Compare software

KCharSelect vs PopChar: catalog facts
KCharSelect	PopChar
Best for: Linux users who need to insert symbols and look up Unicode characters	Best for: Designers and writers who regularly insert special characters and symbols
Free Free and open source under the GPL-2.0-or-later licence.	Paid Paid licence from Ergonis, with a downloadable version to try.
Linux	Windows, macOS
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	Search characters by name or by shape Shows Unicode code points and HTML entities All 4 strengths for PopChar Search characters by name or by shape Shows Unicode code points and HTML entities Works system-wide in any application Supports ligatures and complex characters
Linux only Fits best in a KDE Plasma desktop	Paid software No Linux version
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Not open source
License: GPL-2.0-or-later	License not stated
No account needed	Not stated if an account is 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 PopChar ergonis.com/en/popchar Catalog checked October 2, 2026

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