Compare software

KCharSelect vs Characters: catalog facts
KCharSelect	Characters
Best for: Linux users who need to insert symbols and look up Unicode characters	Best for: Finding and copying special characters and emoji on a GNOME desktop
Free Free and open source under the GPL-2.0-or-later licence.	Free Free and open source under the GPL-2.0-or-later and BSD-3-Clause licences.
Linux	Linux
Search characters by Unicode name Shows aliases, notes and technical representations All 4 strengths for KCharSelect Search characters by Unicode name Shows aliases, notes and technical representations Unihan definitions and pronunciations for East Asian characters Regular releases through KDE Gear	Keyword search across Unicode characters Browse by category including emoji and math symbols All 3 strengths for Characters Keyword search across Unicode characters Browse by category including emoji and math symbols Actively maintained GNOME app
Linux only Fits best in a KDE Plasma desktop	Linux only Basic feature set aimed at lookup and copy
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: GPL-2.0-or-later	License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND BSD-3-Clause
No account needed	No account needed
Offline features available	Offline features available
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for KCharSelect apps.kde.org/kcharselect Catalog checked October 1, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Characters apps.gnome.org/Characters Catalog checked October 1, 2026

“Not stated” means we have not confirmed it. Features can vary by device and plan.