# Characterize vs Taragen

The clearest difference is ads: Characterize at none against Taragen's shown. Characterize also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 weeks). Taragen's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, 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 Taragen sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Characterize ships an update every 3 weeks, Taragen every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Characterize | Taragen |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (345 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/characterize-randomize-names/id706661890/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **345** | — |
| Positive reviews | 68.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 295 MB | 91 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Alexander Winn](https://appshunter.io/developer/652547902) | [Joshua Gale](https://appshunter.io/developer/1667163610) |

## 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


### Taragen

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/taragen-character-generator/id1667163608)

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro | $1.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Characterize free?

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

### Is Taragen free?

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

### Do Characterize or Taragen have ads?

Taragen shows ads; Characterize does not.

### Which is updated more often, Characterize or Taragen?

Characterize ships an update every 3 weeks, and Taragen every 5 weeks. Most recently, Characterize was updated on October 22, 2026 and Taragen on October 13, 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.*