Verdict
PolyBuzz is the second-busiest character-chat website after Character.AI on Similarweb's chart and sits at number 31 in UK top-grossing Entertainment apps. It is meant for over-18s and says it now checks UK users' ages through Yoti or Ondato, but a parental-control firm found sexualised characters and self-declared ages in March 2026, and individual reviewers report children on the app. The privacy policy names a Hong Kong company, says uploaded photos can train its AI and lists the ChatGPT platform among those it shares data with.
Privacy note. Photos can train its AI, data shared with ChatGPT, operator in Hong Kong, and Qustodio found weak age checks and sexualised characters (polybuzz.ai/privacy-policy; qustodio.com)
Best for
Adults who want casual role-play with fan-fiction style characters
Skip if
You'd rather your photos weren't used for training or shared with other AI platforms
Key facts
- Category
- AI companions & chat characters
- Made by
- Cloud Whale Interactive Technology LLC (store developer); privacy policy names Singularity Mutual Entertainment Culture Media Limited, Hong Kong
- Based in
- Hong Kong (operator named in privacy policy)
- Launched
- 2023
- Works on
- iPhone, Android, Web
- In the UK
- Yes
- Price from
- £9.9 a month
- Free plan
- Free with ads, limited replies and coin-gated extras
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Billed |
|---|---|---|
| ExplorerPlus Monthly Plan | £19.9 | month |
| ExplorerPlus Monthly Plan (lower-priced listing) | £6.9 | month |
| ExplorerPlus Yearly Plan | £199.0 | year |
| PolyPlus Monthly Plan | £29.9 | month |
| PolyPlus Monthly Plan (lower-priced listing) | £12.9 | month |
| PolyPlus Yearly Plan | £299.0 | year |
| PolyPlus Yearly Plan (lower-priced listing) | £129.0 | year |
What it does
- chats with AI characters in text and voice
- lets users create their own characters, private or public
- generates images of characters
- offers interactive short dramas and story roleplay
Ratings
What people say
user reviews is dominated by complaints from long-time users about new age checks, filters, ads and forced adult personas, with a whole user forum set up to vent. Some paying subscribers say it worked well for a year or more. Users also report seeing young children on the app. Store stars (4.3 UK iPhone, 3.7 Google Play) sit well above Trustpilot's thin 2.2.
“I’ve been an Ultimate Subscriber for over a year now. I haven’t had any issues with any of my bots.”
Individual user review, 10 September 2026 · source
“My account is fully age-verified, Pure Mode is turned off … But over the last couple of days, the sudden spike in sensitivity filters has made the app almost unenjoyable.”
Individual user review, 5 June 2026 · source
“THERES … 8 YEAR OLDS ON THIS APP?”
Individual user review, 27 February 2026 · source
“I honestly stopped using PolyBuzz because I hated the restriction on it and the ad chat break is so annoying and frustrating”
Individual user review, 10 October 2026 · source
Press reviews
- Qustodio (parental-control company) safety guide 2026-03-25
PolyBuzz 'should be off-limits' for children and teens. Ages are self-reported, the web version asked for none, NSFW filters are unreliable and some characters are highly sexualised.
- RoboRhythms 2026-09-26
From 31 Dec 2025 PolyBuzz moved suspected minors to read-only 'Viewing Mode' using behavioural scoring and outside age checks, but it has not published the rules adults are screened by, and its 'unrestricted' marketing sits badly with its 18+ rating.
Privacy
- Trains on your data
- Partly unclear. The privacy policy says uploaded photos and precise geolocation may be used to 'train our AI algorithm'; it does not clearly say whether chat text is used. It lists sharing with third parties including the ChatGPT platform
- Opt-out
- No training opt-out found. Personalised ads and data sharing can be refused by emailing with the subject 'Opt-out Request'; consent can be withdrawn in Settings
- Retention
- 'No longer than is necessary'; no fixed period, and backups may persist
- Incidents
- No regulator action, fine or lawsuit found in searches of news, Ofcom and eSafety coverage. Mar 2026: Qustodio reported self-declared ages, no age check on the web version and sexualised characters. Mar 2026: PolyBuzz staff said compliance updates had 'unintentionally impacted' users (RoboRhythms). The store developer (a US LLC) and the privacy-policy operator (a Hong Kong company) differ
- Age limit
- 18+ in the privacy policy and on the UK App Store; Google Play PEGI 18. The policy's UK section says age checks under the Online Safety Act may ask for a name, date of birth or government ID, processed by Ondato or Yoti
FAQ
Is PolyBuzz safe for kids?
No. It is rated 18+, and the parental-control firm Qustodio said in March 2026 that it should be off-limits for children because ages were self-declared and some characters are sexualised. individual reviewers have reported seeing young children on it.
Is PolyBuzz free?
It is free with ads and limits. UK App Store subscriptions run from £4.99 a week or £9.90 a month up to £27.90 a month, plus coin packs.
Who owns PolyBuzz?
The App Store lists Cloud Whale Interactive Technology LLC as developer, while the privacy policy names Singularity Mutual Entertainment Culture Media Limited in Hong Kong as the operator.
Does PolyBuzz check ages in the UK?
Its privacy policy says UK users may be asked for a name, date of birth or government ID under the Online Safety Act, checked by Yoti or Ondato. Since December 2025 suspected minors are moved to a read-only mode.
Scores are based on published evidence, not lab tests. How we score.
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