In This Article
Android keyboards split into three camps: AI-assisted (Gboard with Gemini, SwiftKey with Copilot), privacy-first (Fleksy, OpenBoard, Florisboard), and free utility (Samsung Keyboard, Pixel Keyboard, the FOSS options). The honest 2026 question is not which keyboard is best universally, but which camp your priorities fit into.
We tested ten Android keyboards over two months on Pixel 8, Galaxy S24, and OnePlus 12 across email, messaging, and code-adjacent typing. Each pick names the priority it serves best.
If you only have ten minutes, the verdict block names the picks for each priority. The at-a-glance table summarizes everything.
TL;DR
The pick: Gboard for most Android users; the Gemini integration is now genuinely useful.
Privacy-first alternative: Fleksy for on-device typing or OpenBoard / Florisboard for open-source FOSS users.
Skip if: You are happy with your manufacturer keyboard (Samsung Keyboard, Pixel Keyboard). Switching adds friction without clear gain.
1. Gboard (Google)
Best for: The Android default; the Gemini integration moved it forward.
Score: 9.3/10.
Gboard’s 2026 update integrated Gemini smart-compose, smart-reply, and on-device emoji suggestion. Voice-to-text on Pixel 7 and newer runs on-device via the Tensor chip; on other phones it uses cloud transcription.
Free, ad-free, bundled. Cross-device sync via Google account.
- Gemini smart-compose and smart-reply
- On-device voice-to-text on Pixel
- Massive language support
Where it falls short: Cloud-based features require account-level data flow that some users find uncomfortable.
Pricing: Free.
2. Microsoft SwiftKey (with Copilot)
Best for: Copilot integration plus deep emoji history.
Score: 8.7/10.
SwiftKey’s 2025 Copilot integration lets you trigger AI text generation from inside any text field. Strong for replies that would otherwise require a copy-paste round trip with the Copilot app.
Free with optional Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription for full features.
- Copilot text generation inside any text field
- Cross-device sync with Microsoft account
- Strong emoji history
Where it falls short: Microsoft data flow may be a concern for some users.
Pricing: Free / Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription.
3. Fleksy
Best for: Privacy-first on-device keyboard.
Score: 8.4/10.
Fleksy runs fully on-device. No cloud uploads of keystrokes, no account required, no telemetry beyond crash reports. Gesture typing is fast.
Free with optional Fleksy+ for themes and extensions.
- Fully on-device prediction
- No account required
- Fast gesture typing
Where it falls short: No AI features beyond on-device prediction. Theme catalog smaller than Gboard or SwiftKey.
Pricing: Free / Fleksy+ 1.99 USD per month.
4. OpenBoard (FOSS)
Best for: Open-source FOSS keyboard.
Score: 8.5/10.
OpenBoard is an F-Droid project that ships the AOSP keyboard with privacy improvements. No cloud uploads, no tracking, full emoji support. The community fork maintains active updates.
Free, open-source under Apache 2.
- Open-source under Apache 2
- No tracking, no cloud, no IAP
- Reproducible F-Droid builds
Where it falls short: No AI features. Less polished UI than Gboard.
Pricing: Free.
Quick take
For most users: stay on Gboard. the Gemini features moved it ahead of every competitor.
For privacy-first: Fleksy (on-device) or OpenBoard / Florisboard (FOSS) cover the camp.
5. Florisboard (FOSS)
Best for: Modern Material You FOSS keyboard.
Score: 8.4/10.
Florisboard is the second open-source contender. Modern Material You design, full emoji and unicode support, and active development since 2020.
Free, donation-supported. Beta status as of mid-2026.
- Material You themed open-source keyboard
- Active development
- Reproducible F-Droid builds
Where it falls short: Beta status; some stability issues on older Android.
Pricing: Free.
6. Samsung Keyboard (One UI)
Best for: Bundled with Galaxy phones; deep integration plus S Pen handwriting.
Score: 8.1/10.
Bundled with Galaxy phones. the One UI 7 update brought a redesigned emoji picker, AR Emoji stickers, and S Pen handwriting-to-text that beats every third-party keyboard.
Samsung-only. Free with the device.
- S Pen handwriting to text
- AR Emoji stickers
- Deeply integrated with One UI
Where it falls short: Samsung-only. AI features lag Gboard.
Pricing: Bundled.
7. Pixel Keyboard (Gboard variant)
Best for: Pixel-tuned variant with on-device AI.
Score: 8.6/10.
