Apple’s iOS, as we all know, is not the most user-friendly OS when it comes to customization. However, things are not as bad they used to be and you can now customize certain things in the OS including the default keyboard. The support for keyboard customization was first introduced with iOS 8, which means there are a ton of different third-party keyboards available on the App Store. But the question is – which third-party iOS keyboard should you use on your iPhone and iPad? Well, we’ve handpicked some of the best ones for you so here are the 15 best third-party iOS keyboard apps for iPhone and iPad, you should use in 2020.
Note: If you don’t want to use third-party keyboards, here are some tips you can use to improve typing on iOS 13.
Best iOS Keyboard Apps for iPhone and iPad in 2020
Before we dive into the alternatives, let’s take a quick look at how to enable third-party keyboards on iOS as not many users are familiar with it.
How to Use Third-Party Keyboards on iOS
All the iPhones and iPads ship with the stock iOS keyboard. In order to add more, you’ll have to install them first from the App Store. We have given the download links for each and every keyboard suggestions in our list, so don’t worry about that. Once you’ve installed a keyboard app, you can add them by first going to Settings –> General –> Keyboard.
Here, go to Keyboards –> Add New Keyboard. Now, simply choose the ones you want to use.
After you’ve added the new keyboards, just make sure that you give those keyboards full access. As a side note, don’t add too many additional keyboards because switching between them is a little inconvenient. We would suggest you pick two of your favorite ones from the list and stick to them. Anyway, let’s check out the list now, shall we?
Note: All the keyboards suggested in this article are compatible with all the iOS devices including the new iPhone, iPad, and iPod running on iOS 9.0 or later. The keyboards are listed in no particular order.
1. Gboard
Gboard is not only one of the best keyboards for Android users, but it’s also very popular among many iPhone and iPad users. The best part of using Gboard is the fact that it integrates Google Search, which means you can search for a place, articles, images or GIFs or even an emoji and share it instantly to the person you are talking to, without you have to leave the app you are in. Additionally, the keyboard also brings all the awesome features like glide/swipe/gesture typing, handwriting input, Google-powered voice dictation, AI-assisted predictions, and more. The keyboard was also updated recently with new features like the ability to create your GIFs, stickers, etc. Overall, Gboard is one of the best keyboards that you can use on your iOS device.
Install: Free
2. SwiftKey Keyboard
SwiftKey keyboard has been around for a long time. It is one of the go-to apps that a lot of users install first on their new smartphones, and rightfully so. What makes SwiftKey keyboard stand out from other keyboards is its highly efficient autocorrect feature which is based on artificial intelligence. SwiftKey keyboard learns from your typing habits to provide better text predictions. Much like Gboard, you can also use SwiftKey to type faster by simply swiping on the keys instead of tapping them. SwiftKey also offers a ton of themes with which you can customize the look and feel of your keyboard. Additionally, SwiftKey also supports over 90 languages and comes with GIF support to make your conversations more interesting.
Install: Free, in-app purchases
3. Grammarly Keyboard
If you are a grammar nazi, and absolutely hate sending messages or emails with typos, then Grammarly keyboard is the way to go. The keyboard comes with Grammarly’s effective spell checker and grammar checker functionalities that work very well. The Grammarly keyboard itself looks very minimal, and it is very simple to use. It can scan the entire text with just a tap of a button, and come up with contextual grammar errors, spelling errors, and suggestions. The keyboard is very effective when you are typing, say, an official email or some business documents. Grammarly also lets you add words to your personal dictionary, and lets you choose between American, Australian, British or Canadian English as your preferred language.
Install: Free, in-app purchases
4. Fleksy Keyboard
Flesky is the only keyboard in this list that allows you to use extensions, to make typing a hassle-free task. You can take advantages of these extensions to browse things like YouTube, Spotify, and more. Heck, you can also do a quick web search and pull out relevant links without having to leave the app you are in. Fleksy, just like other keyboards in the list, has a ton of options like GIF support, Stickers, Memes, and more. Fleksy also lets you tap and hold the space bar button to move your cursor and make changes. The ability to use the space bar as a cursor was only introduced recently in the stock iOS keyboard. The Fleksy app offers a lot of customization options like the ability to change the keyboard size, themes, and more.
Install: Free, in-app purchases
5. Color Keyboard
If you value customizability over everything then Color Keyboard is the right keyboard app for you. The app allows you to create colorful keyboard themes and change backgrounds, button colors, keypress colors, and fonts. You can not only customize the text but also the function buttons. It supports more than 40 languages and gives you quick access to emojis. It also retains the smart cursor feature of the iOS 13 keyboard (tap and hold the space bar), allowing you to quickly move the insertion point. Other features include quick deletion, quick theme changing capabilities, accurate typing, and more.
Install: Free, in-app purchases
6. GIF Keyboard by Tenor
GIF Keyboard by Tenor is one of my favorite iOS keyboard apps. It allows me to quickly search for gifs and share them with my contacts on any messaging app. But the best part is not the gifs themselves but the ease with which this app allows me to search for them. It brings a great browsing and search experience. You can create favorite lists to quickly access the gifs that you like. You can upload your own gifs if you want. A unique feature of this app is that it allows you to add text and stickers on top of gifs. You can even create your own gifs using the cameras on your iPhone. Basically, this is a one-stop solution for all your gif needs. And it’s totally free to use.
Install: Free
7. RainbowKey
Some people prefer emojis more than words and for them, I present the RainbowKey keyboard. The app gives you access to more than 5000 new, and animated, 3D emojis and stickers. You can search for these emojis and stickers or create your own custom keyboards with your favorite emojis. You can also decorate your keyboard with more than 40 fonts and pictures. If you are not in the mood for creating your own keyboards, you can use built-in themes that look gorgeous. Other features include the handy swipe typing interface, one-handed typing support, emoji prediction, emoji skin-tone customization, and more. If you love emojis, you are going to enjoy this iOS keyboard app.
