Comparison

ℂKey vs Keyz Keyboard

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

ℂKey

Create and customize your own keyboard layouts with unique keys and multiple panes. Ideal for specialized typing needs like math, science, or unique character sets. Includes a Unicode character picker and editing tools.

Highlights
  • Create custom keyboard keys
  • Organize keys into multiple panes
  • Built-in Unicode character picker
  • Editable text view for testing
  • Pre-made layouts (QWERTY, Dvorak, Maths)
  • Alternate key forms
  • Advanced key editing and batch operations
Features
Read full description

Build your own keyboard - you choose the keys! Great for maths & science work, fans of more obscure keyboard layouts, or just better expressing yourself. Scroll down for an overview of the premade layouts and a detailed feature breakdown. NOTES • Add the keyboard by navigating to Settings -> General -> Keyboard -> Keyboards -> Add New Keyboard… • Unicode characters may not display correctly in some fonts. • Check out the subreddit at reddit.com/r/ckey/ OVERVIEW • Add keys to your keyboard, which can type any text of any length. • Organise related keys into multiple pages (‘panes’). • Includes handy editing features and plenty of options. • Built-in unicode character picker for finding new characters to add to your keyboard. • Editable text view for trying out your keyboard designs. DEFAULT LAYOUTS • QWERTY, Dvorak, Dvorak Left Handed - Layouts inspired by the originals, with an original collection of symbols. - Use a reduced number of keys to accommodate smaller screens. • Symbols: contains some more rarely used symbols not present on the standard layouts. • Maths: a layout designed for general maths, with digits, pi & infinity, and a wide set of operations. • Formal Languages: an example of a more complex, specialist layout. • Superscript & Subscript • x/y: all unicode fractions. FEATURES Keyboard: • Your keys - the main content of the keyboard. • Multiple panes, to organise related keys. • A space key. • Control keys: backspace, keyboard picker, dismiss, return. • Alternate key forms. - Hold a key to type it's alt form. - Use the alt key to temporarily switch the forms around. - Alternate forms could be capital letters, inverse operations, or something completely different. • Swipe left on the pane list to give your keys more room in longer typing sessions. - Swipe in from the left edge to bring the list back. App: • Edit panes and keys in a view resembling the keyboard itself. - Tap a key to change what it types: + Keys can type any number of any unicode characters, multiline text supported. + Optionally use a custom keycap, instead of showing the key's output. + Edit the alt mode version of the key by tapping with alt mode enabled. - Hold a key to bring up the edit menu: + Edit [with 1 selected] - bring up a larger version of the key editor. + Swap [with 2 selected] - switch the positions of two keys. + Gather [with >1 selected] - collect the selected keys at one spot. + Remove alt - remove the custom alt state, making the key match its normal state in alt mode. + Duplicate - quickly clone a key. + Cut, copy, and paste - use their established meanings (the pasteboard is shared between panes). + Delete - deletes a key. + Insert - inserts a key at the spot of the current selection. - Enter edit mode for serious changes: + Drag (before selecting anything) to reorder. + Tap keys to select/deselect them, then hold one to bring up the edit menu and perform a batch change. - Hold the + button to add a batch of keys, by splitting text into its individual characters (or unicode scalars). - Set the number of rows and columns in each pane by tapping the pane editor's title. • The unicode character map allows you to add a character to a key directly, or copy one to the clipboard. - Enter a search, or jump to a common region or known unicode codepoint. - Hold a character to view details. • Editable text view, for checking out how characters look at different font sizes and weight, or just testing your latest keyboard design. - Switch through iOS keyboard types. - Set the keyboard's return key type. - View the keyboard in light & dark variations. - Set text font, alignment, and size. • Export individual panes, or your whole keyboard, for sharing or backup. - Creates a .ckey file (uses .plist format). - Use iOS's ‘Open In…’ feature to load the file back into the app. • Additional options to customise the look and feel of the keyboard.

