Type your way to success with these great keyboard apps

Keyboard apps are some of the essential apps on our phones, but we rarely consider replacing them. When you get a new phone, you probably start replacing the default apps with some of the best Android apps, but you'll likely forget about your keyboard.

If you're planning on picking up one of the best Android phones, it might be a perfect time to switch your keyboard. From reliable classics like Gboard to quirky apps like Fonts Keyboard, we rounded up the best keyboard apps for Android, so you can try something new without sifting through the endless lists of emoji keyboards.

If it didn't come preinstalled on your phone, give Gboard a try. It contains plenty of nifty features and tricks, including Google Translate and a GIF library. It's also the only app with Emoji Kitchen mashups. Although Gboard is not the flashiest app, it's a reliable workhorse that probably has what you're looking for.

Gboard includes voice and swipe typing, as well as handwriting input; perfect if you're using an Android phone with stylus support like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. Some people might find it's got too many features, however, and find the space taken up by these options frustrating.

Microsoft's Swiftkey keyboard is designed to learn how you type, and it picks up slang and nicknames so that you won't get annoyed by constant autocorrections. It takes some time to get it up to speed, but if you constantly deny autocorrect suggestions, it might be the perfect solution.

Beyond this, Swiftkey has everything you would expect from a modern keyboard. It has Emoji and GIF search, multiple themes, support for more than 700 languages, and multiple keyboard themes. Its translation tools aren't as powerful as Gboard's, but it's still an excellent option.

Grammarly is a fantastic tool for improving your writing. While Grammarly's Chrome extension is among our favorites, it's not limited to your desktop. That's right Grammarly has its own keyboard app. Having the keyboard means you can access Grammarly's writing suggestions anywhere you're typing, from Facebook posts to emails.

Beyond its writing tools, the Grammarly keyboard is a little short on features. It has an emoji keyboard, but that's about it. If you ignore most of Gboard's features and don't care about GIFs, Grammarly might be the perfect keyboard for you. Even if you don't have Grammarly Premium, it offers more writing advice than the other apps on this list.

The most unconventional keyboard on this list, Typewise's quirks are best demonstrated with its in-built game to teach you how to use the keyboard. It follows a different set of rules than most keyboard apps. First and foremost, its hexagonal keys and non-QWERTY layout.

Typewise requires a couple of weeks at minimum to use effectively. Until then, you'll be making a lot of typos. However, once you've trained your thumbs, you may find this to be the most comfortable keyboard you've ever used. It's not for everyone, but if you do a lot of typing on your phone, you may find it helpful. It's also useful if you have a phone with a large screen, like the Google Pixel 6 Pro.

Simple Keyboard does what its name suggests. It's a keyboard without any fancy translation tools or machine learning. It feels like a stripped-down version of Gboard, so if you found that keyboard comfortable but only want the basics, Simple Keyboard is for you.

Simple Keyboard doesn't have GIFs, emojis, or swipe typing. You can customize a few things, like the theme and height, but this keyboard is for minimalists. Simple Keyboard is part of the Simple App family, which are some of the best apps available on Android. If you enjoy Simple Keyboard's minimalist theme, try the rest out.

Sometimes you just want a fun keyboard, and that's where Fonts Keyboard comes in. It's not as obnoxious as the garish emoji-heavy keyboards, but it lets you express yourself through various fonts. Switching between fonts is done through a swipeable menu, allowing you to change in seconds.

It's a little gimmicky, and Fonts Keyboard doesn't offer nearly as many features as it should. And while it has compatibility with plenty of apps, you may notice errors here and there when an app encounters an unknown symbol. However, for the most part, it works without issue.

Even if you're happy with your default keyboard, it's worth trying something new. Everyone has a different way of typing on their phone, so it's unlikely your default app is the best for you. Once you've decided on the best keyboard, try one of the best Android launchers. This is another essential experience that many people don't think about changing.

Jon has been a freelance writer at Android Police since 2021. He primarily writes how-to guides and round-ups, but occasionally covers news. His favorite Android device was the Pixel 2 XL, and he regards the three-month period where he owned an iPhone as a time of the utmost shame. Jon graduated with a History degree in 2018, but quickly realized his writing skills were better put to use writing about tech rather than essays. He started writing and editing for startups shortly after graduating, where he did everything from writing website copy to managing and editing for a group of writers. In his free time, you can find him fiddling with computers and spending his entire paycheck on vinyl records.