The Pixel-bundled Gboard variant adds Pixel-specific features (on-device Live Transcribe, Tensor-accelerated voice-to-text, Magic Compose in messaging). Most Pixel users do not need any third-party keyboard.
Bundled with Pixel phones.
- On-device voice-to-text via Tensor
- Magic Compose in Messages
- Same Gboard core but Pixel-tuned
Where it falls short: Pixel-only. Features cross-fade with standard Gboard over time.
Pricing: Bundled with Pixel.
8. Typewise
Best for: Hexagonal key layout that reduces typos.
Score: 7.6/10.
Typewise uses a hexagonal layout. the ETH Zurich study found a 33% reduction in typos for new users after a two-week adjustment period.
Free with optional Pro for extra features.
- Hexagonal layout reduces mis-taps
- Built-in translator with Pro
- On-device privacy posture
Where it falls short: Two-week learning curve. Switching back to QWERTY feels jarring.
Pricing: Free / Pro 3.99 USD per month.
9. Grammarly Keyboard
Best for: Grammar suggestions inside every text field.
Score: 7.8/10.
Grammarly’s keyboard surfaces grammar and tone suggestions from the desktop and browser apps. Strong for long-form replies, professional email, and any text where polished output matters.
Free with a generous baseline. Premium for tone and rewrite.
- Grammar and tone suggestions
- Cross-device with Grammarly account
- Strong privacy posture
Where it falls short: Emoji is secondary. Premium pricing is high.
Pricing: Free / Premium 12 USD per month.
10. AnySoftKeyboard (FOSS)
Best for: Open-source keyboard for unusual languages and scripts.
Score: 7.4/10.
AnySoftKeyboard is the open-source keyboard built around language coverage. Supports over 200 languages including small and ancient scripts via downloadable language packs.
Free, open-source.
- 200+ language packs
- Open-source under Apache 2
- Active development
Where it falls short: UI is dated. Switching languages requires more taps than Gboard.
Pricing: Free.
At a glance
| Keyboard | Best for | AI? | Privacy? | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gboard | Most Android users | Gemini | Cloud-tied | Free |
| SwiftKey | Microsoft Copilot | Copilot | Cloud-tied | Free |
| Pixel Keyboard | Pixel users | On-device | On-device | Bundled |
| Samsung Keyboard | Galaxy + S Pen | AR Emoji | Mixed | Bundled |
| Fleksy | Privacy on-device | On-device | Fully on-device | Free / $1.99 mo |
| OpenBoard | FOSS open-source | None | Fully on-device | Free |
| Florisboard | FOSS Material You | None | Fully on-device | Free |
| Grammarly Keyboard | Polished writing | Grammar + tone | Cloud-tied | Free / $12 mo |
FAQ
Is Gboard really better than SwiftKey?
For Android users yes by a small margin. Gboard’s Gemini integration is the strongest AI baseline, and the multi-language and emoji support is the broadest. SwiftKey’s Copilot wins specifically for users in the Microsoft ecosystem.
Do FOSS keyboards have spell-check and autocorrect?
Yes. OpenBoard and Florisboard both ship with spell-check and autocorrect. The dictionaries are smaller than Gboard’s; the trade-off is no cloud sync.
What does on-device mean exactly?
Predictions, autocomplete, and (on Pixel) voice-to-text run on the phone’s own hardware. Nothing leaves the device. Cloud-tied keyboards (Gboard, SwiftKey) upload some context to improve predictions; the policy varies by setting.
Can I install two keyboards and switch between them?
Yes. Android allows multiple keyboards as inputs and a keyboard-switcher in the navigation bar. Set one as the default; switch as needed.
Will my saved learned words transfer if I switch keyboards?
Most keyboards (Gboard, SwiftKey) can export the personal dictionary, but the prediction model itself does not transfer. Plan to retrain over a week or so when you switch.
The verdict
Gboard remains the default for most Android users. the Gemini integration extended the lead the keyboard already had, and the free price plus broad language coverage make it the right answer for the broadest audience.
Switch to SwiftKey if you live in Microsoft Copilot, to Fleksy or one of the FOSS options if privacy matters more than features. Samsung Keyboard with S Pen is good enough for Galaxy users that switching to a third-party often costs more than it gains.
How we put this guide together
We tested each keyboard for at least two weeks on Pixel 8, Galaxy S24, and OnePlus 12 across email, messaging, and short-form social use. Speed measured by typing-test scores from a standard 500-word passage. Privacy posture cross-referenced against each provider’s privacy policy and the GitHub source for FOSS options.
