MergeKey vs Archivist Browser
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
MergeKey
This keyboard dynamically adjusts key sizes and visibility as you type, offering larger tap targets and fewer errors. It supports 20 languages and includes customizable styles and privacy-focused features.
- Dynamic key resizing
- Hides impossible keys
- Supports 20 languages
- Customizable styles
- Privacy-focused
- Typing game
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MergeKey — the first keyboard that hides the keys you don't need. As you type, MergeKey dynamically removes impossible letters and expands the remaining keys, giving you bigger tap targets and fewer typos. It's like autocomplete, but visual — you see your options shrink in real time. MERGE MODE — UNIQUE TO MERGEKEY - Keys that can't continue your word disappear instantly - Remaining keys grow to fill the space — bigger keys, fewer mistakes - Learns new words you teach it - Toggle Merge Mode off if you prefer just the disappearing keys without resizing MADE FOR IPAD - Full-size layouts on large iPads, a roomier compact layout on smaller ones - Pinch to split the keyboard for thumb typing, with adjustable split distance - Two-finger trackpad: drag across the keys to move the cursor - Letters Only mode for a clean, focused board - Split typing on iPhone too, in landscape 31 LANGUAGES English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Polish, Czech, Slovenian, Greek, Turkish, Bulgarian, Russian, Ukrainian, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Swedish, Finnish, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Lithuanian, Romanian, Hungarian, Irish, Hebrew, Arabic, Urdu (Latin), Bangla and Hindi — each with native prediction and accented character variants. English (US/GB), Spanish (ES/MX) and Portuguese (BR/PT) with correct regional dictionaries. Hindi, Bangla and Urdu in Latin letters. SMART FEATURES - Quick Settings right in the keyboard — tap the MergeKey icon - Scrolling prediction bar with up to 9 word suggestions - Long-press for accented letters and symbols - Character preview bubble on key tap - Optional dedicated number row - Double-tap shift for caps lock - Backspace hold-to-accelerate (characters, then words) - Hold 123 for a fan of digits; hold the comma key for more signs CUSTOMIZABLE STYLE - 14 keyboard styles: Default, Liquid Glass (iOS 26), Classic, Ink on Paper, Typewriter, Keycaps, Sharp, Brick, Pixel, Glossy, Metal, Backlit, Calculator, Neon - Custom key fill, border, character and accent colors - Letters that grow with their keys as they merge (optional) - 6 key fonts - Keyboard height: Compact, Normal or Tall - Transparency slider for key fill opacity - Animation speed control - Live keyboard preview in Settings and Style - Own colors for single function keys, a Black and White accent and Reset Style BUILT FOR LEARNERS - Swipe up to teach MergeKey a new word - Swipe down for continuous mode (all keys visible) - Swipe left to delete whole words - Swipe right to paste the last thing you copied - Key heatmap per language shows which letters you type most and where your thumb lands - Built-in typing game to practice in any language - Live lessons in How to – every gesture plays on your own keyboard - 3 mini games: Tennis, Surfing, Penalty Kick PRIVACY FIRST MergeKey does not collect or transmit your typing data. Everything stays on your device. MergeKey never connects to the internet. The only network activity is the App Store handling the optional tips – that's why iOS shows a Mobile Data switch for MergeKey. The optional clipboard keeps your texts on this device only. Word lists based on the Leipzig Corpora Collection (CC BY 4.0). AI4Bharat Aksharantar (CC BY).
Archivist Browser
Stream millions of films, audiobooks, music, and digital texts directly from the Internet Archive. This media player offers enhanced playback, universal TV casting, and organized file management for researchers and enthusiasts.
- Stream films, audiobooks, music, and texts
- Universal TV Casting (AirPlay)
- High-resolution image viewer
- Optimized audio with background support
- Topic Chips for content filtering
- Folder sharing via URL or QR code
- On-the-fly renaming and text file cleanup
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Archivist Browser: Your Portal to Digital History Archivist Browser is the ultimate media player, transforming your device into a comprehensive portal for streaming content directly from the Internet Archive's vast collections. Built specifically for researchers and enthusiasts of historical media, our app provides the fastest, most reliable way to stream millions of films, audiobooks, music and digital texts. Stop struggling with browser playback. Download Archivist Browser and experience the past, optimised for seamless, modern streaming. What the Critics Say "A really cool piece of software... I've never seen anything like this before... Highly recommend." — WILL SMITH, BRAD AND WILL MADE A TECH POD "A great idea for a very niche utility – my favourite kind these days." — FEDERICO VITICCI, MACSTORIES As featured in Cory Doctorow's Pluralistic blog. Enhanced Media Playback & Visuals Experience history in high definition with a UI designed for modern enthusiasts. Custom Themes: Personalise your experience with the new Alt Indigo Theme, a variation specifically for Dark Mode enthusiasts. Universal TV Casting: Watch films and video on your big screen! Archivist Browser supports AirPlay (on iOS) for instant, seamless video streaming to any compatible TV or streaming device. High-Res Image Viewer: Enjoy smoother navigation and better rendering when viewing high-resolution assets. Improved Subtitles: Expanded support for subtitles across more titles and languages. Optimised Audio: Enjoy full background audio support and media controls right from your lock screen, perfect for listening to historical audiobooks or music collections. Polished UI: Refined thumbnail badges offer better clarity and a more professional look. Discovery & Integration Navigate the Archive’s millions of items with ease. Topic Chips: Quickly filter and find what you want with Topic Chips now appearing on Collections. Uploader Profiles: Explore more from your favourite contributors by clicking an uploader’s name to see their full gallery. Internet Archive (IA) Integration: Seamlessly import your lists directly from your IA account for a seamless transition. Fast Content Discovery: Easily find media by title, keyword or creator, or access curated "Popular Queries" to jump straight into trending collections. File & Folder Management Organise and share your research effortlessly. Folder Sharing: Share your favourite folders with other users via URL or QR code. Smart Store Linking: If a recipient doesn’t have the app installed, shared links will automatically direct them to the store page. On-the-Fly Renaming: Keep your library organised by renaming your folders instantly. Text File Clean Up: Use a dedicated button to instantly tidy up messy OCR text files. Rapid Text Access: Cached text fetching retrieves PDFs and documents rapidly (note: cache is purged on app closure). Privacy & Reliability We prioritise your privacy: No user accounts, no mandatory login and absolutely no personal details are stored. Experience the Archive with total peace of mind.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ratings volume: Archivist Browser at 63 against MergeKey's 3. Archivist Browser also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). MergeKey's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 88%). 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for MergeKey against 4.9 for Archivist Browser. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Archivist Browser has 63 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of MergeKey's written reviews are positive against 88% of Archivist Browser's.
MergeKey ships an update every 4 days, Archivist Browser every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | MergeKey | Archivist Browser |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better | 4.9 (63 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 87.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 63 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 15.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 39 MB | 79 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Andrei Achziger | Robert Lothian |
Customer experience
MergeKey
Archivist Browser
In-app purchases
MergeKey
No in-app purchases
Archivist Browser
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is MergeKey free?
Is Archivist Browser free?
Which has better reviews, MergeKey or Archivist Browser?
Do MergeKey or Archivist Browser have ads?
Which is updated more often, MergeKey or Archivist Browser?
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