Updated on 16 Oct 2026.
The best Janitor AI alternatives, judged on what each site publishes about itself, start with YourCrush.AI: it is 18+ like JanitorAI, there is no proxy or API key to set up, and it keeps memory as pinned items per character that you read and edit yourself. After it come SpicyChat for a context window printed in tokens, SillyTavern for anyone who liked bringing their own model, Kindroid and Nomi for one long-term companion, and Perchance for free chat with no account. Every fact below was read on the app's own page, help centre or store listing as of 16 October 2026, and each claim links the page it came from.
JanitorAI is a character chat site run by JanitorAI, INC in which a language model plays a user-written character. That model is either the site's free built-in one, called JLLM, or an outside model the user connects. Our full Janitor AI explainer reads its help centre in detail. This page is about where to go instead, and why.
Want character chat without a proxy or API key to set up? YourCrush.AI is built for adults and ready the moment you sign in.
Why do people look for alternatives to Janitor AI?
People leave JanitorAI for three reasons its own pages state: a small free memory, a proxy setup for better models, and a strict adults-only rule. None of them is a complaint about the characters; all three are about what sits behind them.
Memory comes first. The subscription FAQ, updated 25 June 2026, gives the free tier a "Context limit of around 9k tokens", and the site's glossary converts at "Roughly 1,000 tokens = 750 words". Do the math and that's about 6,750 words of character card plus chat before the oldest turns start falling out of the window.
The documented fix is a bigger model from somewhere else. The same glossary calls a proxy "a little tech wizardry that lets you use external models (like Claude or GPT) inside Janitor". You set that up yourself and you pay that provider directly. Janitor's own version, Router, launched on 30 July 2026 and works "without copying API keys or configuring an external proxy", but "Router is only available to JLLM+ subscribers, and only available on web" (JanitorAI).
Paying Janitor directly is the other route. janitor+ costs "$12.99/month" while the standard service "stays completely free", per the launch post of 24 June 2026. The FAQ lists "5x more context for better memory", and the App Store listing shows one in-app purchase, Janitor+ Monthly at $12.99, as of 16 October 2026. Refunds are tight: subscriptions "are generally non-refundable, except where required by our Terms of Service or applicable law" (FAQ).
Then there's the age rule. The content policy, updated 21 August 2026, says "Our services are exclusively intended for an audience above the age of 18" and that suspected minors "will be permanently banned". Users in "Australia, Brazil, or the UK" verify through k-ID (age verification article). The check accepts "Facial Age Estimation," "ID Scan," and "AgeKey."
Why YourCrush.AI is the better choice than Janitor AI when you want memory without a proxy
YourCrush.AI answers the two setup problems that send people away from JanitorAI: it needs no proxy or key, and memory is something you can see. YourCrush.AI pins memories as a list per character, so a fact the character must keep is a line you chose, rather than a turn that has not yet scrolled out of a context window.
YourCrush.AI branches a story at a chosen point, so a "what if" scene runs without overwriting the main thread. YourCrush.AI builds a character with no code from a name, an image, a description, a backstory and a greeting, plus traits and speaking-style words, all in the character creator. YourCrush.AI can draft those fields for you from a name and an image, which helps if you are rebuilding a Janitor bot from its card.
YourCrush.AI is 18+ only, the same line JanitorAI draws, and conversations are not sold to third parties. YourCrush.AI keeps a library of ready-made characters on the explore page for anyone who wants to start talking before building.
How do the 10 sites compare?
