Candy AI, Kupid AI and PolyBuzz all run the same playbook as Swipey: free access first, paid tiers for volume. What differs is how quickly the free tier runs dry and what the upgrade actually buys. This page compares the four on free-tier depth, not headline prices.
Every app in this category is free to open. That is not the differentiator.
The differentiator is what free lets you finish. Some apps give you a wide free tier and cap the volume. Others give you a narrow one and expect the upgrade early. Comparing them on that basis is far more useful than comparing plan pages that change every quarter.
So we have skipped prices entirely. Check each app's own checkout screen for those, and use the table below to work out which free tier is likely to keep you satisfied longest.
App
What free covers
Where free stops
What paid adds
Free-tier verdict
Best for
SwipeyThe free tier is wide enough to answer the real question — do you enjoy this — before any card appears.
Full core chat and companion setup
Volume caps on usage
Higher caps plus extras
Generous for light and moderate use
Testing thoroughly before paying
Candy AILeans visual. If media is the point for you, expect the free tier to run short sooner than the chat does.
Chat plus a taste of media generation
Media output first, then chat volume
Faster and richer media, more volume
Fine for chat, tight if you want visuals
People who came for the imagery
Kupid AIStrong character variety on the free side; the constraint bites when a storyline runs long.
Browsing characters and starting chats
Depth and continuity of long chats
Longer memory and more chat headroom
Good for sampling, thin for deep roleplay
Character-led roleplay sessions
PolyBuzzOne of the more relaxed free tiers for volume, with quality rather than quantity as the paid pitch.
Broad open chat access
Advanced model quality and extras
Better models and additional features
Very usable free, quality is the upsell
Casual daily chatting on a budget
Which rival suits which spender
Candy AI — Visual-first users
Candy AI treats imagery as a headline capability rather than a bonus, so its free tier feels generous for conversation and tight the moment you lean on media. If pictures are the reason you are here, you will meet the upgrade prompt early — but you will also know quickly whether the paid tier is worth it.
What works
Strong media capability alongside chat
Clear, fast sense of what paid unlocks
What to know
Free media allowance runs down quickly
Less interesting if you only want to talk
Kupid AI — Roleplay and character variety
Kupid AI puts a broad cast of characters in front of you before asking for anything, which makes it easy to sample widely on free. The catch is continuity: longer storylines lean on memory and sustained chat, and that is precisely where the free tier thins out. Great for browsing, less so for a months-long arc.
What works
Wide character selection available free
Well suited to scenario-driven chat
What to know
Long-form continuity pushes you toward paid
Free tier suits sampling more than settling in
PolyBuzz — High-volume casual chatters
PolyBuzz is the most relaxed of the three about sheer volume, which makes it a strong pick if you talk constantly and are not fussy about model quality. The upsell is refinement rather than access: better responses and extra features sit on the paid side, while the free tier keeps letting you talk.
What works
Comfortable free allowance for heavy chatting
Low pressure to upgrade quickly
What to know
Best response quality is gated
Extras feel more piecemeal than bundled
How to pick without spending anything
Open two of them free and use both for a week. Not a browse — actual use, at your normal pace.
One will interrupt you more than the other. That is your comparison, and it is worth more than any table on any site, including this one. Prices are the last thing to check, not the first, and only ever on the app's own checkout screen.
If neither annoys you inside a week, congratulations: your usage pattern means you can stay free indefinitely. Take the win.