParentMode's take
16+ with active parental awareness; not recommended under 16
Character AI pairs open-ended AI conversation with user-generated character profiles and community features. The 17+ rating reflects cumulative content exposure (suggestive themes, profanity, drug references) and the interactive nature of direct engagement with AI chat systems.
On the App Store
- Apple age rating
- 17+
- Developer
- Character Technologies, Inc.
- Category
- Entertainment
- Average rating
- 4.3 ★
- Last updated
- 2026-07-01
Apple content advisories
- Infrequent/Mild Horror/Fear Themes
- Infrequent/Mild Alcohol, Tobacco, or Drug Use or References
- Infrequent/Mild Profanity or Crude Humor
- Infrequent/Mild Mature/Suggestive Themes
- Infrequent/Mild Cartoon or Fantasy Violence
- Infrequent/Mild Sexual Content and Nudity
Source: Apple App Store, retrieved 2026-07-10. View the current listing →
What a parent can do
Data & privacy
Review the app's privacy label in the App Store and Character AI's privacy policy to understand how your data is handled and stored.
Controls
Use device-level parental controls (Screen Time on iOS, Family Link on Android) to set time limits and restrict app installation; check the app's built-in safety and reporting features for blocking or flagging content.
A cautious next step
If your teen seeks connection, supervised or moderated chat spaces (like those in Discord communities with active moderation) or talking with a school counselor present less risk of unmonitored emotional dependency on an AI.
The age rating, developer, and advisories above are Apple App Store facts. The guidance is ParentMode's own protective, conservative editorial — general parenting guidance, not clinical, legal, or diagnostic advice, and not an endorsement or a warning from Apple or Character Technologies, Inc.. Apps change; always check the current listing.