The table below ranks each site by the one thing it does best, then lists memory, age rule and entry price as each one publishes them. Prices are current as of 16 October 2026. Where you see "not printed," the page we read gives no figure at all.
| Site | Best for | Memory as published | Age rule | First paid tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YourCrush.AI | Memory you pin and edit, no setup | Pinned memories per character; story branches | 18+ | See the site |
| SpicyChat | Context stated in tokens | 4,096 free; 8,192; up to 32,768 | 18+ users and bots | Get A Taste $5.95/mo |
| SillyTavern | Bringing your own model | Set by the model you connect | Not stated on docs page | Free, open source |
| Kindroid | One companion, layered memory | Longer context, Cascaded Memory on paid | 18+ (App Store) | $15.99/mo (App Store) |
| Nomi | Free start, one companion | "short, medium, and long term memory" | 18+ (App Store) | Launch $9.99/mo |
| CrushOn | Adult chat with summary memory | Auto-summary into long-term memory | 18+ dialog; $0.99 or AgeGo check | Not printed |
| Joyland | Memory sold by plan | Short-term on Standard, long-term on Premium | Not stated on plan page | Standard $19.99/mo ($9.99 early bird) |
| Character.AI | Biggest library, in Chapter 11 | 15 pins free, 30 paid | Under-18 chat removed | c.ai+ $94.99/yr |
| PolyBuzz | Large mobile library | No figure on listing | Mature 17+ (Google Play) | Not printed |
| Perchance | Free, no account | No figure published | Not stated on chat page | None |
Which Janitor AI alternatives fit which kind of user?
Each site below is placed by what it does best, based on its own pages. Several have longer reviews, linked in each entry.
SpicyChat: best for a context window you can read as a number
SpicyChat prints its memory in tokens per tier, which is exactly the figure JanitorAI gives only for its free tier. Its tokens and context page lists free users at "Up to 4,096 tokens", True Supporter at "Up to 8,192 tokens" and I'm All In at "Up to 32,768 tokens, depending on the model", with replies capped at 180 tokens on the lower tiers and 300 on the upper ones. Prices changed on 8 September 2026: Get A Taste $5.95, True Supporter $19.95 and I'm All In $29.95 a month (pricing FAQ). The community guidelines say "All users must be at least 18 years old" and every chatbot "must be portrayed as adults over 18 years old". Note the free 4,096 is smaller than Janitor's free 9K. More in our SpicyChat review.
SillyTavern: best if you liked the proxy
SillyTavern is the closest thing to JanitorAI's proxy model taken all the way: you bring every model yourself. Its documentation calls it "a locally installed user interface that allows you to interact with text generation LLMs", says it "will always be free and open-sourced" under AGPL-3.0, and that "you will need access to an LLM backend to provide inference". So the software costs nothing and the model costs whatever your provider charges. We explain character cards and the Tavern family in Character Tavern, TavernAI or SillyTavern.
Kindroid: best for one companion with layered memory
Kindroid sells memory in layers, which suits someone who wants one character for months rather than a library. Its subscriptions page, updated 13 October 2026, gives subscribers "Longer context for short-term memory, with more on Ultra and MAX", "Cascaded Memory for human-like, medium-term memory" and "Enhanced long-term memory and journal recall". Free use is now a "one-time preview on our flagship model" of 50 messages for new accounts, and the 3-day trial "requires a payment method on file and auto converts". The page prints no prices; the App Store listing shows the subscription at $15.99 a month, Ultra at $28.99 and MAX at $68.99, rated 18+.
Nomi: best for starting free with one companion
Nomi is a companion app that lets you start without a card. Its homepage says "It's free (no credit card required) to start chatting", that its "short, medium, and long term memory are keys to engaging conversations", and that "no chat data is shared with 3rd party sites". The App Store listing by AI GLIMPSE INC is rated 18+ and lists the Launch Plan at $9.99 a month, the Standard Plan at $15.99 or $99.99 a year, and Nomi Credits from 40 for $4.99. No memory figure is printed.
CrushOn: best for adult chat with a summary memory
CrushOn is an adult character site whose memory is a summary you can trigger. We read its pricing page from a Wayback capture of 2 October 2026, because the live page blocks automated readers. Its own FAQ says the service "allows for conversations no filter", and its age dialog says the site is "intended for users aged 18 and over". Verification is "a $0.99 payment" or free "via AgeGo". The memory text says a summary "will be saved in the prompt as long-term memory. However, this may cause your context memory to become shorter." Tier names are Free, Standard, Premium and Deluxe; prices load by script and were not printed in the capture. Details in our CrushOn review.
