Comparison

Big Keys Keyboard vs Half Keyboard

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

Head to head
About

Big Keys Keyboard

This keyboard app offers larger keys, text, and emojis for improved visibility and ease of use. It's designed for individuals with low vision, seniors, or anyone seeking a clearer, less cluttered typing experience on their iPhone.

Highlights
  • Adjustable key size
  • Larger typing text
  • Scalable emojis
  • Dedicated number keypad
  • High contrast themes
  • Multi-language support
  • Gesture shortcuts
Features
Read full description

Big Keys Keyboard helps you type with large keys, large text, and an accessible keypad on iPhone. It is built for low vision, seniors, and anyone who wants a clearer, calmer keyboard. Make your next message easier to write and easier to trust, starting now! Keys, text, and emojis — as big as you need This is the heart of Big Keys. Adjust key size to reduce mistaps and make each tap feel more accurate. Make the typing text larger so you can confirm words faster before you hit send. And if emojis look tiny, scale them up so your favorites are easier to see and select. Your keyboard can speak Turn on Speak and hear what you type, in the language of your keyboard. Big Keys can speak every key, every word, and every autocorrection, so silent changes never slip past you. Tap and hold a suggestion to hear it before you choose it, and deleted characters and words are spoken in a lower voice so you always know what changed. Choose the voice, speed, and volume. Speak works hand in hand with VoiceOver. Built for visibility Most keyboards assume perfect vision and tiny, precise taps. Big Keys Keyboard focuses on clarity with bigger letters, clearer spacing, and layouts that feel easier to follow so you can type with less strain. A calmer keyboard experience Some people find standard keyboards visually noisy or overwhelming. This keyboard aims to feel more predictable by keeping things clear and reducing unnecessary clutter, which may help support focused typing for users who prefer a calmer layout. Dedicated keypad Need to type digits fast? The built-in keypad is there for PINs and codes, but also for phone numbers, prices, and addresses. High contrast themes Choose a look that keeps the keyboard clear and readable. Bright light can wash things out, so stronger contrast often helps. At night, a calmer theme can feel better while the letters stay easy to see. Now speaks Japanese too Type Japanese on a full kana keyboard with big keys: flick input with a large, easy-to-see guide, multi-tap input with an adjustable tap window, a dedicated kaomoji key with over 150 text faces, and Japanese word suggestions. Language support If you type in more than one language, switching should not feel like work. Big Keys supports more than 25 languages, including the new Japanese kana keyboard. Switch with a simple hold on the space bar and keep your flow across messages, email, and search. Less retyping Gesture shortcuts can help you reach the keypad or special characters faster. If enabled, haptic feedback can make key presses feel more certain, and a last key indicator can make quick corrections easier. One keyboard, made for many Big Keys helps a wide range of people type more comfortably: people with low vision or tired eyes, seniors who want larger targets, anyone with tremors or less precise fingers, users with dyslexia or ADHD who prefer a calmer layout, and kids just learning to type. And if you are setting up a phone for a parent or someone you care for, Big Keys gets them typing comfortably in minutes. Quick answers - Can I really make the keys bigger? Yes, you can adjust key size to match your comfort. - Can the keyboard read my typing out loud? Yes. Turn on Speak to hear keys, words, corrections, and suggestions in your keyboard language. - Does it help with low vision? Yes, the design focuses on large letters, clear spacing, and contrast. - Is there a number pad? Yes, there is a dedicated keypad for fast digits and codes. - Can I make emojis bigger? Yes, emoji size can be increased too. - Is setup complicated? No. Enable the keyboard once in iPhone Settings and then use it anywhere you type. - Is there an upgrade? Big Keys Keyboard may offer optional upgrades that unlock additional options. Download Big Keys and start typing with less strain and more confidence. Set your ideal key size, pick a high contrast theme, and enjoy a clearer keyboard every day! Terms of Use: https://www.youapps.co/privacypolicy

About

Half Keyboard

Features
Read full description

The standard iOS keyboard takes up almost half your iPad HalfKeyboard takes about two thirds of that, so you keep seeing what you're typing into — your chat, your form, your note. But it's not a stripped-down version. Everything you expect from a keyboard is there, right where your thumb already rests. SWIPE DOWN FOR THE SECOND CHARACTER Swipe down on a letter key to get the character above it: q becomes 1, a becomes @, z becomes %. On the period key, a swipe down gives a comma. You'll rarely need the number layer. SET IT UP YOUR WAY Height, font size, key spacing, bottom row thickness, typeface — all with a slider. Both in the app and in the keyboard itself, so you see the effect right away. Settings made in the app go to the keyboard; not the other way round, because a keyboard without full access isn't allowed to write back. SPACE BAR AS A TRACKPAD Hold the space bar and drag to move the cursor through your text. No more aiming for a single letter. WORD SUGGESTIONS THAT SEND NOTHING A suggestion bar in Dutch, English or German, or automatic. The word list lives inside the app; nothing is looked up and nothing is remembered. EMOJI Its own emoji board with categories and a clock tab that fills with what you used last. ROOMIER ON IPAD On iPad you get two extra layouts: a numeric pad on the right, and a split layout with the pad in the middle and a space bar under each thumb. PRIVACY HERE IS NOT A PROMISE BUT A BOUNDARY HalfKeyboard does not ask for full access. Without that permission, a keyboard on iOS cannot connect to the internet — a technical limit, not a word of honour. No analytics, no ads, no account, no third-party SDKs. What you type stays on your device. Free, with no strings attached: no ads, no subscription, no in-app purchases.

Screenshots

Big Keys Keyboard4 screens
Half Keyboard4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Half Keyboard at none against Big Keys Keyboard's 3. Big Keys Keyboard's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Big Keys Keyboard sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Half Keyboard asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Big Keys Keyboard ships an update every 2 weeks, Half Keyboard every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Big Keys Keyboard versus Half Keyboard: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBig Keys KeyboardHalf Keyboard
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.6 (960 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews27.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings960 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 4 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size92 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHassan Hattabdick hartog

Bugs and requests

Big Keys Keyboard

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Keyboard not showing up in all apps
  • Settings page not closing properly
  • Inconsistent capitalization behavior

Requested features

3 requests
  • Swipe-to-type functionality
  • Improved autocapitalization and punctuation
  • Option to disable character popups on keys

Half Keyboard

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Big Keys Keyboard

Subscriptions2
  • Big Keys Monthly Subscription$5.991 Month
  • Big Keys Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$59.991 Year
One-time1
  • Big Keys One Time Pay$149.00
None

Half Keyboard

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Big Keys Keyboard free?
Big Keys Keyboard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Half Keyboard free?
Half Keyboard is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Big Keys Keyboard or Half Keyboard have ads?
Neither Big Keys Keyboard nor Half Keyboard shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Big Keys Keyboard or Half Keyboard?
Big Keys Keyboard ships an update every 2 weeks, and Half Keyboard every 4 weeks. Most recently, Big Keys Keyboard was updated on October 22, 2026 and Half Keyboard on October 14, 2026.

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