A free account gets you 5 messages with AI characters plus Shorts episodes 1 and 2, while almost everything else needs Premium (from $3.99 a month on the 12-month plan, checked October 2026) and spends tokens. This hub shows what each tool costs, what stays free and where to start.
Candy AI’s paid features are AI girlfriend chat, 18+ image generation, 18+ video generation, a custom character creator and Live Actions. A free account allows 5 messages with AI characters plus Shorts episodes 1 and 2. Premium unlocks the rest and includes 100 tokens a month, which images, voice notes and videos spend.
On this page
What can you do on Candy AI beyond Shorts?
Candy calls itself an AI girlfriend and AI companion app with chat, pictures, voice and video, and says it is “trusted by 50 million people worldwide.” That figure is Candy’s claim, not something we can verify. Shorts, the vertical AI series this site is built around, is only one tab. The navigation also lists Discover, Chat, Collection, Generate Image, Create Character, My AI, Private Content and Live Actions, with voice calls, Candy Creators and Candy Cams on top.
Six of those Candy AI tools matter most if you plan to pay, so each has its own guide below. Characters are sorted into Girls (AI girlfriend), Anime and Guys (AI boyfriend).
The grid is the short version. The table in the next section is the one to keep open if budget is your main question.
Candy AI features compared: what is free and what needs Premium
This table sums up the access rules as of October 2026. “Premium” means a paid subscription. Tokens are the monthly allowance that pays for extended features.
| Feature | Free account? | Needs Premium? | Uses tokens? | Our page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI girlfriend chat | Yes, up to 5 messages to AI characters | Unlimited text messages | Voice notes and other media do | Candy AI chat |
| Image generator | Not confirmed | Yes for 18+ images (“Generate 18+ images”) | Yes | Image generator |
| Video generator | Not confirmed | Yes for 18+ videos (“Generate 18+ videos”) | Yes | Candy AI videos |
| Create Character | No | Yes (“Create your own AI Girlfriend(s)”) | Yes: more detail, more tokens (Candy) | Character creator |
| Live Actions | Not confirmed | “Full Live Action experience” | Not confirmed | Live Actions |
| Candy Shorts | Episode 1 (no account), episode 2 (free sign-up) | Not for public series; Spicy series are Premium only | Yes: 12 per standard episode, 30 per creator episode | Shorts home |
| Web app (PWA) | Yes | No | No | Candy AI app |
Two patterns stand out. Premium is the gate: 18+ image and video generation, custom characters and the full Live Actions experience all sit behind it. Tokens are the meter: even with Premium, each image, voice note or video draws down your allowance, generally 100 tokens a month, and so does building a character: Candy says “the more detailed your companion, the more tokens you’ll use”. We don’t have verified per-image, per-video or per-build token prices, so check your balance, and any price Candy displays, before you generate.
Which Candy AI feature should you try first?
Start from your goal, not from the menu.
- You want someone to talk to. Open a companion on Candy and use the free messages first. Our Candy AI chat guide covers the 5-message limit and what unlimited text adds.
- You want pictures of your companion. The Candy AI image generator makes 18+ images on Premium, and each one spends tokens.
- You want video. Our Candy AI videos guide compares the Candy AI video generator with ready-made series. If you only want stories, Shorts episodes 1 and 2 cost nothing.
- You want a character that fits your taste. The character creator guide walks through every builder option before you open Create My AI Girlfriend. Keep it simple at first, because Candy says more detail uses more tokens.
- You want something interactive. Live Actions is the one we know least about, and public detail is thin.
- You mostly use a phone. Candy installs as a web app. Our Candy AI app guide shows the home-screen steps and why to skip mod APKs.
Unsure? The free chat messages and the free Shorts episodes cost nothing and show you the tone before you pay for anything.
How much do Candy AI features cost?
As of October 2026 Candy shows three Premium plans: $3.99 a month on the 12-month plan (billed $47.88 a year), $8.99 a month on the 3-month plan, and $9.99 for the first month before it renews at $13.99. Each includes 100 tokens a month, and you can cancel any time. Because the allowance is the same, the plan you choose changes what a token costs you: roughly $0.04 on the yearly plan, $0.09 on the quarterly plan and $0.14 on the monthly plan. That is our math from Candy’s prices, not a number Candy advertises.
Extra tokens can be bought whenever you run short (“Top up anytime,” says Candy). We don’t have verified pack prices, so we don’t quote any. Tokens can’t be transferred or exchanged for money, and unused tokens expire at the end of the billing period once you cancel. The full breakdown is in our Candy AI pricing guide, and the Candy AI review weighs whether the total is worth it. You can also check today’s plans on Candy.
Rules that apply to every Candy AI tool
Candy is for adults only, and it may ask users to verify or re-verify that they are 18 or older. Its Terms treat every AI conversation as fiction and say the characters have no genuine emotions. Content limits live in the Community Guidelines and Blocked Content Policy, which sit on Candy’s legal information pages.
One caution about this section of our site: Candy keeps adding features, and we only list what we can verify. We have not verified per-image or per-video token prices, resolution, generation limits, voice options or how many Live Actions levels exist, so we don’t claim any of them. Where a number matters, check it inside the app before you spend.
Our verdict: Of all the Candy AI features, chat is the best first stop because it is the only one with a free taste of the paid experience. If you will use two or more paid tools in the same month, the yearly plan is the cheapest route, since it brings a token down to about $0.04. Just don’t buy twelve months for a feature you haven’t confirmed you want.
Frequently asked questions
Is Candy AI free to use?
Partly. A free account can send a maximum of 5 messages to AI characters and can open the Shorts feed, with episode 1 free for anyone and episode 2 free after sign-up. Image generation, video generation, custom characters and unlimited text all need Premium, which starts at $3.99 a month on the 12-month plan.
Does Candy AI have a video generator?
Yes. Candy lists “Generate 18+ videos” as a Premium benefit, and videos spend tokens. Candy also offers ready-made Shorts series and an interactive Live Actions mode. Our video guide explains which of the three suits you. We haven’t verified per-video token prices, so check your balance before each generation.
How many tokens do I get with Candy AI Premium?
Candy lists 100 tokens per month with Premium. They pay for extended features such as image generation, voice notes, videos and Shorts episodes. You can top up when you run out. Tokens can’t be transferred or exchanged for money, and unused tokens expire after you cancel at the end of the billing period.
Which Candy AI feature is best for beginners?
AI girlfriend chat, because you can try it before paying: a free account allows up to 5 messages to AI characters. Shorts is the other free entry point, with episodes 1 and 2 at no cost. Once you know the tone and want pictures, video or a custom character, move up to Premium.
Is there a Candy AI app?
Not in an app store. Candy is a web app: open it in your phone’s browser and use Add to Home Screen. We could not find official App Store or Google Play listings, so treat any APK as unofficial and unsafe. Our app guide has the iPhone and Android steps.
Can I use Candy AI features without a subscription?
Only the basics. Without Premium you get the 5-message chat limit and the free Shorts episodes: episode 1 with no account and episode 2 after a free sign-up. Image and video generation, custom characters, unlimited text and the full Live Actions experience are all listed as Premium perks.