# Unicode Character Map FREE vs IPA Phonetic Keyboard

The clearest difference is rating: IPA Phonetic Keyboard at 4.5 against Unicode Character Map FREE's 3.4. IPA Phonetic Keyboard also leads on review sentiment (92% vs 51%) and update cadence (every 4 months vs every 14 months). Unicode Character Map FREE's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (7.0 vs 14.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

IPA Phonetic Keyboard holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: IPA Phonetic Keyboard has 193 ratings behind it against 35, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of Unicode Character Map FREE's written reviews are positive against 92% of IPA Phonetic Keyboard's.

Unicode Character Map FREE ships an update every 14 months, IPA Phonetic Keyboard every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Unicode Character Map FREE | IPA Phonetic Keyboard |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.4 (35 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unicode-character-map-free/id504833829/reviews) | **[4.5 (193 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ipa-phonetic-keyboard/id1440241497/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 35 | **193** |
| Positive reviews | 50.9% of reviews | **92.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | **Every 4 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 2 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The Festivals App](https://appshunter.io/developer/326478641) | [Vincent Cai](https://appshunter.io/developer/1453621798) |

## What reviewers say

### Unicode Character Map FREE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unicode-character-map-free/id504833829)

Access and copy a vast range of Unicode characters supported by your device. Easily find symbols, emoticons, and characters from various alphabets to use in any application. Save favorites and build custom character strings.

**Highlights:** View supported Unicode characters, Copy characters to clipboard, Search by character name or block, Access characters from multiple alphabets, Save frequently used characters, Build custom character strings

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📚 Comprehensive Unicode character library with all known characters
- 💰 Free app with no ads or paywalls required
- ⚡ Fast and responsive when functioning properly
- 🎨 Useful for customizing social media bios and creative text
- 🌍 Supports multiple languages and writing systems

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent freezing and crashing issues
- ⚠️ Incompatible with newer iOS versions
- 🚫 App abandoned by developer with no updates
- ⏱️ Character popup information disappears too quickly to read
- 🔧 Poor search functionality and navigation

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes or freezes every 3-5 seconds
- Freezes when scrolling through characters
- Character popup disappears before readable
- Crashes on startup with iOS 5, 7, and newer versions
- Incompatible with iOS 14.8, 15.1 and later

**Requested features**

- Update to latest iOS versions (iOS 7, 14, 15+)
- Keyboard integration similar to emoji keyboards
- Ability to copy multiple characters at once
- Slower or persistent character information display
- Better search and alphabetical organization


### 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 Character Map FREE free?

Unicode Character Map FREE 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 Character Map FREE or IPA Phonetic Keyboard?

IPA Phonetic Keyboard is rated higher. Unicode Character Map FREE averages 3.4 out of 5 from 35 ratings, while IPA Phonetic Keyboard averages 4.5 from 193 ratings.

### Do Unicode Character Map FREE or IPA Phonetic Keyboard have ads?

Neither Unicode Character Map FREE nor IPA Phonetic Keyboard shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Unicode Character Map FREE or IPA Phonetic Keyboard?

Unicode Character Map FREE ships an update every 14 months, and IPA Phonetic Keyboard every 4 months. Most recently, Unicode Character Map FREE was updated on November 1, 2026 and IPA Phonetic Keyboard on November 2, 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.*