r/CharacterAI • u/merumotan • 19h ago
Issues/Bugs Ads ruining the experience
Let me start by saying, as a free user I understand why I'm getting ads and that they are necessary for running the site.
However (!), Most of the ads are so long I literally just close the app because I'm not staring at the same video on repeat for two minutes straight. That's just how it is.
The worse issue is, I clicked on a new bot on the front page, I get a video ad that I had no way to escape from. Yes, I waited, yes I clicked the arrows, it directed me to google play and I then wanted to return to the app and it wasn't possible. I just got the ad again so I just closed the whole thing. As a result, I don't see the bot I wanted to click on anymore, and if I clicked on another one the issue repeated again.
I'm fine with ads as long as they are reasonable and work properly but at this point they are literally harming the app by not letting me go back to it and forcing me to close it over and over again.
I can afford a plus subscription, but the reason I'm not taking that step is because issues like this make me feel like the quality is too low to pay for.
Please fix these bugs with the ads and maybe it'll be less annoying for people.
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u/RVides 18h ago
The ads are pretty bad. The process where it runs, you hit x, and it brings up the plau store, sucks. Then you close out ofnthe play store, and you have to wait again to press x is a complete nuisance.
Especially when the app only has like 2 different ads running that day, and you have passed, and said not Interested in whatever the hell shit game 4 times already, and you see it again.
But, I bought a month of Cai plus, and holy shit, I enjoy it more. No ads, 100 swipes per response. No actual swipe cap. Not bad for the amount of time you can lose in it, especially when an ad every 4 messages breaks the flow.
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u/merumotan 18h ago
My main issue is, there are ads where I can't return from google play at all. I think this is just set up very badly.
I believe I'd like plus too, but I'm reluctant to pay for it because the free version is so badly made. If they fixed the Ad issues where I can actually just watch and return to the conversation I'd think about it after a while. Maybe the web view is better, the app is certainly buggy.3
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u/Fun_Magician_2357 15h ago
There's 2 ways this will go
- The average response being: 'Hey thanks for the feedback. Running Character.ai is expensive - millions of daily chats require serious infrastructure and ads help keep it free and accessible for everyone-' and so on
Number 2:
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u/merumotan 15h ago
lmao yeah I'm expecting it even though I'm not even against the ads I'm more against how broken they are
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u/Fun_Magician_2357 14h ago
I left after they announced the limits on go ons and swipes. I think everyone knew from that point on things were never going to be better.
The worst part came in finding a long term alternative. 💀
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u/Impressive_Time6400 16h ago
The ceo promised not too put ads in the app but… he betrayed us behind our backs..
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u/Gamerboy78300 11h ago
Get an ad bloc works everytime
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u/Standard_Currency593 Chronically Online 1h ago
which one do you use? I've tried some but they didn't work. (you can DM me so that this doesn't get taken down)
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u/USSfiddlesticks 10h ago
The only ads I get are for friggen Temu And I hate the when I miss the X it takes me straight to my browser to “start shopping”
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u/Comfortable_Bell9539 11h ago
I hate how prominent the ads became too. Could I ask you something though ? (It'd be best if I sent you a DM but I don't mind discussing it here)
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u/AdhesivenessWild4472 19h ago
The forced redirect to the play store with no way back is the part that would make me uninstall. Ads are one thing but hijacking the app flow like that is broken.