# Characterize vs Shrewd!

The clearest difference is ads: Characterize at none against Shrewd!'s shown. Characterize also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 8 months) and review sentiment (68% vs 50%). On price, rating, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Characterize sells 16 one-off in-app purchases and Shrewd! sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.3 for Characterize against 4.4 for Shrewd!. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Characterize has 344 ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 68% of Characterize's written reviews are positive against 50% of Shrewd!'s.

Characterize ships an update every 3 weeks, Shrewd! every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Characterize | Shrewd! |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (344 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/characterize-randomize-names/id706661890/reviews) | **[4.4 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shrewd/id1372648325/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **344** | 23 |
| Positive reviews | **68.3% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 295 MB | 35 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Alexander Winn](https://appshunter.io/developer/652547902) | [EPIC APPS UK](https://appshunter.io/developer/953300493) |

## What reviewers say

### Characterize

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/characterize-randomize-names/id706661890)

Generate unique characters with names, traits, and stats instantly. Explore diverse categories and save your favorites for any creative project. Unlock additional themed packs for even more variety.

**Highlights:** Unlimited name generation, Rich character details (age, traits, etc.), Themed character packs, Save and share creations, Diverse character categories

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Heroes & Villains Generator | $0.99 | one-time |
| Wizards & Witches Generator | $0.99 | one-time |
| Gods & Goddesses Generator | $0.99 | one-time |
| Anime & Manga Generator | $0.99 | one-time |
| Demons Generator | $0.99 | one-time |
| Anthros Generator | $0.99 | one-time |
| Aliens Generator | $0.99 | one-time |
| Kings, Queens, & Nobles Generator | $0.99 | one-time |
| Apocalypse Survivors Generator | $0.99 | one-time |
| Assassins Generator | $0.99 | one-time |
| Angels Generator | $0.99 | one-time |
| Demigods Generator | $0.99 | one-time |
| Dragons Generator | $0.99 | one-time |
| Fantasy Races Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Mythology Bundle | $5.99 | one-time |
| All Generators | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful for character creation
- 🚀 Great for writers and RPG players
- 💡 Lots of creative and random traits

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive, many features require purchase
- 🐛 Bugs with saving and restoring purchases
- 🔍 Limited free options

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on startup
- Issues with custom generators and editing characters
- Purchased content not unlocking properly

**Requested features**

- More free generators
- Ability to edit and customize generated characters
- Sorting and organization options for saved characters


### Shrewd!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shrewd/id1372648325)

Generate over 3.5 million unique Shakespearean insults to entertain friends or craft witty comebacks. Save favorites, share on social media, and learn the meanings of obscure words.

**Highlights:** Millions of unique insults, Save favorite insults, Share on social media, Includes real Shakespearean insults, Word definitions provided, Random insult generator

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Characterize free?

Characterize is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Shrewd! free?

Shrewd! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Characterize or Shrewd!?

Shrewd! is rated higher. Characterize averages 4.3 out of 5 from 344 ratings, while Shrewd! averages 4.4 from 23 ratings.

### Do Characterize or Shrewd! have ads?

Shrewd! shows ads; Characterize does not.

### Which is updated more often, Characterize or Shrewd!?

Characterize ships an update every 3 weeks, and Shrewd! every 8 months. Most recently, Characterize was updated on October 14, 2026 and Shrewd! on October 21, 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.*