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iPhone Best Keyboard?

Best Keyboard?

  • Swype

    Votes: 97 22.9%

  • Fleksy

    Votes: 29 6.8%

  • TouchPal

    Votes: 21 5.0%

  • Swiftkey

    Votes: 263 62.0%

  • Minuum

    Votes: 14 3.3%
  • Total voters
    424
I like the stock keyboard, and the stock keyboard only. Swiping out messages is too much of a hassle, I can type 50-60 WPM on the stock keyboard, and autocorrect is a godsend. Also, since I can type at that speed, predictive text is completely useless. I can type far faster than the keyboard can predict words for me. I'm really happy for those who want to change their keyboard though, I just don't find it useful for me at all. Also, the stock keyboard just looks the best to me as well! Only thing I wish is that I could change whether it was a dark or a light keyboard, like it was in iOS 7.1 beta 1 and or 2. Can't remember when that accessibility setting was removed.
 
Why do the keyboards require full access? Can the developer see what you type? If so how?
 
XTheLancerX said:
I like the stock keyboard, and the stock keyboard only. Swiping out messages is too much of a hassle, I can type 50-60 WPM on the stock keyboard, and autocorrect is a godsend. Also, since I can type at that speed, predictive text is completely useless. I can type far faster than the keyboard can predict words for me. I'm really happy for those who want to change their keyboard though, I just don't find it useful for me at all. Also, the stock keyboard just looks the best to me as well! Only thing I wish is that I could change whether it was a dark or a light keyboard, like it was in iOS 7.1 beta 1 and or 2. Can't remember when that accessibility setting was removed.
Click to expand...

It's funny, when I made this thread I thought swiping was such a relief but now I much rather prefer the stock keyboard. I would just like to have the choice of changing the keyboard to different colors if I could. It is a hassle swiping back and forth, much easier to just type it out.
 
Have used Swype, Swiftkey and Fleksy. None are perfect, and none aren't buggy. None of them stay there when you open texts or mail but that wasn't my main gripe. You have to learn a whole new routine and even the return key on Fleksy was annoying me because of position and being so used to standard keyboard. I've probably given up now and have resorted to original Apple keyboard. It's just easier all in all and I think the others are more gimmicky than being a proper workhorse for me. If pushed I preferred Fleksy but the swiping up and down to correct the words got on my nerves after a while. If you've not tried any then do. It's a learning curve. But after trying 3 different ones. I'm out.

I'd like standard keyboard with a row of numbers on top and in black please. Anyone know of any with number row up top?
 
I'm still deciding between Swype and SwiftKey. Currently I think Swype has a slight edge, but I'll give both a few updates before I definitively choose one.
 
Touchpal seems to be the underrated one but Ive found it the best, at least on ipad. Swiping around actually works and themes are great. The layout takes getting used to but I like how you can hold down on curtain keys for extra functions and such.
 
Agent-P said:
I have been messing around with TouchPal recently and it is intriguing. But I haven't tried using it full time yet. Maybe I'll give it a chance. I've only heard good things about it.
Click to expand...

I tried Swype first (used it exclusively on Android) and it sucks on iOS. Swiftkey is really good and reliable, and had been using it on the iPhone 6 since it had come out, but TouchPal just put all these iOS keyboards to shame.

The number keys and punctuation keys with long press or swiping makes this keyboard very similar to what you would get on Android. And this is the only keyboard on iOS I can say that about.
 
Lloydbm41 said:
I tried Swype first (used it exclusively on Android) and it sucks on iOS. Swiftkey is really good and reliable, and had been using it on the iPhone 6 since it had come out, but TouchPal just put all these iOS keyboards to shame.

The number keys and punctuation keys with long press or swiping makes this keyboard very similar to what you would get on Android. And this is the only keyboard on iOS I can say that about.
Click to expand...

I felt the same way about Swype. It was great on android but on iOS it currently isn't that great. SwiftKey is pretty good too, but still not on par with the android version. TouchPal managed to to add quite a few great features from the get go. I've never used the android version though so I can't compare it.
 
Safe or not?

