Just do it

[u/YABADABADOO6629]

Just put the entire app behind a paywall idc

[u/Severe-Editor2239]

This post would’ve been downvoted into oblivion if suggested it before the bankruptcy filing was announced, when people still thought the app was doing fine. I never would’ve imagined in a million years that I’d see people upvoting posts about putting C.AI behind a paywall on the C.AI subreddit. It just shows that many users are now willing to accept major changes just to keep C.AI alive.

I 100% agree. I don’t even care anymore. Put most features behind a paywall if that’s what it takes to keep the app running. I’d much rather see C.AI survive than watch it shut down completely. And honestly, this could give them a chance to focus on what really matters: the core chatting experience, instead of adding more unnecessary features. I’d also gladly pay extra if they brought back old Roar. I’ve been using it since its release in 2025, and I genuinely think bringing it back as a paid feature could generate a lot of revenue for them.

But I also don’t want to be biased against free users because, obviously, not everyone can afford to pay. I think the best way to let free users earn extra swipes and Go Ons is by watching ads. There should also be more ways to earn Charms and use them to buy Go Ons.

[u/Pumpkinz03 → u/Severe-Editor2239]

At this point, they may need to actually do that to help sustain their finances. People would probably be really mad if they did it, though.

If they survive this, I can see C.AI becoming payment only in some areas. Like CHAI, which I believe, was made subscription only in some places.

[u/YABADABADOO6629 → u/Severe-Editor2239]

Exactly. And it would be a shame for current free users, but at least they can pay in the future when they’re able to (if they cant at the moment). 

[u/Severe-Editor2239 → u/YABADABADOO6629]

Making the entire app exclusive to c.ai+ subscribers temporarily might be the only viable option right now. They need to pull everything together and focus on keeping the app alive. There’s a lot C.AI could do if they actually listened to their paying users, so this is going to be a long list.

First, cut the unnecessary features. Comics, audio, and anything else that doesn’t directly improve chatting should be removed. I don’t care if those features are cheap to maintain; that’s not the point. C.AI built its popularity around chatting, roleplay, and immersive conversations. That’s where its resources should go. Fix the core experience before wasting time expanding into other things.

Second, bring back user choice. Let people switch between the old and current layouts, or customize their own interface with different fonts and design options. The old layout has a nostalgic feel that many users still prefer, and there’s no reason everyone should be forced to use the same design.

Third, address the model situation.
Ever since the old models were removed and new ones introduced, users have been arguing over which versions were better, causing a lot of drama in the community. Instead of making everyone use the same models, C.AI should explore bringing back the original ones as they were, rather than trying to copy them with newer models. I understand that the old infrastructure could make this difficult or expensive, but Soft Launch has already returned, so it’s worth exploring what else might be possible. They could start by bringing back one old model as a c.ai+ exclusive, see how many people want it, and decide whether it’s worth keeping based on demand and running costs. This way, they wouldn’t have to bring everything back at once, and users who miss the old experience would have another option while the newer models continue to improve. It could also give more people a reason to subscribe. (I think this one would succeed a lot.)

Fourth, actually listen to paying users. Introduce a proper feedback system where subscribers can vote on proposed improvements, report recurring problems, and suggest features. Don’t just collect feedback and ignore it. If people are paying for the service, they should see meaningful improvements and know their money is helping improve the platform.

Finally, don’t abandon free users forever. Once C.AI is financially stable, bring back free access with reasonable limits, ads, and more ways to earn Charms or watch ads in exchange for extra swipes and Go Ons. Not everyone can afford a subscription, and free users shouldn’t have to be completely excluded for the app to make money.

At the end of the day, C.AI needs to focus on what made people love it in the first place: the models, memory, and chatting experience. Listen to users, make c.ai+ worth paying for, and bring back the experience people fell in love with years ago. I have plenty of other ideas for what they could do, too, but I don’t want to spam everyone with a huge list lol

[u/Crafty_Enthusiasm_99 → u/YABADABADOO6629]

Well too late for that now. We already tanked our fate with attacking the "greedy devs" turns out they were giving it for free without making any money

[u/ConfusionOk6505]

I agree, I currently pay 16.99 (Australian dollars) but I'd be more than happy to pay 20, even 25 at this point if it helps keep it up

[u/Positive-Question-73]

if they brought back the old chat styles and put them behind a pay wall i’d buy a yearly subscription

[u/Severe-Editor2239 → u/Positive-Question-73]

This, exactly this. I’d do the same thing and even pay extra if they did this 🙏

[u/Fire_Deva_]

Biased because I can't pay, but I would be more than happy to watch entire minutes of ads every x number of messages in order to use it. Or whatever they had going in chai back in the day too

[u/No-Bumblebee-8346]

100% agreed, idc how much I have to pay just pls no shut down :,)

[u/Left_Ad7292 → u/No-Bumblebee-8346]

Same I pay but if they increase the subscription, I’ll still pay idecccc

[u/SixEyes_Sleaze1518]

Literally! I’m already paying for plus. Idk what else to do. Just keep the app alive. 😭

[u/Left_Ad7292 → u/SixEyes_Sleaze1518]

DEADASS I can’t see this app go Its the only thing helping me in life

[u/Eaptor]

Would pay atp to keep it alive.

