Keyda vs Microsoft SwiftKey
The short version. Both are third-party keyboards with AI built in, and both are free to install. The real difference is where the AI comes from. SwiftKey's is Microsoft Copilot — one assistant, chosen and operated by Microsoft. Keyda lets you pick the provider, run a model on the device with no network at all, or point the keyboard at your own API account. SwiftKey has the longer track record at prediction and swipe typing; Keyda adds a notes and documents workspace, a Mac app and a Chrome extension on the same account.
What Microsoft advertises
On the App Store, Microsoft SwiftKey is listed as free with in-app purchases, headlined "Copilot | Emojis | Tone change". It advertises swipe typing or tap-to-type, a keyboard that "learns from you, including your word choice, emoji usage", and Copilot for asking questions inside your apps.
Where the two actually differ
| Microsoft SwiftKey | Keyda | |
|---|---|---|
| Which AI | Microsoft Copilot | Your pick across OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Groq and xAI |
| Use your own AI account | Not offered | Free on every account — BYOK |
| Offline AI | Prediction and autocorrect work offline; Copilot needs a connection | Gemma 3n and Gemma 3 1B run fully on-device — no network, no token cost, no rate limit |
| Beyond the keyboard | Keyboard only | Notes, documents, sketches and an AI assistant on the same account, plus a Mac app and a Chrome extension |
| Indic typing | Multilingual typing | Hindi transliteration and Hinglish-aware autocorrect |
| Price | Free, with in-app purchases | Free to install; BYOK and on-device free; Lite and Pro add a pooled cloud quota |
Where SwiftKey is the better answer
- You want one assistant that is simply there, already signed in, with nothing to configure. Choosing a provider is a cost, not only a benefit.
- You are already inside Microsoft's ecosystem and want the same Copilot you use elsewhere.
- You care most about prediction and swipe accuracy in a keyboard with a very long history of both.
Where Keyda is the better answer
- You want to choose the model — or change it — rather than take the one the vendor picked.
- You already pay for an API account and would rather the keyboard used it than charge you again.
- You want AI writing that works with no connection at all.
- You want the same tools on a Mac and in Chrome, with notes and documents that sync across them.
- You write in Hinglish, or type Hindi phonetically in English letters.
Questions people ask
Can I use both?
Yes. Both iOS and Android allow several keyboards at once, switched with the globe key.
Does Keyda have a Copilot equivalent?
Keyda has an AI assistant you can reach from the keyboard and from the app, and it can read connected GitHub, Linear and Jira workspaces to answer questions about your own work. The difference is that you choose which model answers, and you can point it at your own API key.
What happens to the text I send to the AI?
Keyda does not log keystrokes, and text goes to a provider only when you ask for something. Prompts and responses are not used to train any model, ours or the providers'. A log of AI requests is kept against your account to power usage stats and detect abuse, retained on a rolling basis of about 12 months. The detail is in the Privacy Policy.
Is there a free way to use the AI features?
Two. Bringing your own API key is free on every account with no plan, trial or card — your provider bills you. The on-device models are also free and need no key and no network.