# Unicode Pad Express vs IPA Phonetic Keyboard

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Unicode Pad Express at none against IPA Phonetic Keyboard's 3. Unicode Pad Express also leads on iOS requirement (12.4 vs 14.0). IPA Phonetic Keyboard's advantage is review sentiment (92% vs 63%). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. IPA Phonetic Keyboard sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Unicode Pad Express asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Unicode Pad Express against 4.5 for IPA Phonetic Keyboard. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 121 and 172 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 63% of Unicode Pad Express's written reviews are positive against 92% of IPA Phonetic Keyboard's.

Unicode Pad Express ships an update every 7 months, IPA Phonetic Keyboard every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Unicode Pad Express | IPA Phonetic Keyboard |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (121 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unicode-pad-express/id368394740/reviews)** | [4.5 (172 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ipa-phonetic-keyboard/id1440241497/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 121 | **172** |
| Positive reviews | 62.8% of reviews | **92.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 4 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 51 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.4** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ziga Kranjec](https://appshunter.io/developer/368394743) | [Vincent Cai](https://appshunter.io/developer/1453621798) |

## What reviewers say

### Unicode Pad Express

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unicode-pad-express/id368394740)

Access and insert a wide range of Unicode characters with this straightforward character map application. It provides a simpler interface for finding and using special symbols and text.

**Highlights:** Extensive character map, Insert Unicode characters, Simple interface, Free version

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great variety of symbols
- 👍 Easy to use (for some)
- 👍 Free version available
- 👍 Useful for special characters
- 👍 Good for stylizing posts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 Some symbols not showing
- 🐛 Emojis mixed with symbols
- 🐛 Not designed well
- 🐛 Paid pro version needed for features

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when clicking too many categories
- Some characters not showing
- Emojis are displayed as symbols
- Black boxes appear instead of symbols
- App not working after iOS updates

**Requested features**

- Add a search system (by name or code)
- Ability to favorite symbols
- Create custom keyboards
- Rename private use characters
- Make emojis into symbols


### IPA Phonetic Keyboard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ipa-phonetic-keyboard/id1440241497)

This free keyboard provides easy access to all IPA and extended IPA symbols. Its intuitive layout mirrors the IPA chart, making symbol input fluid and efficient for linguists, language learners, and enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** Full IPA chart (2020) symbols, ExtIPA chart (2016) symbols, Organized symbol sections, Intuitive symbol layout, Convenient input for common characters, Completely free, no ads

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Donation: Buy me a drink | $2.99 | one-time |
| Obsolete/Non-Standard Symbols | $5.99 | one-time |
| Donation: Buy me a meal | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Convenient IPA keyboard
- 💡 Extensive IPA symbol coverage
- 🚀 Smooth and responsive
- 🤩 Great for linguistics and conlanging
- 🎨 Visually appealing design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Paid access for some symbols
- 🔍 Keyboard layout could be more customizable
- 🐛 Occasional keyboard switching issues
- 🔇 Keyboard clicking sounds can't be disabled

**Reported bugs**

- Vowel [ʁ] displays incorrectly
- Keyboard disappears after switching, requiring settings access to re-enable

**Requested features**

- Add angle brackets and parentheses for orthographic notation
- Implement a 'frequently used' section for common symbols
- Allow users to rearrange the keyboard layout
- Add support for laryngeal notation in Proto-Indo-European


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Unicode Pad Express free?

Unicode Pad Express is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is IPA Phonetic Keyboard free?

IPA Phonetic Keyboard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Unicode Pad Express or IPA Phonetic Keyboard?

Unicode Pad Express is rated higher. Unicode Pad Express averages 4.6 out of 5 from 121 ratings, while IPA Phonetic Keyboard averages 4.5 from 172 ratings.

### Do Unicode Pad Express or IPA Phonetic Keyboard have ads?

Neither Unicode Pad Express nor IPA Phonetic Keyboard shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Unicode Pad Express or IPA Phonetic Keyboard?

Unicode Pad Express ships an update every 7 months, and IPA Phonetic Keyboard every 4 months. Most recently, Unicode Pad Express was updated on October 18, 2026 and IPA Phonetic Keyboard on October 13, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*