# Phraseboard vs Background Keyboards

The clearest difference is ads: Phraseboard at none against Background Keyboards's shown. Phraseboard also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 5 weeks) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Background Keyboards's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 88%) and ratings volume (93 vs 20). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Phraseboard sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Background Keyboards sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Phraseboard against 4.6 for Background Keyboards. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 20 and 93 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of Phraseboard's written reviews are positive against 100% of Background Keyboards's.

Phraseboard ships an update every 8 days, Background Keyboards every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Phraseboard | Background Keyboards |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phraseboard-paste-keyboard/id1566937042/reviews) | **[4.6 (93 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/background-keyboards-nika/id6446252620/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 20 | **93** |
| Positive reviews | 87.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 103 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Daniel Soffer](https://appshunter.io/developer/290942339) | [Appsy Digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/1772913485) |

## What reviewers say

### Phraseboard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phraseboard-paste-keyboard/id1566937042)

This keyboard app allows you to quickly paste pre-written text and photos directly from your keyboard. Save time by creating custom phrase templates for frequently used responses, emails, or addresses. Personalize your keyboard with unique fonts and colors.

**Highlights:** Customizable phrase templates, Quick paste functionality, Creative font options, Keyboard style customization, Categorization of phrases, Use in any app

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro | $1.99 | per month |
| Pro Yearly | $19.99 | per year |


### Background Keyboards

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/background-keyboards-nika/id6446252620)

Personalize your device's keyboard with a vast selection of themes, fonts, and design options. Create unique looks with custom colors and patterns, or use handwriting styles. Streamline typing with an auto-paste feature for frequently used text.

**Highlights:** DIY custom keyboard themes, Vast library of pre-made themes, Extensive color and pattern options, Handwriting-inspired fonts, Auto Paste feature for quick text insertion, Personalized typing experience

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| DIY Themes Premium | $3.99 | per month |
| Weekly Full Themes Premium | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Yearly Full Themes Premium | $24.99 | per year |
| DIY Full Premium Lifetime | $14.99 | one-time |
| DIY Keyboard Themes Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Phraseboard free?

Phraseboard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Background Keyboards free?

Background Keyboards is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Phraseboard or Background Keyboards?

Background Keyboards is rated higher. Phraseboard averages 4.5 out of 5 from 20 ratings, while Background Keyboards averages 4.6 from 93 ratings.

### Do Phraseboard or Background Keyboards have ads?

Background Keyboards shows ads; Phraseboard does not.

### Which is updated more often, Phraseboard or Background Keyboards?

Phraseboard ships an update every 8 days, and Background Keyboards every 5 weeks. Most recently, Phraseboard was updated on October 22, 2026 and Background Keyboards on October 21, 2026.

---

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