Keyda vs Gboard
The short version. Gboard is Google's keyboard, it is free, and it is very good at the thing keyboards have always done — typing, gliding, prediction, translation. Its AI writing tools are a separate feature, and Google's own documentation lists them as Android-only, on a named set of devices. On iPhone that difference is the whole story. Keyda is a third-party keyboard built around the writing tools: rewriting, tone, replies, translation and voice inside any app, with a choice of AI model, on-device models, and the option to use your own API key.
What Google documents
Gboard's writing tools are Proofread, Rephrase, Professional, Friendly, Emojify, Elaborate and Shorten. Google's help page lists them as available on Android, on supported devices including Pixel 9 and 10 series, Honor, Motorola, OnePlus, OPPO, POCO, realme, vivo and Xiaomi models, with Gboard set as the default keyboard. Google states that the tools "work in a secure, isolated environment on your device or in the cloud" and that "your input text isn't shared with Google or any app."
Where the two actually differ
| Gboard | Keyda | |
|---|---|---|
| AI writing tools on iPhone | Not listed by Google — the writing tools are documented for Android | Yes, iOS 17 or later |
| Which AI model | Google's, chosen by Google | Your pick across OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Groq and xAI |
| Use your own AI account | Not offered | Free on every account — BYOK |
| Offline AI | On-device on supported Android devices | Gemma 3n and Gemma 3 1B, on every supported device |
| Beyond the keyboard | Keyboard only | Notes, documents, sketches and an AI assistant on the same account, plus a Mac app and a Chrome extension |
| Price | Free | Free to install; BYOK and on-device free; Lite and Pro add a pooled cloud quota |
Where Gboard is the better answer
Worth saying plainly, because a comparison that finds nothing good about the other option is not worth reading:
- You are on a supported Android device and the built-in writing tools already do what you need. They are free, they are there, and they need no second app.
- You want the broadest possible language and layout coverage in a keyboard from the company that also makes the operating system.
- You would rather not grant Full Access to a third-party keyboard at all. That is a legitimate position, and it rules out every third-party cloud AI keyboard, Keyda included.
Where Keyda is the better answer
- You are on iPhone and want rewriting, tone changes and replies at the cursor.
- You want to choose the model, or to run the keyboard's AI on an API account you already pay for.
- You want the same tools on a Mac and in Chrome, with notes and documents that sync.
- You write in Hinglish, or type Hindi phonetically in English letters.
Questions people ask
Can I use both?
Yes. iOS and Android both let you install several keyboards and switch with the globe key. Plenty of people keep the default keyboard and switch to Keyda when they want to rewrite something.
Does Gboard have AI writing tools on iPhone?
Google's help page for the writing tools documents them on Android, on a listed set of devices, with no iOS entry. Google can change that at any time, so check the page linked above rather than taking this page's word for it.
Is a third-party keyboard safe to use?
It depends on the keyboard, and the question is worth asking of any of them. Keyda does not log keystrokes; text goes to an AI provider only when you ask for something, iOS hands password fields to the secure system keyboard that no third-party keyboard can read, and a keyboard without Full Access has no network access at all. The specifics are in the Privacy Policy.
Do I lose glide typing if I switch?
No. Keyda has gesture typing, prediction and autocorrect, including Hinglish-aware autocorrect that leaves romanized Hindi words alone instead of correcting them into the wrong English word.
Related
- AI keyboard for iPhone — what Apple allows, and how setup works.
- Keyda vs Microsoft SwiftKey.
- Models & limits — every model and quota, in full.