Comparison

IPA Phonetic Keyboard vs Lisu Simple Keyboard

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

Head to head
About

IPA Phonetic Keyboard

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
Read full description

Behold the first completely FREE IPA keyboard on the App Store designed for linguists, language learners, and hobbyists. It is designed to be lightweight and fluid, matching up to the user experience of the system emoji keyboard. =FEATURES= - Includes ALL symbols on the newest standard IPA chart (2020 ver.) - Includes most symbols (the ones available in Unicode) on the newest standard extIPA chart (2016 ver.) - Symbols are divided into sections just like the IPA chart(-duh!): consonants, non-pulmonic, other symbols, vowels, suprasegmentals, tones and word accents, and diacritics - Symbols are arranged naturally, with a layout designed for you to find the symbols you want more quickly (especially the vowels, it's cleverly designed to match the layout on the IPA chart) - Convenient input for "[]", "//", "~", "◌", space, and return on the top of the keyboard - Completely free, NO ADS =EXTERNAL LINKS= For more information on IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet), refer to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Phonetic_Alphabet The developer, Vince14Genius's GitHub: https://www.github.com/Vince14Genius/

About

Lisu Simple Keyboard

Type in the Lisu language effortlessly on your iPhone and iPad. This smart keyboard offers a custom layout, fast input, and theme options, working seamlessly across all your favorite apps. It prioritizes user privacy by not collecting keystrokes.

Highlights
  • Fast and responsive Lisu typing
  • Custom Lisu script layout
  • Dark and light theme options
  • Works across all iOS apps
  • Privacy-focused, no keystroke collection
Features
Read full description

Lisu Keyboard is a smart and intuitive keyboard designed for typing in the Lisu language on iPhone and iPad. Whether you’re chatting, writing notes, or posting on social media, this keyboard makes it seamless and efficient. Key Features: Fast & Responsive Typing – Optimized for smooth and accurate Lisu text input. Custom Keyboard Layout – Designed specifically for the Lisu script, ensuring natural and easy typing. Dark & Light Themes – Choose a style that suits your system preference. Works Across All Apps – Use it in Messages, Notes, Safari, and more. Privacy-Focused – Your keystrokes are never collected or shared. Why Use Lisu Keyboard? Lisu Keyboard is built for the Lisu-speaking community, preserving the language and making communication easier in the digital world. Whether you’re a fluent speaker or just learning, this keyboard is the perfect tool for typing in Lisu effortlessly! Download Lisu Keyboard today and start typing in Lisu with ease!

Screenshots

IPA Phonetic Keyboard4 screens
Lisu Simple Keyboard4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: IPA Phonetic Keyboard at 4.5 against Lisu Simple Keyboard's 2.7. IPA Phonetic Keyboard also leads on update cadence (every 4 months vs every 20 months) and ratings volume (193 vs 3). Lisu Simple Keyboard's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3). On price, ads, monetization model 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. IPA Phonetic Keyboard sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Lisu Simple Keyboard asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

IPA Phonetic Keyboard holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: IPA Phonetic Keyboard has 193 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

IPA Phonetic Keyboard ships an update every 4 months, Lisu Simple Keyboard every 20 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
IPA Phonetic Keyboard versus Lisu Simple Keyboard: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterIPA Phonetic KeyboardLisu Simple Keyboard
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (193 ratings) — better2.7 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews92.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings193 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 4 months — betterEvery 20 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS14.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVincent CaiLAR MAY SEE

Customer experience

IPA Phonetic Keyboard

All ratings172 ratings
Positive89.5%
Neutral2.3%
Negative8.1%
Written reviews126 reviews
Positive92.1%
Neutral3.2%
Negative4.8%

Lisu Simple Keyboard

All ratings3 ratings
Positive33.3%
Neutral33.3%
Negative33.3%

Bugs and requests

IPA Phonetic Keyboard

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

4 requests
  • 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

Lisu Simple Keyboard

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

IPA Phonetic Keyboard

One-time3
  • Donation: Buy me a drink$2.99
  • Obsolete/Non-Standard Symbols$5.99
  • Donation: Buy me a meal$9.99
None

Lisu Simple Keyboard

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is IPA Phonetic Keyboard free?
IPA Phonetic Keyboard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Lisu Simple Keyboard free?
Lisu Simple Keyboard is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, IPA Phonetic Keyboard or Lisu Simple Keyboard?
IPA Phonetic Keyboard is rated higher. IPA Phonetic Keyboard averages 4.5 out of 5 from 193 ratings, while Lisu Simple Keyboard averages 2.7 from 3 ratings.
Do IPA Phonetic Keyboard or Lisu Simple Keyboard have ads?
Neither IPA Phonetic Keyboard nor Lisu Simple Keyboard shows ads.
Which is updated more often, IPA Phonetic Keyboard or Lisu Simple Keyboard?
IPA Phonetic Keyboard ships an update every 4 months, and Lisu Simple Keyboard every 20 months. Most recently, IPA Phonetic Keyboard was updated on October 26, 2026 and Lisu Simple Keyboard on October 24, 2026.

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