Syriac Reader vs ShavKey
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Syriac Reader
This app allows users to read Syriac letters on their iPhone and iPad. It includes a Safari extension to display Syriac text on web pages, translating unreadable characters into proper Syriac letters with a single tap. Two Syriac fonts are also provided for installation.
- Read Syriac letters on iPhone and iPad
- Safari extension for web reading
- Translate unreadable characters
- Includes Serto Jerusalem font
- Includes Estrangelo Midyat font
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Ever followed a link only to find out it is just boxes? Syriac reader is an easy to use app that enables you to read Syriac letters on your iPhone and iPad. It also includes a Safari extension that lets you read Syriac letters on the web in Safari. It translates all the boxes to Syriac letters with a single tap. This version includes - Two Syriac fonts to be installed on your device - Serto Jerusalem and Estrangelo Midyat fonts - Fast and easy to use Safari extension to read Syriac letters on the web
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.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: ShavKey at 100% against Syriac Reader's 0%. ShavKey also leads on rating (4.6 vs 3.6) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 11 months). Syriac Reader's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 16.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 9 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Syriac Reader's written reviews are positive against 100% of ShavKey's.
Syriac Reader ships an update every 11 months, ShavKey every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Syriac Reader | ShavKey |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.6 (5 ratings) | 4.6 (9 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 5 | 9 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 15 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Anteneh Sahledengel | Joshua Lancaster |
Customer experience
Syriac Reader
ShavKey
In-app purchases
Syriac Reader
No in-app purchases
ShavKey
No in-app purchases
