# Unicode Pad Express vs Symbol Keyboard

The clearest difference is ads: Unicode Pad Express at none against Symbol Keyboard's shown. Unicode Pad Express also leads on monetization model (free vs ad-supported) and iOS requirement (12.4 vs 15.0). Symbol Keyboard's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 7 months) and review sentiment (84% vs 63%). On price, rating, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Unicode Pad Express against 4.7 for Symbol Keyboard. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Symbol Keyboard has 3.2K ratings behind it against 121, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 63% of Unicode Pad Express's written reviews are positive against 84% of Symbol Keyboard's.

Unicode Pad Express ships an update every 7 months, Symbol Keyboard every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Unicode Pad Express | Symbol Keyboard |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (121 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unicode-pad-express/id368394740/reviews) | **[4.7 (3.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/symbol-keyboard-character-pad/id811743313/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 121 | **3.2K** |
| Positive reviews | 62.8% of reviews | **83.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 51 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.4** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ziga Kranjec](https://appshunter.io/developer/368394743) | [ShuMei Liang](https://appshunter.io/developer/811743316) |

## 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


### Symbol Keyboard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/symbol-keyboard-character-pad/id811743313)

Access hundreds of special characters and symbols for use in any application. Simply tap a character to copy it to your clipboard, then paste it into your desired app.

**Highlights:** Hundreds of special characters, Unicode symbols, One-tap copy to clipboard, Paste into any app, Quick access

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💎 Wide range of symbols
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🆓 Free app with no subscription
- 📚 Comprehensive symbol library
- 🗂️ Ability to organize symbols

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Difficult to find specific symbols
- 🧭 Unintuitive category organization
- 🚫 Ads interrupt usage
- 🔀 Keyboard integration issues
- 🔍 Lacking search functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when opening the app
- Keyboard fails to switch back to default

**Requested features**

- Add preset symbol organization (e.g. A-Z)
- Implement settings menu (dark mode, custom folders)
- Integrate keyboard with system for easier access
- Improve search to find symbols quickly


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Unicode Pad Express free?

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

### Is Symbol Keyboard free?

Symbol Keyboard is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

Symbol Keyboard is rated higher. Unicode Pad Express averages 4.6 out of 5 from 121 ratings, while Symbol Keyboard averages 4.7 from 3.2K ratings.

### Do Unicode Pad Express or Symbol Keyboard have ads?

Symbol Keyboard shows ads; Unicode Pad Express does not.

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

Unicode Pad Express ships an update every 7 months, and Symbol Keyboard every 10 days. Most recently, Unicode Pad Express was updated on October 18, 2026 and Symbol Keyboard on October 20, 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.*