# Black Keys vs ActionPad

The clearest difference is rating: ActionPad at 4.0 against Black Keys's 3.4. ActionPad also leads on review sentiment (63% vs 54%). Black Keys's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months) and price ($0.99 vs $3.99). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Black Keys costs $0.99 and ActionPad $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ActionPad holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 27 and 30 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of Black Keys's written reviews are positive against 63% of ActionPad's.

Black Keys ships an update fortnightly, ActionPad every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Black Keys | ActionPad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$0.99** | $3.99 |
| Rating | [3.4 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/black-keys/id899894778/reviews) | **[4.0 (30 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/actionpad-macpc-pro-controls/id1142860715/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 27 | **30** |
| Positive reviews | 53.6% of reviews | **63.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 35 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [LE SANG](https://appshunter.io/developer/637407101) | [Andrew Arpasi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1646326351) |

## What reviewers say

### Black Keys

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/black-keys/id899894778)

This app provides multilingual keyboards for typing in unsupported languages and the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). It features a dark mode for eye comfort and supports a wide range of languages, including Arabic, Amharic, and Khmer. Tutorials are available for complex typing methods.

**Highlights:** Multilingual keyboard support, IPA typing, Dark mode, Support for many languages, Tutorial videos, Long-press for hidden letters

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- ✨ Supports multiple languages/fonts
- 🚀 Fast switching between keyboards
- 💰 Good value for price
- 💯 Works perfectly for specific needs (IPA, Syriac, etc.)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 📉 Font issues and missing characters
- 👎 Inconsistent behavior
- 🚫 Some features not working as expected
- 🔠 Layout changes are not good

**Reported bugs**

- Keyboard takes up more space over time
- Eastern font lost after update
- Syriac-Eastern font shows as Estrangelo
- Myanmar Error Unicode and Zawgyi
- Cannot add vowels on alphabets

**Requested features**

- Fix Nestorian style font
- Add vowels on alphabets
- Improve language change button consistency
- Add custom keyboard creation/customization
- Add Latin Extended keyboard


### ActionPad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/actionpad-macpc-pro-controls/id1142860715)

Create custom control panels to remotely operate your computer applications. Simulate keyboard and mouse input, launch programs, open files, and control media. Share and download user-created panels for enhanced productivity and gaming.

**Highlights:** Customizable control panels, Simulate keyboard and mouse input, Launch applications and files, Open websites, Media and volume control, Create macros, Community Panels Hub

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Black Keys free?

Black Keys costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ActionPad free?

ActionPad costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Black Keys or ActionPad?

ActionPad is rated higher. Black Keys averages 3.4 out of 5 from 27 ratings, while ActionPad averages 4.0 from 30 ratings.

### Do Black Keys or ActionPad have ads?

Neither Black Keys nor ActionPad shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Black Keys or ActionPad?

Black Keys ships an update fortnightly, and ActionPad every 3 months. Most recently, Black Keys was updated on September 27, 2026 and ActionPad on October 1, 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.*