| Sampling many companions quickly | Free previews, strong filters, short summaries, cheap first contact | Sampling burns through credits fast even when each individual action looks inexpensive |
| Focusing deeply on one companion | Character editability, conversation continuity, saved state | Discovery-first catalogues sometimes treat depth as secondary to breadth |
| Images and media as the core pleasure | Clear per-generation pricing, video availability, refund behaviour on failures | Media spending can dwarf the plan price and is the hardest line to forecast |
| Predictable monthly spending | Visible balances, no surprise expiry, simple top-up rules | Generous allowances usually sit on higher tiers that assume heavy use |
| Browsing before committing | Window shopping access, non-consumptive previews, category depth | Operators have little incentive to make free browsing as rich as paid play |
| Quality over quantity in a persona | Deeper per-character detail, distinct writing voice, editing freedom | Large libraries often converge on similar templates, so distinctiveness is the scarce resource |