Comparison

UniversalHieroglyphTranslator vs Hieroglyphs

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

UniversalHieroglyphTranslator

Translate ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs into 59 modern languages with this professional-grade offline tool. It features an extensive dictionary, flexible input methods, and advanced search capabilities for students and researchers.

Highlights
  • Offline hieroglyph translation
  • 218,000+ dictionary entries
  • Gardiner codes & MdC input
  • Visual hieroglyph browsing
  • Advanced search tools
  • Copy results for export
Read full description

Translate Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs into 59 Modern Languages — Fully Offline after choosing languages. Universal Hieroglyph Translator (UHT) is a professional-grade reference and translation tool for students, researchers, and serious enthusiasts of Egyptology. Built on authoritative lexical data and on-device AI, UHT delivers fast, accurate hieroglyph translation without requiring an internet connection. Why Professionals Choose UHT • Authoritative Dictionary 218,000+ curated entries including translations, transliterations, phonetic values, and grammatical notes. • True Offline Translation All translations run fully on-device after downloading language packs — ideal for fieldwork, classrooms, and travel. • Professional, Flexible Input Methods Enter text using Gardiner codes, MdC (Manuel de Codage), or browse hieroglyphs visually by category and shape. • Advanced Search Tools Find glyphs by English meaning, phonetic value, category, or graphically. • Easy Export & Reference Use Copy results into Notes, Mail, Messages, or research documents instantly. Example: Enter any combination of Gardiner's codes and Manuel de Codage symbols: t-G15-nfr-i-X1-r-t-t-N36-t → Tap Translate → Instantly see results in your chosen modern language. 59 Modern Languages Supported Including Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Hebrew, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, and many more. (The App interface is localized in 14 major scholarly languages.) Maximum Simplicity. Maximum Power. The Future of mobile Egyptology in Your Hands. Universal Hieroglyph Translator is not a novelty app. It is a serious scholarly tool — designed for accuracy, longevity, and independence from the internet. One-Time Purchase. No Subscription. Pay once and own a complete, offline Egyptology reference — no ads, no tracking, no recurring fees.

About

Hieroglyphs

Features
Read full description

Developed by researcher and author Bill Petty, this comprehensive digital library is the essential mobile reference for Egyptophiles, students, researchers, and professional Egyptologists. The Hieroglyphs app brings the most popular Hieroglyphic dictionary directly to your device, along with other reference books to aid in translation and understanding hieroglyphs and the Middle Egyptian language. Whether you are translating inscriptions in the field or studying at home or school, the Hieroglyphs app provides the tools you need. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Key Features: • Phonograms and ideograms: A comprehensive list of uni-literals, bi-literals, tri-literals, and ideograms (included). • EZGlyph and Proglyph: The easiest, Word-based hieroglyph writer (included). These tools are a $25 value. • Hieroglyphic Sign List: Based on the work of Alan Gardiner. • Hieroglyphic Dictionary: A best sellling Middle Egyptian dictionary, with about 4,000 entries. • Egyptian Glyphary: A Sign List based hieroglyphic dictionary of Middle Egyptian, for easy look-up. • English to Middle Egyptian Dictionary: The most comprehensive dictionary of its kind with about 8,000 entries. • The Names of the Kings of Egypt: The Serekhs and Cartouches of Egypt's Pharaohs, along with Selected Queens. • Curated Library: References Books, Instructional Materials, and Hieroglyphic Texts are being added every month. Introductory Offer: To celebrate the app's release, receive a special 50% introductory discount on all in-app purchases for a limited time. About the Developer: Bill Petty is a dedicated researcher and author specializing in Egyptian Hieroglyphs. Through BFPress, a division of BFGroups, Inc., he provides high-quality resources to make the ancient Egyptian language accessible to everyone.

Screenshots

UniversalHieroglyphTranslator4 screens
Hieroglyphs3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Hieroglyphs at Free against UniversalHieroglyphTranslator's $5.99. Hieroglyphs also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). UniversalHieroglyphTranslator's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 9). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Hieroglyphs is free to download; UniversalHieroglyphTranslator costs $5.99 up front. Hieroglyphs sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. UniversalHieroglyphTranslator asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

UniversalHieroglyphTranslator ships an update every 2 months, Hieroglyphs every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
UniversalHieroglyphTranslator versus Hieroglyphs: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUniversalHieroglyphTranslatorHieroglyphs
Price$5.99Free — better
Rating4.8 (4 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.614.0.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size113 MB41 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperAviametrix, LLCBFGRoups, Inc.

In-app purchases

None

UniversalHieroglyphTranslator

No in-app purchases

9 purchases

Hieroglyphs

Subscriptions2
  • edu annual subscription$9.991 Year
  • Annual Subscription$19.991 Year
One-time7
  • Hieroglyphic Dictionary$9.99
  • Egyptian Glyphary$9.99
  • Sign List$9.99
Show 4 more
  • English to Middle Egyptian$9.99
  • Lifetime Subscription$9.99
  • Names of the Kings of Egypt$9.99
  • Urkunden der 18. Dynastie, Band 1$9.99

Questions

Is UniversalHieroglyphTranslator free?
UniversalHieroglyphTranslator costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Hieroglyphs free?
Hieroglyphs is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do UniversalHieroglyphTranslator or Hieroglyphs have ads?
Neither UniversalHieroglyphTranslator nor Hieroglyphs shows ads.
Which is updated more often, UniversalHieroglyphTranslator or Hieroglyphs?
UniversalHieroglyphTranslator ships an update every 2 months, and Hieroglyphs every 3 weeks. Most recently, UniversalHieroglyphTranslator was updated on September 16, 2026 and Hieroglyphs on September 13, 2026.

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