Install: Free, in-app purchases
8. FancyKey
FancyKey is a keyboard app that strikes the right balance between customizability and power. If you are looking for a fully customizable keyboard that also brings normal keyboard features such as auto-correct, emoji, fonts, and more, this is the app for you. It brings an excellent swipe-typing experience. You get to choose from more than 50 themes and 100 colors to customize your keyboard. My favorite feature is the built-in emoji art option that lets you create nicely crafted Emoji compositions. If you like what you read here, click on the link below to check it out right now.
Install: Free, in-app purchases
9. Better Fonts Keyboard
Though other keyboards mentioned in this list like TouchPal, lets you change the font, Better Fonts Keyboard is probably the one to get if you want to go crazy with text art. Better Fonts has one of the greatest collection of fonts, and it lets you choose them easily with just a tap of a button. You can use Better Fonts keyboard to send text messages with text art over any messaging platform. They even work well on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more. There are a total of 118 fonts to choose from, out of which a handful of fonts are paid. You can choose to buy the paid ones for as low as $1.99 each or unlock all of them for $19.99. Better Fonts keyboard has over 5 million downloads and it is one of the top-rated keyboards on the App Store.
Install: Free
10. WordBoard
Here’s a keyboard app that takes quick typing to the next level. If you are tired of typing same words and phrases again and again, you should install WordBoard. The app lets you create personal custom keyboard for phrases and responses. You can create and insert snippets, templates, phrases, and more with a tap of the keyboard. It’s great for people who like triage their emails on iPhone. Keep those email responses handy and insert them within seconds. It’s a different but useful keyboard. You should check it out.
Install: Free, in-app purchases
11. Bitmoji
Although you can send Bitmojis via Gboard on Android, the easiest way to send Bitmojis on iOS is with Bitmoji keyboard. The Bitmoji keyboard is unlike anything you’ve used before. Instead of alphabets and numerals, Bitmoji keyboard comes with, well, Bitmoji. You can simply search for the ones you want to use and hit send. In order to use Bitmoji, you’ll either have to sign in your Snapchat account or sign up for a new one to get started. The Bitmoji keyboard has a growing list of expressive avatars, and you sure find the right Bitmoji to match your mood. The keyboard is also very easy to use and you can log in to your account from right within the keyboard.
Install: Free
12. Blink
If you are using the smaller iPhone 11 Pro or the new iPhone SE, chances are that you value one-handed usability more than anything. Well then, let me suggest the perfect keyboard for you. Blink is one of the best keyboards apps for one-handed users. The app lets you easily resize the keyboard for one-handed use. It features a powerful auto-correct feature that learns from your typing pattern and corrects the words as you type. It also lets you enter customizable keyboard shortcuts. For example, you can set keyboard shortcuts for most typed things such as email addresses, phone numbers, and more. And finally, it offers a good selection of themes letting you customize the look and feel of the keyboard. Overall, it’s a great third-party keyboard app for iPhone and iPad and you are going to enjoy using it.
Install: Free, in-app purchases
13. GIPHY
GIPHY is a fun iOS keyboard app that lets you send GIF images to convey your messages. The keyboard uses GIPHY’s huge repository of GIFs, so you’ll never run out of images to send. GIPHY has also added the ability to make customized GIFs and stickers, and it makes it using the keyboard that much fun. Unlike other GIF-enabled keyboards on the market, GIPHY is highly optimized for iOS devices. So loading a lot of GIF images won’t make your iPhone slow. In addition to using the GIPHY keyboard for sending fun images, you can also use this keyboard to upload your content from within the keyboard. If you love sending GIF images, then GIPHY keyboard is a must-have option. The keyboard comes bundled the GIPHY app, so you don’t even have to install a separate app to use the keyboard.
Install: Free
14. Phraseboard Keyboard
If you are someone who doesn’t like to send text messages and is sick of typing the same responses time and again, then the Phraseboard is the perfect keyboard for you. The Phraseboard, as you can see, is not a full-fledged keyboard. Instead, consider it as a tool that lets you send pre-written text responses that are categorized for ease of use. Let’s say I want to go out for lunch with a colleague. Now, instead of typing the entire message, I can simply tap the phrase that’s already saved and send it in a jiffy. Easy, right? In addition to the ones that are bundled with the keyboard, you can also create your own phrases and save them. All your new phrases will be saved to the cloud, so you don’t have to worry about re-doing all of them again if you uninstall the app.
Install: Free, in-app purchases
15. Typeeto
Last, but not the least, we have Typeeto, which is little different than any other keyboards in this list. It’s essentially an app that’s designed for your mac. Yes, it turns your Mac’s keyboard into a Bluetooth keyboard, which you can use with your iPad, iPhone, etc. In addition to iPads and iPhones, you can use Typeeto with other devices like Android phones, gaming consoles, and Apple TV as well. The best part of Typeeto is that you don’t have to install any other apps on your other devices. All you need to do is connect the device to your mac, and you are good to go. It is, however, pointing out that Typeeto isn’t available for free.
Install: $19.99
Which is Your Favorite Third-Party iOS Keyboard App?
Well, those were some of our favorite third-party keyboards for iOS devices. Do you use any third-party iOS keyboard for your iPhone or iPad? Which one is your favorite? Please share your views using the comment section below. Also, if we missed a keyboard app that you just love, drop its name and we will check it out.
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