Editor's Review
Cartoon avatars became a standard part of chat somewhere in the middle of the last decade, and Bitmoji is a large part of why. You build a character by choosing face shape, hair, skin tone, glasses and clothing, and the app converts that character into a long supply of stickers showing it laughing, sulking, waving, celebrating or reacting to whatever the conversation happens to need.
The avatar is the product, but the keyboard is what makes it useful day to day. With the Bitmoji keyboard enabled, your stickers become available inside most messaging apps on the phone and can be searched by mood or by word. Deeper integration exists with Snapchat, which shares an owner: the avatar appears on the Snap Map, in chat threads and on friend profiles. A wardrobe of licensed and seasonal outfits keeps the character worth revisiting.
Two things temper the appeal. The editor, generous as it is, still funnels everyone toward one house style, and some people never land on a likeness they are happy with, particularly where hair texture is concerned. The second issue is reach: Bitmoji shines inside apps that support it natively, and outside those you are pasting images into conversations, which feels less natural.
As a free download carrying a 4.46 average and more than a hundred million installs, it is a low-risk addition for anyone who messages constantly. Customisation runs deep enough to hold attention for an hour, and Friendmoji stickers that pair your character with a friend's remain one of the better small ideas in mobile messaging.
Features
Avatar builder covering face shape, hair, skin tone and expressions
Large sticker library featuring your own character
System keyboard that works inside most messaging apps
Friendmoji stickers pairing your avatar with a friend's
Wardrobe of outfits refreshed with seasonal and licensed items
Integration with Snapchat chat, profiles and the Snap Map
Avatar export for use as a profile picture elsewhere
Pros
Costs nothing, and no purchase is needed to build or use an avatar
Stickers reach other apps through the system keyboard
The editor is detailed enough for most people to reach a recognisable likeness
Sticker range covers a wide spread of moods and situations
Cons
The art style is fixed, so you adapt to it rather than the reverse
Full value only arrives if you also use Snapchat
