Our Standards
How We Review AI Companions & Cam Sites
Last updated: March 26, 2026
Every platform on CompanionIndex is evaluated across 6 standardized dimensions, using data from 4 source tiers. We prioritize official help pages and app-store listings for pricing and feature facts, triangulate against public disclosures and aggregated research, and weigh community sentiment carefully. Editorial ratings reflect fit for each platform's stated audience — not pay-to-play placement. No platform is published without addressing all 6 dimensions.
AI Companion Review Dimensions
Persona & Conversation Quality
Memory depth, personality consistency, roleplay capability, and emotional range. We verify claims against official product documentation and widely reported community experience.
Content & NSFW Capabilities
What explicit content is unlocked at each tier, content moderation approach, image generation (style, count limits), and voice features. Sourced from official help docs, app stores, and verified public discussion.
Pricing & Value
Free-tier limits, paid tiers, token economies, and typical cost per month for active use. We prioritize official pricing pages and app store listings. Hub tables on our Pricing page are reconciled against these sources.
Privacy & Data Handling
Data storage location, encryption, deletion policy, identity verification requirements, and privacy risk for users seeking discretion. Sourced from official privacy policies and terms of service.
User Sentiment & Reputation
App Store and Play Store ratings, Trustpilot scores, and Reddit sentiment across relevant communities. We identify the top 3 praises and top 3 complaints recurring across many users.
Platform Fit & Audience
Who the platform actually serves well — casual users vs power users, specific kinks, emotional support seekers vs purely entertainment-driven users. Stated positioning cross-referenced with actual community use patterns.
Cam Platform Review Dimensions
Model Diversity & Quality
Estimated active models, category diversity (amateur vs professional, niche coverage), and discoverability. Based on public platform stats and verified community reports.
Pricing & Token Economy
Cost per minute in private shows, token pricing, tipping norms, and free-to-paid ratio. We verify against official pricing pages and recent community data.
Platform Features
VR support, multi-cam, interactive toys (OhMiBod/Lovense), group shows, cam-to-cam, mobile experience, and recording options. Sourced from official feature documentation.
Safety & Verification
Model age verification processes, content moderation, chargeback/fraud protection for users, and anonymity options. Based on official trust & safety pages and reputable reporting.
User Sentiment
Trustpilot scores, Reddit sentiment across r/CamSites and platform-specific subs. We look for recurring patterns — single anecdotes are not evidence.
Niche Coverage
Specific categories available (fetish, LGBTQ+, couples, mature, etc.), ease of filtering, and whether the platform genuinely serves that niche or just lists it as a tag.
Our 4 Source Tiers
When sources conflict, higher tiers override lower tiers. We never rely on a single source for critical data like pricing or user counts.
Vendor help centers, terms/privacy pages, app store listings (subscription SKUs, feature descriptions). Pricing hub tables are reconciled against these sources. Editors may spot-check the live product for sanity and UX.
Platform websites, official blogs, press releases, and verified social posts. Trusted for factual data but treated skeptically for subjective claims.
App Store/Play Store ratings, Trustpilot scores, SimilarWeb traffic data. We triangulate across multiple sources to validate numbers.
Reddit threads, forums, user reviews. Valuable for identifying patterns — we look for recurring themes across many voices, not single anecdotes.
The CompanionIndex Score
Our editorial score (x/5) is a weighted composite of 6 factors:
| Dimension | Weight |
|---|---|
| Conversation / Model Quality | 25% |
| User Sentiment (cross-platform) | 20% |
| Content & Feature Depth | 20% |
| Privacy & Safety | 15% |
| Pricing Value | 10% |
| Platform Fit Accuracy | 10% |
4.5–5.0: Exceptional — among the best in its category
4.0–4.4: Strong — recommended with minor caveats
3.5–3.9: Good — works well for its target audience
3.0–3.4: Average — consider alternatives
Below 3.0: Not recommended — significant issues
Editorial Independence
CompanionIndex earns affiliate commissions when you sign up for a platform through our links. This revenue keeps the site free for everyone — but it never influences our scores or rankings.
- We rank platforms we do not have affiliate deals with.
- We have given low scores to platforms we earn commissions from.
- Every article discloses affiliate relationships in the footer.
- Affiliate URLs are server-side only — never exposed in your browser.
Where the numbers live
Consolidated, date-stamped reference tables (same standards as this page):
Not sure where to start?
Take our 5-question quiz and we'll match you to the platform that fits your intent, budget, and preferences.
Take the Quiz →