About

Keyz Keyboard

This advanced custom keyboard offers a modern typing experience inspired by the MessageEase layout. It features extensive customization options for visuals, colors, and backgrounds, along with smart gesture controls and a unique numeric-only mode for efficient data entry.

Highlights
  • Liquid Glass Effects
  • Deep Color Customization
  • Custom Background Images
  • Hide Alphabets Mode
  • Smart Gesture Controls
  • Full MessageEase Layout Support
Features
Read full description

Keyz – Advanced Custom Keyboard A New Experience for Lovers of MessageEase Keyz brings a fresh and modern typing experience to all who appreciate the speed and intelligence of the MessageEase layout. Built with inspiration from the original work of Dr. Saied, creator of MessageEase, this version reimagines his innovative design for today’s iOS devices. Keyz enhances the classic layout with new visuals, smoother performance, and rich customization. This update fixes several issues found in earlier builds and delivers a more stable, polished, and enjoyable keyboard. With improved gesture handling and optimized responsiveness, Keyz is now faster, clearer, and more reliable for everyday communication. - Liquid Glass Effects Enjoy a clean, translucent glass appearance with adjustable opacity for a premium and modern feel. - Deep Color Customization Choose custom colors for every type of key. Match your mood, your wallpaper, or your personal brand with ease. - Custom Background Images Set your favourite photos—landscapes, art, or personal moments—as your keyboard background with precise opacity control. - Hide Alphabets Mode Switch to a numeric-only setup whenever you need a focused and minimal layout for fast number entry. - Smart Gesture Controls Swipe and long-press to access symbols, punctuation, and alternative characters without slowing down your flow. - Seamless Mode Switching Effortlessly move between letters and numbers with smooth transitions designed for everyday typing. -Full MessageEase Layout Support Type faster and more accurately using the iconic MessageEase grid. This layout minimizes finger movement, reduces errors, and improves typing speed, ideal for users who want a smarter, more efficient system. - Built with iOS 26 APIs Keyz is crafted using native tools to ensure top-tier performance, security, and full compatibility with the latest iOS features. Terms of Use: https://larna-ai.app/keyz/terms

Screenshots

ℂKey4 screens
Keyz Keyboard4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Keyz Keyboard at 4.4 against ℂKey's 3.9. Keyz Keyboard also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs every 3 weeks). ℂKey's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Keyz Keyboard sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per year. ℂKey asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Keyz Keyboard holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14 and 13 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of ℂKey's written reviews are positive against 88% of Keyz Keyboard's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ℂKey ships an update every 3 weeks, Keyz Keyboard every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
ℂKey versus Keyz Keyboard: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterℂKeyKeyz Keyboard
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.9 (14 ratings)4.4 (13 ratings) — better
Positive reviews85.7% of reviews87.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings14 — better13
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS9.0 — better18.5
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJamie FroggattLARNA AI LTD

Customer experience

ℂKey

All ratings13 ratings
Positive69.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative30.8%
Written reviews14 reviews
Positive85.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative14.3%

Keyz Keyboard

All ratings13 ratings
Positive76.9%
Neutral15.4%
Negative7.7%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive87.5%
Neutral12.5%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

ℂKey

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Keyz Keyboard

Subscriptions1
  • Keyz Premium7 Days trial$9.991 Year

Questions

Is ℂKey free?
ℂKey is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Keyz Keyboard free?
Keyz Keyboard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, ℂKey or Keyz Keyboard?
Keyz Keyboard is rated higher. ℂKey averages 3.9 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while Keyz Keyboard averages 4.4 from 13 ratings.
Do ℂKey or Keyz Keyboard have ads?
Neither ℂKey nor Keyz Keyboard shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ℂKey or Keyz Keyboard?
ℂKey ships an update every 3 weeks, and Keyz Keyboard every 6 days. Most recently, ℂKey was updated on October 24, 2026 and Keyz Keyboard on October 25, 2026.

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