# MessagEase Keyboard vs ShavKey

The clearest difference is rating: ShavKey at 4.6 against MessagEase Keyboard's 4.0. ShavKey also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 70%) and monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs paid). MessagEase Keyboard's advantage is ratings volume (95 vs 9) and iOS requirement (10.3 vs 16.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MessagEase Keyboard has 95 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of MessagEase Keyboard's written reviews are positive against 100% of ShavKey's.

MessagEase Keyboard ships an update every 6 weeks, ShavKey every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MessagEase Keyboard | ShavKey |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (95 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/messagease-keyboard/id990325092/reviews) | **[4.6 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shavkey/id6478062450/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **95** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 70.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 14 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.3** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Exideas](https://appshunter.io/developer/320668285) | [Joshua Lancaster](https://appshunter.io/developer/1514379384) |

## What reviewers say

### MessagEase Keyboard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/messagease-keyboard/id990325092)

An innovative, non-QWERTY keyboard designed for touchscreens based on scientific research. It features large keys with optimized letter placement for faster, more accurate typing. Learning games and customization options are included.

**Highlights:** Non-QWERTY keyboard layout, Optimized letter assignment, Tap and drag input, Learning games included, Customizable keyboard size, shape, and color, Supports multiple languages

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Significantly faster typing speed than QWERTY keyboards
- 💡 Innovative one-handed keyboard design optimized for touchscreens
- 👍 Large buttons reduce typing errors and improve accuracy
- 🎮 All characters (letters, numbers, symbols) accessible on single screen
- ⚙️ Highly customizable layout, colors, and keyboard size

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Keyboard randomly resizes to full screen without user control
- 🐛 Inconsistent swipe gesture recognition
- ⚠️ Steep learning curve requires significant practice
- ❌ Missing features compared to Android version
- 🔧 Lacks word prediction and autocorrect functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Keyboard expands to full screen and cannot be resized
- Keyboard fails to appear in Apple apps (Notes, Safari, Skype)
- Swipe gestures registered as clicks
- Keyboard crashes on iOS 26.x and iOS 16.x versions
- Settings reset or don't persist between sessions

**Requested features**

- Word prediction and autocorrect
- Resizable keyboard with size locking option
- Copy/paste/select-all gesture shortcuts (like Android version)
- Voice dictation support
- Better cursor navigation controls


### ShavKey

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shavkey/id6478062450)

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.

**Highlights:** All 48 Shavian characters accessible, No shift key required, Always-on number row, Optional Base 12 number input, Optimized for single-stroke input

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MessagEase Keyboard free?

MessagEase Keyboard is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ShavKey free?

ShavKey is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, MessagEase Keyboard or ShavKey?

ShavKey is rated higher. MessagEase Keyboard averages 4.0 out of 5 from 95 ratings, while ShavKey averages 4.6 from 9 ratings.

### Do MessagEase Keyboard or ShavKey have ads?

Neither MessagEase Keyboard nor ShavKey shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MessagEase Keyboard or ShavKey?

MessagEase Keyboard ships an update every 6 weeks, and ShavKey every 2 months. Most recently, MessagEase Keyboard was updated on October 13, 2026 and ShavKey on October 10, 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.*