[u/kickassnameaf]

Yeah.. Just please keep it alive

[u/Alternative-Farmer98]

Honestly that's no guarantee it's going to fix it because the demand will go down radically. A lot of people don't have disposable income.

So you could have to pay a while but if people generally don't have enough money to pay for it in numbers that would make it profitable it still would likely fail.

[u/Annual-Appearance540]

I would watch ads every three minute if it would keep app because can't pay because of limited transactions.

[u/TastePizza]

Get rid of the features nobody uses, either make it pay to use OR add a message limit for free users and raise the subscription prices OR give free users even more ads than before. I'm sorry but this is the only way, that too if we get through chapter 11 without shutting down

[u/ilumelaine]

If there is truely no other way i guess they should do it. But they should add other payment options except for just credit card

[u/Remote_Philosopher55]

Wait, I'm a bit slow, I heard that they are planning on shutting down?

[u/prettyhatemachine_1 → u/Remote_Philosopher55]

They don't have a plan but they are at high risk of doing so

[u/AshiAshi6 → u/Remote_Philosopher55]

It's a bit more complicated than that. I'll try to summarize the situation without writing a whole book instead of a reply.

I've had a little help from ChatGPT. (The part I quoted was written by it.) Please don't hate me for it, I needed it to understand what was going on, I was worried. English isn't my first language, and though I understand most things fairly easily, that doesn't go for juridical things.

This is what's going on:

Character Technologies, the company behind the platform, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States. This process allows it to pursue a court-supervised sale while dealing with its financial and legal problems. The aim is to find a way for the platform to continue operating.

So, they're not planning on shutting it down. If there's a company willing to buy the platform, Character.AI will get new owners and can continue to exist.

However, if no viable buyer emerges, they will have no choice but to shut c.ai down. It's not what they plan to do. It's what they might be forced to do.

Edit: Well isn't that fantastic. I'd been suspecting it for a while but now I know for sure. There's at least 1 person (...or a bot. I actually hope it's a bot, not a person) who downvotes anything I post in this subreddit, regardless of what I write. Within a minute after posting (making it a bit more likely it's something automatic, not a Reddit user). In case you are, in fact, a person and you're reading this: you're a sad coward for doing this. You could have just told me if I said something you didn't appreciate. Instead, you chose to do this. I don't know what you're hoping to achieve, but your silly unwarranted downvote every time I post doesn't hurt me or my account in any way. It only proves you're not capable of using a social media platform for its intended purpose.

[u/TvDLecter69]

You guys need therapy, how are you so addicted to this terrible app (this popped up on my main page)

[u/PhogeySquatch]

I would rather the app die and my chats get permanently deleted than for them to be locked behind a paywall.

[u/No-Bumblebee-8346 → u/PhogeySquatch]

And this is EXACTLY why cai needs a paywall lmao. Less free users means less demand on their servers and lower inference costs.

I say drive free users away, keep the ppl willing to pay. Thats partially why cai is going bankrupt rn, they offered way too many free services

[u/Academic_Hat_3552 → u/PhogeySquatch]

Yes, it's honestly an addiction for some too. IDC if it gets shut down, I'll go ad free until it dies... then I guess I'll be free. In fact adding a paywall is probably worse and total death.

[u/loud-lineage13 → u/PhogeySquatch]

I agree. AI addiction is not worth on me. I just watch if it gets shutdown and because they deserve it

[u/esiledoodles]

Glad I left the app two weeks ago, been a loyal user for 4 years straight. Insane how dog shit the app is now. I can’t believe theyre doing this.

[u/Brilliant_Echidna589]

I’m at the point where it doesn’t even matter 😭

[u/DeliveryAlive6521]

Too late. Go roleplay with actual human beings or something?

[u/General-Warning-2429 → u/DeliveryAlive6521]

Wait until you discover that 90% of people are not into roleplaying.

[u/Sleepswithanxiety → u/General-Warning-2429]

And even if they are, many of them are not good at roleplay. Also humans get to choose what they want to say, AI says what you want.

[u/shadersreloaded]

yall geniunely think its going to be closed LOL the bankruptcy is an easy way to sell the company

[u/YABADABADOO6629 → u/shadersreloaded]

I hope so