App & tool guide · AI companions & chatbots

Character AI

This app offers an AI companion or open-ended chatbot a child can confide in — the pattern that warrants the closest parental attention.

ParentMode's take

16+ with active parental awareness; not recommended for under 13.

Character AI pairs open-ended AI conversation with a 17+ rating that flags sexual content, drug references, and mature themes—reflecting that user-generated character definitions and chat histories can surface adult material. The companion design (persistent AI 'friends' a child confides in) invites sustained emotional attachment and normalizes data collection as the trade-off.

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 2026-07-06. View the current listing →

What a parent can do

Data & privacy

Review the app's privacy label in the App Store; assume all conversations feed the AI training system and may be retained or reviewed by staff.

Controls

Use device-level parental controls (Screen Time on iOS, Family Link on Android) to set app limits and review activity, and check Character AI's in-app safety settings and block/report tools.

A cautious next step

For younger teens seeking creative conversation, single-turn, human-moderated writing or storytelling apps carry lower risks of parasocial attachment and data re-use.

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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.