ChatGPT vs Character.AI vs HeyOtto: Which Is Safe for Kids?

ChatGPT vs Character.AI vs HeyOtto: Which Is Safe for Kids?

As AI chatbots become more popular with children and teens, parents face a difficult question: which platforms are actually safe for young users?

Three platforms dominate the conversation: ChatGPT, Character.AI, and kid-specific options like HeyOtto.

Safety Comparison

Parental Controls and Monitoring

• ChatGPT: No built-in parental controls or monitoring. Parents cannot see what their child is asking or viewing.
• Character.AI: Limited parental tools such as weekly email summaries, but they do not include full conversation content.
• HeyOtto: A full parental dashboard with:
• Complete conversation history access
• Time limits and usage controls
• Customizable content filters

Content Filtering

• ChatGPT: Uses general safety filters but they are not specifically tailored to children or age stages.
• Character.AI: Content filters have been controversial and are at the center of multiple lawsuits, raising concerns about reliability for kids.
• HeyOtto: Designed for children with age-appropriate filters that adapt based on:
• The child’s age
• Parent-selected preferences and restrictions

Privacy

• ChatGPT: Not built primarily around COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act) compliance.
• Character.AI: Facing lawsuits that allege COPPA violations, which is a red flag for families.
• HeyOtto: Built to be COPPA compliant by design, with policies and systems specifically focused on children’s data protection.

Cost Comparison

• ChatGPT: Free tier available; ChatGPT Plus at $20/month.
• Character.AI: Free with ads; C.ai+ at $9.99/month.
• HeyOtto: Start for Free, and all core safety features (monitoring, filters, parental controls) are included.

The Bottom Line

For families with children, HeyOtto offers the most comprehensive safety approach. Unlike general-purpose chatbots, Otto builds parental controls, monitoring, and age-based filtering into every part of the platform, while also prioritizing COPPA-compliant privacy.

If your primary concern is safety, oversight, and age-appropriate content, HeyOtto is the most kid-focused option among the three.