SwiftKey vs Gboard: That is the very best Android keyboard in my opinion

Final 12 months, I wrote an article in regards to the Android apps I like to recommend to non-techies. In that piece, my keyboard decide was Gboard, due to its ease of use. Nonetheless, not each reader agreed with me, and a few talked about a reputation I hadn’t heard (or used) in years: SwiftKey.

I used to be as soon as an avid SwiftKey consumer, choosing the revolutionary keyboard early in my Android journey over Google’s less complicated default possibility. The attract of the extra environment friendly and sensibly designed Google various finally drew me away as I upgraded to extra polished units. However, provided that we’ve simply began a brand new 12 months, might the reverse be true? May SwiftKey problem Gboard on my units going ahead?

Effectively, all of the indicators had been there. I haven’t reviewed my keyboard selection in fairly some time, apart from a short flirtation with the open-source various HeliBoard. I even have an affinity for Microsoft’s Android apps, together with the good Launcher and Cellphone Hyperlink.

I’m all the time up for brand new experiences, so I put in SwiftKey, relegated Gboard to the bench, and began typing. Now that I’m a couple of week into my journey, I’ve a couple of urgent objects to debate.

There’s maybe purpose why I’ve caught with Gboard for therefore lengthy. In case you personal an outdated however nonetheless purposeful pair of trainers that you just discover infinitely snug and that helped you hit private targets, you seemingly wouldn’t need to swap to one thing new, proper? That’s the place I discovered myself with Google’s keyboard. I’ve grown used to its responses to faucets and swipes, the general structure, the location of its buttons, the dimensions of the keyboard on my display, and its look. Utilizing it’s a matter of muscle reminiscence, so switching to one thing new and giving it a good shot would take time and relearning.

Naturally, after I modified my default to SwiftKey simply after the brand new 12 months, it was a jarring expertise. Practically two weeks later, I’m nonetheless getting used to its idiosyncrasies, however the app’s broad settings array undoubtedly helped ease me into it.

Gboard is prescriptive, imposing a lot of its performance and design on customers. SwiftKey is way extra accommodating. So far as aesthetics go, it features a broader array of themes and theming choices. I a lot desire its Fluent Dynamic theme, which matches my telephone’s general shade profile, over Gboard’s Materials-adjacent various. Whereas I don’t notably like masking my keyboard with patterns and transparency, this selection is out there to SwiftKey customers.

Then there are the important thing choices; SwiftKey completely trounces Gboard on this regard. Whereas Google’s keyboard contains a whole Edit display that provides me fast entry to the arrow keys, SwiftKey lets me place these keys beneath the keyboard itself. When the cursor struggles to land precisely the place I need it to in a sentence after I faucet the display, I depend on these buttons to simply and shortly soar to the letter or phrase I need to edit. It has grow to be a core a part of my day by day typing routine. Though this inclusion means SwiftKey occupies extra of my display than I would love, it’s a small value to pay for the advantages.

Customizations are one factor, however do they really imply improved typing efficiency over Gboard? Effectively, not initially. I couldn’t fairly stand SwiftKey within the first few days of utilizing it, and needed to power myself to maintain utilizing it. However, finally, after experimenting with the button placements and keyboard dimension, I’ve grown much more snug with precisely touchdown faucets on Microsoft’s keyboard.

That mentioned, SwiftKey’s predictive smarts and swipe-typing efficiency path Gboard by a substantial margin.

To be truthful, SwiftKey does provide some nifty suggestion options. It suggests a number of phrases in a single field, which is especially helpful when formulating shorter sentences. As a real-world instance, I typically inform my higher half that I’m leaving our house when she’s at work. So after I sort “Leaving,” SwiftKey suggests “Leaving the.” It’s a minor instance, however given how typically it gives these two-word ideas, the general time financial savings grow to be vital in the long term.

Moreover, I perceive that SwiftKey permits customers to swipe a number of phrases in a single gesture, however this has by no means labored reliably for me. Usually, I are inclined to sort each phrase reasonably than swipe them, so this didn’t have an effect on me that a lot.

A function I’ve realized to worth considerably is SwiftKey’s clipboard administration. I can simply save total strings right here for fast insertion in a message later. I’ve not fairly pushed this explicit function to its limits but, however I do plan to hone it additional as my typing journey continues.

Lastly, I need to contact on one main shortcoming that customers of huge tech keyboards have talked about: privateness.

One of many many points with Gboard is the apparent Google connection. Those that worth their privateness might not need to use a keyboard made by an organization that has a style for consumer knowledge. Effectively, SwiftKey isn’t precisely exempt from this both. It’s a Microsoft property, so you’ll be able to anticipate loads of Copilot-led AI options baked into it. For what it’s value, I didn’t discover any of those actually helpful. The one time I ever refine my writing is when drafting emails. I don’t want Copilot to help right here, nor do I need it to problem my textual content as queries. I’d a lot sooner use a standalone AI chatbot app for this. Fortunately, Microsoft does make it extra obvious that you may shut off these options when you so need.

In case you don’t need to log in to the keyboard together with your Microsoft account, you don’t should. Don’t need to use the Rewards function? Don’t hassle. For an additional layer of safety, you’ll be able to even take away all permissions, and SwiftKey will largely work with out a lot fuss.

In fact, when you’re taking de-Googling extra critically, you must contemplate an open-source keyboard. As I discussed within the intro, Heliboard is effectively value contemplating.

Whereas I often soar between varied Android apps in a number of genres, I not often swap up my keyboard. In consequence, I’ve been tied to Gboard for almost all of the previous decade. However, after utilizing SwiftKey for the previous two weeks, I can simply see myself adopting it for the remainder of the month, if not the 12 months.

SwiftKey gives loads of customization choices, together with small but vital options that enhance my typing expertise. Regardless of Microsoft’s finest efforts to wreck it with useless AI injections, you’ll be able to deactivate these with relative ease.

Is SwiftKey higher than Gboard? That basically relies upon. In case you’re reliant on a keyboard that integrates Google’s varied merchandise, gives correct predictive smarts, and gives that acquainted feeling, Gboard is the ticket. However I do consider SwiftKey has a a lot greater ceiling when you get used to its quirks.