The short version: SpicyChat is the better free ride — easier onboarding, solid characters, no setup homework. JanitorAI wins if you want control and are happy to bring your own model and tinker. If you just want it to work tonight, SpicyChat.
I put the girls here. Janice is the grocery store. Lilith is the hunger.
Head to head
| What matters | SpicyChat | JanitorAI |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Sign up and chat | Often needs an API key or proxy |
| Free tier | Generous, queues at peak | Free front-end, model cost is on you |
| Character library | Large and curated-ish | Huge and wild |
| Memory | Short but stable | Depends entirely on your model |
| Control | Limited settings | Deep prompt and model control |
| Best for | Beginners, casual nights | Tinkerers, power users |
My take
I keep both. SpicyChat is what I open when I want a character to just be there. JanitorAI is what I open when I want to build something specific and don’t mind twenty minutes of setup first. If you are new to either, and you want a paid app that behaves without any of this, Candy.ai is the softer landing.
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