So... I gather it's safe to use one of the third party keyboards? Logins etc revert to the Apple keyboard. So that means that the third-party keyboard developers cannot see what we have typed on the Apple keyboard?
Why the disclaimer then?
I have read through the thread and even posted a similar question, but not with a thurough or satisfactory reply. I'm still worried to try this feature out. I do bank and pay bills on my iPad.
 
ron7624 said:
So... I gather it's safe to use one of the third party keyboards? Logins etc revert to the Apple keyboard. So that means that the third-party keyboard developers cannot see what we have typed on the Apple keyboard?
Why the disclaimer then?
I have read through the thread and even posted a similar question, but not with a thurough or satisfactory reply. I'm still worried to try this feature out. I do bank and pay bills on my iPad.
Click to expand...

I have had no issues. For sensitive data entry such as passwords and the like, it reverts back to the stock keyboard. I'm still unsure why keyboards require you to grant them full access but I know Touchpal works perfectly without the need to do this which is why I recommend it for a custom keyboard.
 
Donka said:
I have had no issues. For sensitive data entry such as passwords and the like, it reverts back to the stock keyboard. I'm still unsure why keyboards require you to grant them full access but I know Touchpal works perfectly without the need to do this which is why I recommend it for a custom keyboard.
Click to expand...

I'm assuming it's so they can compare what you type with your social network accounts, etc, to offer more tailored predictions?

----------

I'm really liking Adaptxt, the Glide feature combined with custom shortcuts is a god send (for example I have my email address assigned to the e key, so a glide from the 123 button to e auto-inserts my email address.

It also looks somewhat like the stock keyboard, and has custom dictionaries for things like sport, business, legal, medical, etc, in various locales.
 
Adaptxt's global HQ is based in the same business park as me in Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
 
Scribble for the win!!!
 

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I'm on SwiftKey, but I have to say that it's not nearly as stable or useful as it is on Android. On Android you can choose from several keyboard layouts, including putting the numbers in a 3x3 grid on either the left or right side. And I find that sometimes it becomes totally unresponsive and I have to force-quit the app (usually Messages) just to get it working again.

Also, it keeps reverting back to the stock keyboard for whatever reason, and I don't just mean in password fields (I know it's supposed to do that) - it just does it randomly, and then doesn't show up in the keyboard switcher options until I cycle through them all at least once.

I know opening things up to third parties will always have some kinks to work out at first, but I hope they sort it out sooner rather than later, because Android is eating Apple's lunch when it comes to stuff like this.
 
Is there any keyboard that allows voice dictation like the native one? My perfect keyboard (in order of priority) would:

- Have a voice dictation feature
- Utilize my keyboard shortcuts (I know some of them are starting to do that, which is great since I have about 300 shortcuts)
- Have numbers on the top row (or a customizable top row)
- Have left/right cursors
- Be able to swype

Anyone know if there is anything out there that comes close?
 
RMSko said:
Is there any keyboard that allows voice dictation like the native one? My perfect keyboard (in order of priority) would:

- Have a voice dictation feature
- Utilize my keyboard shortcuts (I know some of them are starting to do that, which is great since I have about 300 shortcuts)
- Have numbers on the top row (or a customizable top row)
- Have left/right cursors
- Be able to swype

Anyone know if there is anything out there that comes close?
Click to expand...

1.Voice dictation is not allowed (via Apple regulations, keyboards are not able to access the microphone).

2.Touchpal claims it does this, though I have not gotten it to work yet.

3.Touchpal allows you to swipe up from the top row to get numbers (love this feature).

4. Not sure about that one. None that I have found.

5. Touchpal, swype, swiftkey


After touchpal's latest update, I actually really enjoy using it. They've worked out a lot of kinks and the keyboard is quite usable now. It's a little big still on my 4s but I can deal.
 
Just tested out TouchPal for a bit. It is very nice, but the swiping feels a little slow. There is a slight delay between when I finish swiping and the word appears. Is anyone else experiencing this too?
 
Last edited:
Agent-P said:
Just tested out TouchPal for a bit. It is very nice, but the swiping feels a little slow. There is a slight delay between when I finish swiping and the word appears. Is anyone else experiencing this too?
Click to expand...

It feels instant to me on my iPhone 5 and my iPad Air as I write this.
 
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