Keyboards & Input Methods

Most users probably live with the pre-installed keyboard app. Either because they are satisfied with it, that they are not aware of alternatives, or that the alternatives known to them are not really alternatives to them. Only few will know all available keyboard apps (even I don't). But even if the following list is far from being complete, they might prove helpful to the one or other.

Important to consider is that such a keyboard app is aware of all input done with it (well, that's its job, right?). Theoretically it could record all input (including passwords and other sensitive data). In case it also holds the permission to access the network, one could imagine some evil things. So better think twice if there are concerns to consider! In this context also be aware of all those trackers (which is where your entered information might end up). This category ranks highest in „average trackers per app“.

The permission to read/write user dictionaries is fully legit here, however – as that's what keyboards use for spell checking and „predictive typing“.

Keyboards supporting Swipe, Type, and Voice

2020-07-08

Bobble Indic Keyboard - Stickers, Ғonts & Themes (4.6@277,175) Ǥ 29 11
Gboard - the Google Keyboard (4.5@5,904,385) Ǥ 19 1
Microsoft SwiftKey Keyboard (4.4@3,535,033) Ǥ 13 6 Vorstellung Tipps 4/2014; Datenschutz-Test 7/2019
Smart Keyboard Trial (4.1@66,025) 5 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2017-06-21 / Smart Keyboard Pro (3.7@21,873; ~EUR 2.50) 6 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ dictionaries available for many languages
Perfect Keyboard Demo (4.1@4,065) 6 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2017-07-07 Vorstellung 11/2013
TouchPal (4@94) Ǥ 24 17 Kurzvorstellung 9/2013; Review 10/2013; Testbericht 11/2013; Video Review 1/2014
Kii Keyboard + Emoji (4@22) Ǥ 10 LastUpdate: 2014-10-21 Phone & Tablet optimized
Samsung Keyboard (3.1@13) 34 1

Keyboards for Typing

2020-07-08

ai.type Free Emoji Keyboard (4.8@433) Ǥ 16 18 / ai.type keyboard Plus + Emoji (4.1@58,905; ~EUR 3.25) Ǥ 15 8 stores a lot of your personal data you type on their servers, which already leaked once
KuKoo App (4.7@41) Ǥ 4 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2017-07-05 keyboard with „copy-pad“ for frequent phrases
Fleksy + GIF Keyboard Free (4.7@22) Ǥ 19 LastUpdate: 2015-10-26 / Fleksy: The Private Keyboard -GIF, Emoji & Sticker (4.3@265,862) Ǥ 20 6 Video Review 4/2014; Wikipedia EN
Typewise Keyboard PRO Lifetime (4.5@1,276; ~EUR 23.00) 1 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Vorstellung 6/2016
Simple Keyboard (4.4@5,249) 1 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github
Classic Keyboard (4.3@86,018) 9 1 LastUpdate: 2018-06-07 Kurzvorstellung 7/2015
Tablet Keyboard Free (4.3@2,494) 1 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2016-05-30
Technical Keyboard (4.3@2,208) 11 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2017-08-30 Vorstellung 2/2014; XDA Home 2/2014
Hacker´s Keyboard (4.2@48,036) 3 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2018-12-07 Github; Video Review 6/2014 | 6/2018; not only for hackers
1C Big Keyboard (4.2@16,472) Ǥ 8 11
A.I.type Tablet Keyboard Free (4.1@13,712) Ǥ 8 2 / A.I.type Tablet Keyboard Plus (3.9@1,326; ~EUR 1.75) Ǥ 8 3
Minuum Keyboard + Smart Emoji (4.1@10,207; ~EUR 3.50) Ǥ 11 1 LastUpdate: 2017-02-18 Intro 8/2013; Vorstellung 4/2014; Test 12/2014
Deutsche Tastatur (4.1@2,891) 0 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$
Magic Keyboard Pro (4.1@120; ~EUR 1.50) Ǥ 11 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2017-09-12
Bauer Keyboard (4@294) 1 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2014-01-10 for big fingers
OpenBoard (4@280) 5 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github
CompassKeyboard (4@56) 3 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2018-03-16 Github; International keyboard
Flash Keyboard - Emoji & Theme (3.9@1,058,619) Ǥ 33 20
Big Buttons Keyboard Standard (3.9@8,976) 1 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2013-12-18 / Big Buttons Keyboard Deluxe (3.5@1,281; ~EUR 3.25) 2 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2015-10-10
ThickButtons Keyboard (3.9@6,755) 4 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2014-05-09
BeHe Keyboard - Programming & More (3.9@128) 1 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2018-03-18
Thumb Keyboard (3.6@8,187; ~EUR 2.25) 9 1 LastUpdate: 2014-11-15 Testbericht 11/2013

