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Smile vs KCharSelect: catalog facts
Smile	KCharSelect
Best for: Linux users who type emoji often and want a dedicated picker	Best for: Linux users who need to insert symbols and look up Unicode characters
Free Free and open source under the GPL-3.0-or-later licence.	Free Free and open source under the GPL-2.0-or-later licence.
Linux	Linux
Installs on most distributions through Flathub Open source with a dedicated documentation site All 3 strengths for Smile Installs on most distributions through Flathub Open source with a dedicated documentation site Focused on one task	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
Linux only The homepage gives little detail about features	Linux only Fits best in a KDE Plasma desktop
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: GPL-3.0-or-later	License: GPL-2.0-or-later
Not stated if an account is needed	No account needed
Not stated if it works offline	Offline features available
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Smile smile.mijorus.it Catalog checked October 1, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for KCharSelect apps.kde.org/kcharselect Catalog checked October 1, 2026

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