Comparison

Speed Type vs Retrotype

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

Head to head
About

Speed Type

Improve your typing speed with real-world texts and engaging visuals. Track your progress with advanced error analysis and detailed statistics. Practice with a variety of languages or add your own custom texts.

Highlights
  • Practice with real texts
  • Sleek animations and UI
  • Advanced error tracking
  • Detailed statistics
  • Add custom texts
  • Multi-language support
Features
Read full description

Nice and simple application to help you type faster: - Real texts instead of boring exercises. - Sleek animations and beautiful UI. - Advanced error tracking. - Great statistics – see how you improve over time. - Ability to add your own texts to practice typing. Supported languages: English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish.

About

Retrotype

Experience the satisfying feel of a classic typewriter on your device. Choose from multiple vintage models, customize sounds and visuals, and enjoy distraction-free writing with authentic haptic and audio feedback.

Highlights
  • Authentic typewriter models
  • Customizable sound packs
  • Haptic feedback
  • Multiple color palettes and paper themes
  • External keyboard support
  • Distraction-free writing environment
Features
Read full description

Rediscover the joy of writing without distractions. Retrotype transforms your device into a beautiful, tactile typewriter — complete with the sounds, rhythm, and charm of the classics. CHOOSE YOUR MACHINE Four meticulously crafted typewriter models, each with a distinct personality: - Clean, timeless design. The one that started it all. - Vintage European style with warm, earthy tones. - Mid-century curves in playful pastel palettes. - Bold industrial form with exposed ribbon cartridges. MAKE IT YOURS 22+ hand-picked color palettes. 12 paper themes. 5 authentic sound packs — from the sharp snap of a classic to the soft press of a modern electric. Dial in your haptics, adjust your margins, and set your bell. FEEL EVERY KEYSTROKE Authentic sound and haptic feedback bring every key press to life. Carriage returns, margin bells, and the steady rhythm of typing pull you into a focused flow. WRITE ANYWHERE Designed for iPhone, iPad, and Mac with seamless external keyboard support. Your documents are always ready. ONE PRICE. EVERYTHING INCLUDED. Retrotype Premium is a single purchase — no subscriptions, no recurring fees. Every model, palette, sound pack, and future update is yours forever. Retrotype is a place to slow down, find your flow, and let words unfold one keystroke at a time.

Screenshots

Speed Type3 screens
Retrotype3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Retrotype at 4.3 against Speed Type's 1.8. Retrotype also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 29 months) and review sentiment (86% vs 63%). Speed Type's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.1). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support 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. Retrotype sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Speed Type asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Retrotype holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 1.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 17 and 6 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Speed Type's written reviews are positive against 86% of Retrotype's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Speed Type ships an update every 29 months, Retrotype every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Speed Type versus Retrotype: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpeed TypeRetrotype
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.8 (17 ratings)4.3 (6 ratings) — better
Positive reviews63.0% of reviews85.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings17 — better6
Update frequencyEvery 29 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS8.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB27 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperPavel AlekseevGood Loop Software LLC

Customer experience

Speed Type

All ratings17 ratings
Positive23.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative76.5%
Written reviews27 reviews
Positive63.0%
Neutral11.1%
Negative25.9%

Retrotype

All ratings6 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive85.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative14.3%

In-app purchases

None

Speed Type

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Retrotype

One-time1
  • Unlock Everything$4.99

Questions

Is Speed Type free?
Speed Type is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Retrotype free?
Retrotype is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Speed Type or Retrotype?
Retrotype is rated higher. Speed Type averages 1.8 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while Retrotype averages 4.3 from 6 ratings.
Do Speed Type or Retrotype have ads?
Neither Speed Type nor Retrotype shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Speed Type or Retrotype?
Speed Type ships an update every 29 months, and Retrotype every 3 months. Most recently, Speed Type was updated on October 17, 2026 and Retrotype on October 7, 2026.

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