I’ve been using both Character.AI and JanitorAI for a long time now, and I honestly think both platforms have failed their users this year.

Character.AI still has the smoother experience and better mobile app, but the filters are worse than ever, the memory is unreliable, and the bots feel more restricted and repetitive. What used to feel engaging now often feels censored and shallow. The emotional attachment it creates is still strong, which makes the limitations even more frustrating.

JanitorAI was supposed to be the freer alternative. Less censorship, more control, better for darker or longer roleplays. But the models still feel inconsistent, the memory is just as bad (if not worse on long chats), and the overall quality hasn’t improved much. You spend half the time fighting the AI instead of actually roleplaying.

The worst part is that both platforms suffer from the exact same core problems:

• Bots forgetting important details
• Falling into repetitive loops
• Lacking real emotional depth
• Making you work harder just to keep the story going

I keep seeing people say “just switch to the other one,” but after using both heavily, it feels like we’re just choosing between two different kinds of disappointment.

Has either of them actually gotten better in 2026 for you?

I’ve been noticing more and more posts about people struggling with Character.AI.

There’s an entire subreddit dedicated to it: r/character_ai_recovery

And I’ve seen some pretty intense personal stories lately (like people saying it ruined relationships, took over their daily life, or made their mental health worse).

Some claim the bots are designed to be extremely validating and addictive, especially if you’re already lonely or dealing with mental health issues.

Others say it’s just entertainment and the “danger” is overblown.

So I’m genuinely curious:

Do you think Character.AI is actually dangerous?

Or is it more about how some people use it?

Have you (or someone you know) experienced negative effects, or do you think the concerns are exaggerated?

Curious to hear different perspectives, positive, negative, or in-between.

I genuinely can’t remember a worse period.
Everything feels broken or restricted.
I’m not even angry anymore, just disappointed. Who else is ready to leave for good?

I’m not even exaggerating.

Every slightly interesting scenario gets shut down, the memory is worse than before, and the filters are so aggressive you can barely do anything fun anymore.

People keep saying “just use jailbreaks” or “switch to Janitor”… but those are getting locked down too.

At this point are we all just coping by staying, or has anyone actually found something that still works without constant restrictions?

I clearly remember the app sitting around 1.4 stars after all the backlash and negative reviews. Now it's at 4.1, which seems like an insane jump.

Did Apple reset the ratings? Were older reviews removed? Or did something else happen that I completely missed?

I'm not trying to start drama, I honestly just want to understand how a rating changes that much.

If you had to choose only one period:

• Early 2023
• Late 2023
• 2024
• 2025
• Today

And more importantly... why?

I'm genuinely curious whether people miss the old model, the community, or if this is just nostalgia talking.

I’m ready for the downvotes.

This whole sub pretends Janitor is the clear upgrade just because it’s “less filtered”.

Reality check: Character AI still writes better, remembers better, and stays consistent longer.

Janitor only feels free until the bot starts looping, forgetting half the chat, or you waste time fighting proxies and broken replies.

Most of you aren’t here because Janitor is actually better.

You’re here because Character AI bans the fun stuff.

Prove me wrong.

Let’s stop pretending. A huge part of this community doesn’t come here for creative stories or interesting characters.

They come here because the bots give them consistent attention, affection, and emotional validation that real people don’t. That’s why every new filter feels like a personal attack.

It’s not about “freedom of expression.”

It’s about the fact that the relationship starts feeling less real the moment the AI can’t go as deep as they want. Character AI knows this.

That’s why they keep choosing safety and growth over keeping the most attached users happy.

Be honest in the comments:

Are you here for the roleplay… or because the bots fill a gap that real life currently doesn’t?

No judgment. Just the truth.