Keyboards for Typing & Swiping

2020-07-07

background keyboard (5@1) 11 LastUpdate: 2017-08-10
Ginger Keyboard - Emoji, GIFs, Themes & Games (4.5@179,715) Ǥ 14 13 Video Demo 3/2015; spell and grammar check
Izzy (4.5@136) 8 4 LastUpdate: 2015-08-13 typing and gestures (and no, it's not mine though it shares my name)
GO Keyboard Lite - Emoji keyboard, Free Theme, GIF (4.4@2,631,339) 20 13
Cheetah Keyboard - Emoji,Swype,DIY Themes (4.4@25) Ǥ 33 16
Swype Keyboard Trial (4.3@87,895) Ǥ 14 5 LastUpdate: 2018-03-10 Testbericht 11/2013
Chrooma Keyboard - RGB & Emoji Keyboard Themes (4.1@140,090) Ǥ 22 7 Kurzvorstellung 2/2016; Intro 6/2016
Adaptxt Free Keyboard (4.1@13,754) Ǥ 23 LastUpdate: 2015-11-26 Vorstellung 5/2015
TSwipe-Pro keyboard (4.1@10,836) Ǥ 13 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2015-08-01 Addons for hardware keyboards available; Phone & Tablet optimized
AnySoftKeyboard (4@24,248) 6 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ MobilSicher Empfehlung 10/2019
Typewise Keyboard - Big Keys, Privacy, Swipe (3.9@2,741) Ǥ 2 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Intro 2/2020
MultiLing Keyboard (3.9@44) 5 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2015-08-26 / Multiling O Keyboard + emoji (4.2@33,621) 4 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Vorstellung 1/2014

Alternative Input Ideas

2020-07-08

Google Handwriting Input (4.2@117,537) Ǥ 6 1 Vorstellung 4/2015 | 4/2015; Kurzvorstellung 4/2015
Graffiti Pro for Android (4.2@894) Ǥ 1 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2016-03-15 / Graffiti for Android (3.9@3,262) 2 LastUpdate: 2013-03-13 Like in the good-old Palm days
Selvy PenScript (3.9@148) 5 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$
mazec3 (jp) -Handwriting (3.7@540; ~EUR 9.00) Ǥ 6 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ / mazec3 Handwriting Recognition (3.5@176; ~EUR 14.00) Ǥ 6 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$
EVA Facial Mouse (3.6@21,949) Ǥ 9 3 Github; emulate mouse cursor by eye tracking
Dotterel (0@0) 3 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github; stenographic input

More crazy ideas can be found in the category Personal Assistants (Competition to Siri & Google Now).

Remote Keyboards

2020-07-08

… can be found in the category Remote Droide 2: Control your Droid from your Computer

Other Keyboards

2020-07-05

MessagEase Keyboard (4.3@7,387) 4 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2018-07-22
kboard (3.6@1,106) 4 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github; XDA 2/2019; Intro 2/2019; a keyboard to end conversations
NovaKey - Keyboard (3.6@887) 6 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2016-06-23
YidKey KD (0@0) 0 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github; Yiddish keyboard
Czech Diacritic Keyboard (0@0) 15 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github
BlitzType Keyboard (0@0) 0 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github; custom keyboard with special keys for the WOT Blitz game

Keyboard Helpers

2020-07-08

Hoplite Polytonic Greek Keyboard (4.2@159) 1 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github; extension for polytonic Greek input
Keyboard Switcher (4.1@168) 3 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ GitLab
Free Physical Keyboard (3.8@213) 0 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2018-10-28
External Keyboard Helper Demo (3.6@2,456) 7 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2016-06-28 / External Keyboard Helper Pro (3.6@3,145; ~EUR 1.75) 7 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2016-01-07 configure your external keyboard
Inputting Plus: Ctrl + Z/F/C/V (3@1,271) Ǥ 6 1
SwypeTweaks (0@0) LastUpdate: 2015-09-11 Github
Suggestions Toggle (0@0) LastUpdate: 2015-02-11 Intro 7/2014 | 7/2014 (w/ video); Github; quickly disable/enable keyboard suggestions
Macro / Text Expansion (0@0) LastUpdate: 2014-09-12 Github

Further Readings:

Android-Apps ersetzen: Tastatur (2/2020)
Video: Tastatur-Apps: Was sie über Sie erfahren und welche App wir empfehlen (10/2019)
How to Connect a USB Keyboard to Your Android Phone (7/2019)
Best Android Keyboard Apps (5/2019)
Best keyboard apps for Android (4/2019)
Leserfrage: Empfehlenswerte Tastatur-App für Android (12/2017)
Alternativ-Tastatur auf dem Android-Smartphone einrichten (1/2016)
Die besten Android-Tastaturen: Swype, SwiftKey und Co. im Überblick (12/2014 - 11/2018)
Best keyboard for Android apps (9/2014 - 12/2018)
Five Best Android Keyboards (6/2014)
What's the Best Android Keyboard? (6/2014)
Vier Emoji-Keyboards im Vergleich: Smileys für alle! (6/2014)
Swype vs. SwiftKey: Vergleich der Tastatur-Giganten (6/2014)

2020-07-09

IzzyOnDroid