Candy AI vs Joi AI: Which AI Companion Is Better in 2026?

Scores from our eight-category rubric. Features and prices from each platform's official pages, checked October 10, 2026. How we rate →

Joi AI scores 8.6 overall to Candy AI's 8.5. Its biggest weighted leads are video generation (8.0 vs 7.5, weighted 10%) and UI / UX (9.0 vs 8.5, weighted 10%). Candy AI doesn't score higher in any category. Of the 9 features we track, neither lists one that the other lacks. Candy AI lists the lower monthly price.

Candy AI

8.5/10

Best for: AI girlfriend, custom companions, chat, voice & video

Joi AI

8.6/10

Higher overall

Best for: Virtual relationships, customizable AI characters & roleplay

Where Candy AI and Joi AI differ

RowCandy AIJoi AIGapWeight
Scores (out of 10)
Video generation7.58.00.510%
UI / UX8.59.00.510%
Community6.06.50.510%
Plans and access
In-app currencyTokensNeurons

No feature we track differs between the two.

Level on: Chat quality (9.0), Image generation (9.0), Voice (8.5), Character depth (9.5), Realism (8.5)

Both list: Free plan or trial, Live voice or video calls, Voice messages, Image generation, Video generation, NSFW / uncensored chat, Memory / Remembers you, Create your own character

Neither lists: Native iOS / Android app

Overall = weighted average: chat 20%, image 15%, character depth 15%, the other five 10% each.

Should you pick Candy AI or Joi AI?

Reasons to pick Candy AI

  • Lower monthly price: $13.99 vs $19.99

Reasons to pick Joi AI

  • Higher video generation score: 8.0 vs 7.5 (weighted 10%)

Candy AI vs Joi AI prices

Candy AI

  • Monthly: $13.99 a month
  • Quarterly: $26.97 every 3 months
  • Yearly: $47.88 a year · $3.99 a month, billed yearly
All Candy AI plan details →

Joi AI

  • Premium: $19.99 a month
All Joi AI plan details →

On monthly billing, the lowest price Candy AI lists is $13.99 and Joi AI's is $19.99.

Candy AI or Joi AI: common questions

Is Candy AI better than Joi AI?

On our scores, no. Joi AI rates 8.6 overall and Candy AI 8.5. Joi AI scores higher in 3 of the 8 rated categories, Candy AI in none, and 5 are level.

Which is cheaper, Candy AI or Joi AI?

On monthly billing, Candy AI lists the lower price: $13.99 against Joi AI's $19.99. Other plans are listed in the prices section.

Can I try Candy AI and Joi AI for free?

Yes, both have a free option. Candy AI: Free account (5 messages). Joi AI: A free Basic tier with limited access, community character access and 6 lifetime image generations.

More comparisons

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Compare all platforms · AI Girlfriend Platforms · Blog · How we rate