ShavKey vs Colemak
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ShavKey
This keyboard app provides quick access to all 48 Shavian characters without requiring shifts. It includes an always-on number row that can be configured for Base 12 input.
- All 48 Shavian characters accessible
- No shift key required
- Always-on number row
- Optional Base 12 number input
- Optimized for single-stroke input
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The Shavian Keyboard for iOS. It features all 48 characters without needing to shift, in keeping with the idea that each character can be written with one stroke, we don't think it should take more than one key press. There is also an always on number row along the top which can be set to use Base 12 if you are so inclined.
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.
- 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
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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
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: ShavKey at 4.6 against Colemak's 3.1. ShavKey also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 60%). Colemak's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, ratings volume, 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
ShavKey holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 18 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of ShavKey's written reviews are positive against 60% of Colemak's.
ShavKey ships an update every 2 months, Colemak every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on July 28, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ShavKey | Colemak |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (9 ratings) — better | 3.1 (18 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 60.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 9 | 18 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 6 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1 MB | 23 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Joshua Lancaster | FarFetched |
Customer experience
ShavKey
Colemak
In-app purchases
ShavKey
No in-app purchases
Colemak
No in-app purchases
