Comparison

xKeyboard vs Colemak

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

Head to head
About

xKeyboard

Design your own keyboard with custom layouts, keys, symbols, and Unicode characters. This app allows you to create specialized keyboards for various needs, from mathematical equations to phonetic alphabets, and use them across different text editing applications.

Highlights
  • Custom keyboard layouts
  • Symbol and Unicode integration
  • Specialized keyboards (Math, IPA, Chemistry)
  • Template-based creation
  • Use in text editing apps
Read full description

Using xKeyboard, you can create a custom keyboard that includes layout, keys, symbols, and Unicode. The created custom keyboard can be used in text editing software on iPhone and iPad, such as Word, PPT, Excel, notes, and can also be used in text editing boxes. Built-in Keyboards - Unicode Keyboard - ABC Keyboard - ASCII Keyboard - Digits Keyboard : Binary, Integer, Decimal, Octonary, Hexadecimal - Collection Keyboard : Symbols, Words, Sentences - IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) Keyboard : IPA English ( DJ, K.K. ) - Subjects: Math, Chemistry, Music Language - Word Keyboards: English, French, German, Spanish ... - Code-Word Keyboards: Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional ... Culture - Astrology Keyboard: 12 zodiac signs, 10 celestial bodies, full set of aspects, elements, moon phases and auxiliary symbols - I Ching Keyboard - Chess Keyboard: Chess notation keyboard, chess symbols - Chinese Chess Keyboard: Chinese chess notation keyboard - Dice Keyboard - Mahjong Keyboard - Playing Cards Keyboard ---------- Custom - Layout: Custom layouts are better suited for specialized input scenarios. - Environment: Different environments have different rules - Certain keyboards can serve as templates, allowing you to build custom keyboards faster and more easily. ---------- Privacy : We DO NOT COLLECT ANY INFORMATION THAT YOU TYPE using this app. xKeyboard does not require network access, and Allow Full Access is not necessary. If users Allow Full Access, the following functions will be enabled: - Copy, Paste, Cut : these functions will call UIPasteboard APIs. ---------- Tips: 1. If the xKeyboard is not visible in Settings > Keyboards, then reboot the device and reinstall 2. If you could not find xKeyboard when tap globe key : Remove xKeyboard in the system settings, re-add it. ---------- Charging method: Most of the features of this software are paid for, but before purchasing, we hope that users can know if the software has the desired features and if it is possible to customize a keyboard that the user wants. Therefore, the software can be downloaded for free and allows users to try creating a keyboard before paying. Terms of Use : https://www.jianshu.com/p/b2a855c32ffe Privacy Policy : https://www.jianshu.com/p/46e225ffbc59

About

Colemak

This keyboard application provides an alternative typing experience with the Colemak layout, designed for increased speed and comfort on mobile devices. It offers multiple layout variations and an intuitive interface for efficient typing on the go.

Highlights
  • Alternative Colemak keyboard layout
  • Faster and more comfortable typing
  • Sleek design and user-friendly interface
  • Multiple layout variations (Default, OG, Colemak-DH, Tabbed, Tarmak)
  • Open Source Software
Read full description

Colemak Keyboard is an efficient and intuitive keyboard application designed specifically for mobile devices. It offers you an alternative typing experience with the Colemak keyboard layout, which has been created to be faster and more comfortable than traditional QWERTY keyboards. With its sleek design and user-friendly interface, Colemak makes it easy to type quickly and accurately on the go. Whether you're a student, professional or casual typist, Colemak is the perfect keyboard app for anyone looking to improve their typing speed and comfort. After installation, you’ll be able to select any of the 5 different Colemak layouts (Default, OG, Colemak-DH, Tabbed, and Tarmak) right from Settings! Colemak is Open Source Software, if you want to make it better feel free to submit an Issue or PR at github.com/colemak-ios/colemak.

Screenshots

xKeyboard4 screens
Colemak4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Colemak at none against xKeyboard's 3. Colemak also leads on review sentiment (60% vs 39%) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). xKeyboard's advantage is ratings volume (178 vs 18). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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. xKeyboard sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.29 per month. Colemak asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.2 for xKeyboard against 3.1 for Colemak. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: xKeyboard has 178 ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 39% of xKeyboard's written reviews are positive against 60% of Colemak's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
xKeyboard versus Colemak: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterxKeyboardColemak
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.2 (178 ratings) — better3.1 (18 ratings)
Positive reviews39.2% of reviews60.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings178 — better18
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 6 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size99 MB23 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer煦 张FarFetched

Customer experience

xKeyboard

All ratings178 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral15.2%
Negative34.8%
Written reviews125 reviews
Positive39.2%
Neutral20.8%
Negative40.0%

Colemak

All ratings18 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral5.6%
Negative44.4%
Written reviews30 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral13.3%
Negative26.7%

Bugs and requests

xKeyboard

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes when trying to delete/edit keys
  • Installed keyboards don't show custom layouts
  • App crashes on certain script/language changes

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add ability to export/share custom keyboards
  • Improve keyboard customization workflow
  • Implement swipe typing and autocorrect
  • Add more language/script support
  • Allow creating custom characters/symbols

Colemak

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

xKeyboard

Subscriptions2
  • VIP - 1 Month$0.291 Month
  • VIP - 1 Year$2.991 Year
One-time1
  • VIP - Lifetime$8.99
None

Colemak

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is xKeyboard free?
xKeyboard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Colemak free?
Colemak is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, xKeyboard or Colemak?
xKeyboard is rated higher. xKeyboard averages 3.2 out of 5 from 178 ratings, while Colemak averages 3.1 from 18 ratings.
Do xKeyboard or Colemak have ads?
Neither xKeyboard nor Colemak shows ads.
Which is updated more often, xKeyboard or Colemak?
xKeyboard ships an update every 6 weeks, and Colemak every 6 weeks. Most recently, xKeyboard was updated on September 24, 2026 and Colemak on September 23, 2026.

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