Compare Chai
Formii vs Chai
Chai is a mobile app for chatting with user-made AI characters and stories, with a free allowance of messages and Premium and Ultra tiers for more. Formii is one companion with mandatory flaws, built for relationship practice. Here is which fits whom.
Choose Chai if
- You want a large library of characters and stories made by other users.
- You want to make and share your own characters.
- You want a phone app today; Chai is on iOS and Android.
- You like a pay-as-you-go option on top of a subscription.
Choose Formii if
- You want one companion with a consistent personality and a memory of your relationship.
- You want flaws you chose and a friction level you set.
- You want practice for real relationships, not a stage for stories.
- You want a daily free plan with prices in dollars and nothing to buy by the piece.
Side by side
Built for
- Formii
- Rehearsal: one companion with edges who pushes back
- Chai
- Chatting with and creating AI characters and stories
Free tier
- Formii
- 20 messages a day, full companion builder, memory of your relationship
- Chai
- Free messages limited by a daily allowance of 'pieces'; the store listing does not state the number
Main paid plan
- Formii
- Plus, planned at $11.99 a month or $69.99 a year. Not for sale yet
- Chai
- Premium at $13.99 a month or $134.99 a year on the US App Store; a $9.99 Premium Membership item is also listed
Higher tiers
- Formii
- None for sale
- Chai
- Ultra at $29.99 a month or $19.99 a week
Virtual currency
- Formii
- None, by design
- Chai
- Pieces, from $2.79 for 200 to $13.99 for 1,000
Number of characters
- Formii
- One companion
- Chai
- Unlimited, including ones you create
Personality
- Formii
- 3 to 5 strengths, 2 or 3 mandatory flaws at three intensities, love languages, friction dial 1 to 5
- Chai
- Each character has a description written by its creator
Disagrees with you
- Formii
- Yes, by design. Friction never goes to zero
- Chai
- Depends on the character
Where it runs
- Formii
- Any phone or computer browser; apps in development
- Chai
- iOS and Android apps; web version listed as coming soon
Age
- Formii
- 18 and over, date of birth required
- Chai
- Rated 18+ on the App Store
Crisis handling
- Formii
- Drops every edge, says it is an AI, shows crisis resources; never blocked by the daily limit
- Chai
- Not described on the pages we checked
| Feature | Formii | Chai |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Rehearsal: one companion with edges who pushes back | Chatting with and creating AI characters and stories |
| Free tier | 20 messages a day, full companion builder, memory of your relationship | Free messages limited by a daily allowance of 'pieces'; the store listing does not state the number |
| Main paid plan | Plus, planned at $11.99 a month or $69.99 a year. Not for sale yet | Premium at $13.99 a month or $134.99 a year on the US App Store; a $9.99 Premium Membership item is also listed |
| Higher tiers | None for sale | Ultra at $29.99 a month or $19.99 a week |
| Virtual currency | None, by design | Pieces, from $2.79 for 200 to $13.99 for 1,000 |
| Number of characters | One companion | Unlimited, including ones you create |
| Personality | 3 to 5 strengths, 2 or 3 mandatory flaws at three intensities, love languages, friction dial 1 to 5 | Each character has a description written by its creator |
| Disagrees with you | Yes, by design. Friction never goes to zero | Depends on the character |
| Where it runs | Any phone or computer browser; apps in development | iOS and Android apps; web version listed as coming soon |
| Age | 18 and over, date of birth required | Rated 18+ on the App Store |
| Crisis handling | Drops every edge, says it is an AI, shows crisis resources; never blocked by the daily limit | Not described on the pages we checked |
Chai details checked October 6, 2026 on Chai's US App Store listing. Plans change, so check their site for the latest. Formii's own plans are on the pricing page; Plus is planned and not for sale yet. Chai is a trademark of its owner. Formii is not affiliated with it.
The main differences
A library versus a relationship
Chai is about variety: thousands of characters, stories and scenarios, yours and other people's. Formii is about one companion you build and then live with for weeks. If you want to try a new character every night, Chai is built for it. If you want to find out what you do when one particular person is stubborn with you, Formii is.
Pieces versus a daily cap
Chai meters free messages with a daily allowance of pieces and sells more by the pack, alongside Premium and Ultra subscriptions. Formii caps the free plan at 20 messages a day and sells nothing by the piece. The cap is lower; there is nothing to buy your way around it.
Flaws as the product
On Chai, a character pushes back if its creator wrote it that way. On Formii you choose at least two flaws from a list, set each one's strength, and set a friction level that never goes to zero. The flaws are not a feature of some companions. They are the reason the product exists.
Questions people ask
Is Formii a Chai alternative?
For one consistent companion with flaws and pushback, yes. For a library of characters and stories, Chai is a different kind of product.
How much does Chai cost?
Premium is $13.99 a month or $134.99 a year and Ultra is $29.99 a month on the US App Store, with pieces sold from $2.79 a pack, checked October 6, 2026.
Is Formii free?
Yes, with 20 messages a day and no card. A paid plan is planned at $11.99 a month and is not for sale yet.
Does Formii have a phone app?
Not yet. It works in your phone's browser today, and apps are in development. Chai has iOS and Android apps now.
Looking at other apps too? See every AI companion app compared.
Build someone with edges.
Free to start. It takes about three minutes, and the flaws are not optional.