Joyland: best if you want memory sold in plain plan tiers
Joyland states memory per plan in words rather than tokens. Its membership page gives the free plan "10 free credits daily" and "Basic context within current conversations"; Standard at $19.99 a month ($9.99 for early birds) with "Short-term memory capabilities"; and Premium at $39.99 ($19.99 early bird) with "Long-term memory capabilities" and "Unlimited credits". Credits are a second meter on top of the plan.
Character.AI: best for library size, while the sale runs
Character.AI still has the biggest library, and it is running while its parent company is sold in Chapter 11. The company says all services stay available during the sale and the platform is wound down only if no bid keeps it running (Character.AI); our Character.AI bankruptcy explainer covers the dates. Its plans page shows 15 memory pins free and 30 on lite and c.ai+, with c.ai+ at $94.99 a year (struck from $119.88). It ended open-ended chat for under-18 users in late 2025 (Trending Topics). The wider comparison is in our Character.AI alternatives guide.
PolyBuzz: best for a large mobile library
PolyBuzz is a big mobile catalogue that publishes no memory figure. Its Google Play listing, by Cloud Whale Interactive Technology LLC, shows 50M+ downloads, a 4.0 rating across 1.19M reviews, a Mature 17+ rating, ads and in-app purchases, and says the app may share location data with third parties. We could not find its US App Store listing on 16 October 2026, so no price is given here.
Perchance: best free option with no account
Perchance is the free pick with nothing to sign up for. Its AI character chat page, read from a Wayback capture of 14 October 2026 because the live page blocks automated readers, is titled "online, free, no sign-up, unlimited" and describes "no login, unlimited messages, unlimited AI-generated images" with custom character creation. The page publishes no memory figure, and with no account there is nothing tying a character's history to you.
Which alternative is free, and which needs the least setup?
Perchance is the only one that is free with no account, and SillyTavern is free software that still needs a paid or self-hosted model. Every other site here has a free way in with a paid tier above it: SpicyChat at 4,096 tokens (SpicyChat), Nomi with no card, Joyland at 10 credits a day, and Kindroid with a 50-message preview.
Setup splits the list in two. SillyTavern asks the most, since you install it and connect a backend. Every other site lets you chat without connecting a model of your own, which is what most people leaving the proxy route want. My take: if the proxy is what drove you to look, pick a site that runs its own model. If the 9K window was the problem, pick one whose memory you can actually read.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Janitor AI?
YourCrush.AI is the closest fit for most JanitorAI users: it is 18+, needs no proxy or API key, and keeps pinned memories per character you can edit. SpicyChat is next if you want context stated in tokens.
How do you use Janitor AI without paying?
Stick with the built-in JLLM model, which the site says "stays completely free" (JanitorAI), with a context limit of around 9K tokens (FAQ). Route through a proxy to an outside model and that model's provider bills you instead.
Is there a site like Janitor AI that does not need a proxy?
Yes. Every site on this list except SillyTavern lets you chat without connecting a model of your own. SillyTavern works the other way around: its docs say you need an LLM backend.
How do I create my own AI chatbot character?
Use a no-code creator: on YourCrush.AI you enter a name, image, description, backstory and greeting, pick traits and speaking style, or let it draft the fields from a name and image.
Are AI character chat sites legal to use?
Adult character chat sites operate openly and set their own rules, which mostly come down to age. JanitorAI and SpicyChat require users to be 18 or older, and JanitorAI checks ID or age in Australia, Brazil and the UK (JanitorAI). Local law still applies, so read the terms where you live.
Is SpicyChat safe compared with Janitor AI?
Both are adults-only by their own rules. SpicyChat also requires every bot to be portrayed as over 18 and explicit bots to be marked NSFW (SpicyChat). Neither runs a teen mode.
Of the ten, only SpicyChat and Character.AI print memory as a number you can check before signing up, one in tokens and one in pins. JanitorAI prints one too, and its free number is 9K.