Most people don’t need to change the keyboard on their phone because it does everything they need. But some people want more ways to customise, more features, or something that not everyone needs. Enter the Android keyboard made by a third party. Over the years, these have changed a lot for the better. But most of the more interesting companies that used to compete in this space went out of business. We also lost Swype because it shut down, and TouchPal because it was linked to malware.
Most people either use the keyboard that came with their phone or Gboard or SwiftKey. This area is just not as competitive as it used to be, so there aren’t as many choices as there used to be. Here are the best Android keyboards that are not made by Google.
also read: best android apps available
The best Android keyboards for all types of typists
- 1C Big Keyboard
- AI.Type
- Facemoji Emoji Keyboard
- Fleksy
- Gboard
- Grammarly
- Microsoft SwiftKey
- Multiling O Keyboard
- OpenBoard
- Simple Keyboard
- Yandex Keyboard
best Android keyboards
1C Big Keyboard
Price: Free / $1.99 per month / $9 once
1C Big Keyboard is a little bit different from other things. It’s a keyboard that’s made to be big and has bigger fonts for older people and other people whose eyesight may be getting worse. By default, it takes up most of the screen, but you can swipe up to make the keyboard take up the whole screen if you need to. There are also some customization options and bigger keys that make it easier to type without making mistakes. It can sometimes be a little slow, and we’d like it better if it were optimised more, at least for lower-end devices. If not, it’s a good choice for people over 50.
AI.Type
Price: Free / $2.99
AI. Type has been around for a while, and it’s still a great keyboard. There are thousands of themes, hundreds of emoji, and a lot of ways to customise the app. You can even make your own theme and share it. It is easy to use because you can swipe to type, use your voice to type, and more. The keyboard does everything. In practise, it’s not as good as something like Gboard. The swipe doesn’t always get the right word, and it feels a little bit more clunky. You do get used to it, but swipe-typists might want something a bit more accurate.
Facemoji Emoji Keyboard
Price: Free with in-app purchases
Fleksy
Price: Free / Up to $2.99
Gboard
Price: Free
Grammarly
Price: Free
Grammarly is one of the more recent keyboard apps for Android. It began as an extension for Chrome that fixed your grammar as you typed. The goal of the Android keyboard version is the same. It checks your punctuation, grammar, and spelling. Since it’s newer, a lot of work is still being done on it. We hope that future updates will add more features. You still get a keyboard that looks very clean and helps you fix grammar mistakes. We also like that it can explain why you made a mistake so that you can learn from it. The only bad thing about the app is that it has some typing bugs that we wish the developers would fix, since some of them have been around for a while. The app is free, and when it works right, it does help.
Microsoft SwiftKey
Price: Free
SwiftKey is without a doubt one of the best keyboards for Android ever. It has the best prediction and autocorrection, as well as gesture typing, cloud syncing so that all of your devices are always up to date, themes, a number row, and more. It also has above-average language support, as it can be used in more than 100 languages. Most of the themes cost money, but the keyboard and all of its features are free. Microsoft bought the keyboard a few years ago, but it still works the same as it did before. The app is also free of charge.
Multiling O Keyboard
Price: Free
OpenBoard
Price: Free
Simple Keyboard
Price: Free
Simple Keyboard is the Android keyboard with the fewest features. Only the basics are included. This includes the keyboard, a few settings for personalising the device, and a few themes. The only permission it has is to vibrate, which lets you feel what you’re typing. This is the one you should get if all you need is a simple keyboard. It also has no ads, no paid version, no in-app purchases, and is open-source.
As far as permissions go, it only needs the bare minimum. Just make sure you don’t mind that it doesn’t have the features of a newer keyboard. This one is even easier to use than OpenBoard, so you’ll have to decide which one you prefer.
Yandex Keyboard
Price: Free
Yandex Keyboard is a keyboard that works. It has all the usual modern features, like a lot of stickers and emoji. There is also a voice input and support for 70 languages. Users who speak more than one language can use the built-in translator. You also get a heme builder and auto correct. The app says it uses machine learning to learn how you type, so it gets smarter the more you use it. All the boxes seem to be checked, and it worked well in our tests. But Yandex is a Russian company, which doesn’t make a lot of people trust it. We put this as the 11th choice on a list of ten because the keyboard works very well, but if privacy is important to you, you might want to skip this one.
If we missed any of the best Android keyboards, tell us about them in the comments! don’t forget to share it with your friends.