# IPA Phonetic Keyboard vs Formalize Light

The clearest difference is review sentiment: IPA Phonetic Keyboard at 92% against Formalize Light's 17%. IPA Phonetic Keyboard also leads on rating (4.5 vs 2.3) and ratings volume (172 vs 4). Formalize Light's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (10.3 vs 14.0). On price, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. IPA Phonetic Keyboard sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Formalize Light asks for nothing beyond the download.

IPA Phonetic Keyboard holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: IPA Phonetic Keyboard has 172 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of IPA Phonetic Keyboard's written reviews are positive against 17% of Formalize Light's.

IPA Phonetic Keyboard ships an update every 4 months, Formalize Light every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and June 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | IPA Phonetic Keyboard | Formalize Light |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (172 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ipa-phonetic-keyboard/id1440241497/reviews)** | [2.3 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/formalize-light/id1467203618/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **172** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **92.0% of reviews** | 16.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 12 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 2 MB | 62 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **10.3** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vincent Cai](https://appshunter.io/developer/1453621798) | [Ben Hambrecht](https://appshunter.io/developer/1035136614) |

## What reviewers say

### IPA Phonetic Keyboard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ipa-phonetic-keyboard/id1440241497)

This free keyboard provides easy access to all IPA and extended IPA symbols. Its intuitive layout mirrors the IPA chart, making symbol input fluid and efficient for linguists, language learners, and enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** Full IPA chart (2020) symbols, ExtIPA chart (2016) symbols, Organized symbol sections, Intuitive symbol layout, Convenient input for common characters, Completely free, no ads

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Donation: Buy me a drink | $2.99 | one-time |
| Obsolete/Non-Standard Symbols | $5.99 | one-time |
| Donation: Buy me a meal | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Convenient IPA keyboard
- 💡 Extensive IPA symbol coverage
- 🚀 Smooth and responsive
- 🤩 Great for linguistics and conlanging
- 🎨 Visually appealing design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Paid access for some symbols
- 🔍 Keyboard layout could be more customizable
- 🐛 Occasional keyboard switching issues
- 🔇 Keyboard clicking sounds can't be disabled

**Reported bugs**

- Vowel [ʁ] displays incorrectly
- Keyboard disappears after switching, requiring settings access to re-enable

**Requested features**

- Add angle brackets and parentheses for orthographic notation
- Implement a 'frequently used' section for common symbols
- Allow users to rearrange the keyboard layout
- Add support for laryngeal notation in Proto-Indo-European


### Formalize Light

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/formalize-light/id1467203618)

This utility app provides a keyboard extension for typing mathematical formulas on iOS devices. It offers easy access to over 100 symbols and generates professionally typeset equations that can be converted to TeX.

**Highlights:** Mathematical keyboard extension, Over 100 symbols, One-handed access, Professionally typeset formulas, Convert formulas to TeX, Insert formulas into any app

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is IPA Phonetic Keyboard free?

IPA Phonetic Keyboard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Formalize Light free?

Formalize Light is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, IPA Phonetic Keyboard or Formalize Light?

IPA Phonetic Keyboard is rated higher. IPA Phonetic Keyboard averages 4.5 out of 5 from 172 ratings, while Formalize Light averages 2.3 from 4 ratings.

### Do IPA Phonetic Keyboard or Formalize Light have ads?

Neither IPA Phonetic Keyboard nor Formalize Light shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, IPA Phonetic Keyboard or Formalize Light?

IPA Phonetic Keyboard ships an update every 4 months, and Formalize Light every 12 months. Most recently, IPA Phonetic Keyboard was updated on September 17, 2026 and Formalize Light on June 10, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*