# Unicode Character Map FREE vs Symbol Keypad for Texting

The clearest difference is rating: Symbol Keypad for Texting at 4.7 against Unicode Character Map FREE's 3.4. Symbol Keypad for Texting also leads on review sentiment (81% vs 51%) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 14 months). Unicode Character Map FREE's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (7.0 vs 15.0). On price, 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.

Symbol Keypad for Texting holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Symbol Keypad for Texting has 1.6K 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 81% of Symbol Keypad for Texting's.

Unicode Character Map FREE ships an update every 14 months, Symbol Keypad for Texting fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Unicode Character Map FREE | Symbol Keypad for Texting |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.4 (35 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unicode-character-map-free/id504833829/reviews) | **[4.7 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/symbol-keypad-for-texting/id975780487/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 35 | **1.6K** |
| Positive reviews | 50.9% of reviews | **81.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 2 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The Festivals App](https://appshunter.io/developer/326478641) | [山 钟](https://appshunter.io/developer/842459640) |

## 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


### Symbol Keypad for Texting

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/symbol-keypad-for-texting/id975780487)

Easily insert a vast array of Unicode symbols and characters into your text messages and other applications. Explore thousands of symbols to express your information uniquely and enhance your communication.

**Highlights:** Access over 50,000 Unicode characters, Thousands of unique symbols available, Insert symbols into texts and other apps, Express information uniquely, Enhance communication with special characters

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for its niche
- 👍 Convenient and useful
- 👍 Lots of symbols to choose from
- 👍 Easy to use and set up
- 👍 Helpful for gaming and messaging

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Search and navigation issues
- 🐛 Compatibility problems with new iOS updates
- 🐛 Unintuitive interface
- 🐛 Missing common symbols
- 🔋 Ads can be intrusive

**Reported bugs**

- Keyboard not showing up properly on iPad
- Favorites and history not syncing correctly
- Some symbols not displaying correctly after iOS updates

**Requested features**

- Add more symbols, especially common fractions and Egyptian hieroglyphics
- Improve search functionality and navigation
- Add iPad support and optimize the UI for larger screens
- Allow customization of favorite symbols and their placement
- Provide an option to disable the dark mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Unicode Character Map FREE free?

Unicode Character Map FREE is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Symbol Keypad for Texting free?

Symbol Keypad for Texting is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Unicode Character Map FREE or Symbol Keypad for Texting?

Symbol Keypad for Texting is rated higher. Unicode Character Map FREE averages 3.4 out of 5 from 35 ratings, while Symbol Keypad for Texting averages 4.7 from 1.6K ratings.

### Do Unicode Character Map FREE or Symbol Keypad for Texting have ads?

Symbol Keypad for Texting shows ads; Unicode Character Map FREE does not.

### Which is updated more often, Unicode Character Map FREE or Symbol Keypad for Texting?

Unicode Character Map FREE ships an update every 14 months, and Symbol Keypad for Texting fortnightly. Most recently, Unicode Character Map FREE was updated on October 29, 2026 and Symbol Keypad for Texting on October 29, 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.*