Picrew Alternatives: 7 Character Makers (+ 3D You)

Picrew alternatives at a glance

Picrew excels at layered 2D art, but clicking through Japanese text or static image rolls gets old fast. If you want fresh art styles, an iOS app, or a character that moves with you, other makers cover that better.

Full disclosure: we make Bobble, which is in this guide. We tell you who each app fits, including when it’s not us.

1. Bitmoji

Bitmoji is the classic cartoon avatar maker tied directly to Snapchat and your phone keyboard. You build your likeness feature by feature or start from a quick camera scan.

Best for: People who want hundreds of instant sticker reactions to send in messages.

The app offers deep clothing partnerships, seasonal drops, and instant keyboard integration across iOS. If you want more choices beyond Snap, check out our guide to Bitmoji alternatives.

Watch out: Your avatar is tied to fixed sticker poses rather than a standalone posing tool.

Platforms: iOS, Android, Web. Price: Free with optional paid cosmetic drops. Minimum age: 13.

Get Bitmoji on the App Store

2. Apple Memoji

Apple Memoji turns your face into an animated 3D character directly inside iOS. It uses the TrueDepth camera to mirror your real facial expressions, head tilts, and tongue movements in real time.

Best for: iPhone owners who want expressive stickers and animated video messages without downloading extra software.

You can customize skin tones, hairstyles, piercings, and headwear, and it saves right to your system keyboard so you can drop stickers into iMessage, WhatsApp, or Instagram stories without leaving the conversation. Use your character as a mask during FaceTime calls too.

Watch out: You cannot export your character as an open 3D model file, and it only works on Apple devices.

Platforms: iOS, iPadOS. Price: Free built-in feature. Minimum age: 13.

Visit Apple

3. charat.me

Charat is a Japanese browser-based avatar site that feels closest to Picrew’s indie roots. It specializes in anime, chibi, and pixel characters with dozens of themed generators.

Best for: Fans of anime dress-up games who want cute 2D icons without installing an app.

The generators let you tweak hair layers, eyes, outfits, and color palettes through an easy icon menu. Unlike Picrew, Charat builds its own internal engines, so navigation feels consistent across different generators.

Watch out: The website features heavy banner ads, and some tooltips remain in Japanese.

Platforms: Web browser. Price: Free. Minimum age: 13.

Visit charat.me

4. Dollify

Dollify lets you create soft, big-eyed portrait illustrations that look like collectible figurines. You tap through curated categories to pick hairstyles, glasses, freckles, and clothing.

Best for: Cute, aesthetic profile pictures with smooth lighting and minimal effort.

The final render looks clean and high-resolution. It takes under five minutes to build a portrait that feels polished enough for Instagram or Discord.

Watch out: The free tier limits your saved slots and locks many premium accessories behind a paywall.

Platforms: iOS, Android. Price: Free with in-app purchase unlocks. Minimum age: 13.

Get Dollify on the App Store

Where Bobble fits

Most Picrew alternatives leave your character trapped in your camera roll. Bobble turns one selfie into a 3D bobblehead that actually hangs out with your crew. It lives at the top of your iPhone on the Lock Screen, widgets, or the Dynamic Island on iPhone 14 Pro and newer, so friends see real-time statuses like school, gym, or vibing to music instead of a map pin.

Best for: A close crew who wants to feel together without a feed.

Watch out: Your friends need the app too, and Bobble is currently in public beta on TestFlight, not on the App Store yet.

Try it: make your Bobble →

5. VRoid Studio

VRoid Studio is a deep 3D anime character creator developed by Pixiv. You can sculpt hair by drawing strands, customize face geometry, and texture clothes from scratch.

Best for: Aspiring VTubers, animators, and creators who need a fully rigged 3D model.

The software exports directly to standard VRM files. That means you can take your avatar into 3D worlds, Unity games, and tracking software. For creators exploring full virtual worlds, check out our roundup of apps like Zepeto.

Watch out: The desktop software has a real learning curve compared to standard 2D dress-up sites.

Platforms: iOS, Android, PC, Mac. Price: Free. Minimum age: 13.

Get VRoid Mobile on the App Store

6. Square Face Generator

Square Face Generator is a web-based tool focused on retro pixel avatars. You mix and match blocky hair, retro sunglasses, and 8-bit outfits on a square grid.

Best for: Retro gaming fans and gamers who want a nostalgic 8-bit profile picture.

Because the canvas is tiny, you avoid analysis paralysis. It produces lightweight PNG files that look crisp as tiny Discord icons or Steam profile photos.

Watch out: You cannot adjust detailed angles or lighting; everything remains locked to a flat pixel grid.

Platforms: Web browser. Price: Free. Minimum age: 13.

Visit Canva

7. Avataaars

Avataaars is an open-source vector avatar generator created by Fang-Pen Lin. It produces flat, modern cartoon characters with colorful clothes, simple expressions, and graphic line art.

Best for: Clean, minimalist icons for group chats, portfolios, or school projects.

You can generate characters randomly or tweak hair, skin, clothes, and facial hair by hand. Because it renders scalable vector graphics, your final image stays pin-sharp at any size.

Watch out: The style is very minimalist and lacks the edgy or painterly details found on Picrew.

Platforms: Web browser. Price: Free. Minimum age: 13.

Visit Avataaars

How to pick a character maker

1. Art style

If you love hand-drawn anime lines, stick to browser makers like charat.me. If you prefer glossy modern designs, Memoji or Dollify will give you a cleaner aesthetic without manual drawing.

2. 2D image vs. 3D model

Flat 2D makers are fast and produce great static icons for group chats or forum profile pictures. If you want a character that responds to your phone activity, look into a 3D avatar that updates its mood and status across the day.

3. Commercial and personal usage rights

Picrew creators set individual license terms for every single image maker. Some forbid using images as stream icons or header banners. Official apps like Bitmoji, Memoji, and open-source tools like Avataaars give you clear terms for personal online use.

4. What you want to use it for

Decide whether you want an icon to sit quietly in your gallery or something that helps you stay connected. If you just need a fun matching graphic for your group, browse our trio matching PFPs. If you want a living figure that shows your friends when you are studying, sleeping, or out, pick a live tool designed for your phone screen.