# IPA Phonetic Keyboard vs Harp Level

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Harp Level at none against IPA Phonetic Keyboard's 3. Harp Level also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months). IPA Phonetic Keyboard's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

IPA Phonetic Keyboard ships an update every 4 months, Harp Level every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | IPA Phonetic Keyboard | Harp Level |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (172 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ipa-phonetic-keyboard/id1440241497/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **172** | — |
| Positive reviews | 92.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 2 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.8.3 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vincent Cai](https://appshunter.io/developer/1453621798) | [Hideaki Uchikoshi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1559575002) |

## 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


### Harp Level

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/harp-level/id6748576979)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**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 Harp Level free?

Harp Level is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do IPA Phonetic Keyboard or Harp Level have ads?

Harp Level shows ads; IPA Phonetic Keyboard does not.

### Which is updated more often, IPA Phonetic Keyboard or Harp Level?

IPA Phonetic Keyboard ships an update every 4 months, and Harp Level every 2 weeks. Most recently, IPA Phonetic Keyboard was updated on October 13, 2026 and Harp Level on October 15, 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.*
