Swype vs. Swiftkey : Best keyboard for Android

vigilante

vigilante

Level F
I have been using the Swype keyboard ever since I started using Android (It had come bundled with my Samsung Galaxy 3). Then when I switched to Galaxy S3, swype was no longer a bundled app but was available as Beta app which I had been using since then. Now that it's out of Beta and available as a paid app on Play store, I am wondering whether it is the best keyboard available before I buy it. The next best option seems to be Swiftkey which I used for a while long way back. Back then it didn't have the swipe action typing so I had switched back to Swype. I am really comfortable with typing with Swype and I find it really easy to add own words (hindi words in english). I have built up a considerable database of own words and now typing in english or hindi is just a breeze.
But I read that Swiftkey also features Flow, which is similar to Swype. So I would like give this a try before buying one of these. Samsung's keyboard also offers gesture typing but it just sucks. Just wanted to know other people's experiences and preferences for both these keyboards (or if there is any other better option out there).
So which keyboard works best for you guys and why and which one would you recommend based on my usage pattern.
Thanks in advance.
 
The gesture typing function with Swiftkey is really very good. I use it only when feeling lazy and have no reasons to complain. However, the Hinglish vocab database that you can download for Swiftkey is simply fantastic. Be it gesture or conventional typing, it is really very useful when conversing in a mix of Hindi and English.
 
eternoMind said:
The gesture typing function with Swiftkey is really very good. I use it only when feeling lazy and have no reasons to complain. However, the Hinglish vocab database that you can download for Swiftkey is simply fantastic. Be it gesture or conventional typing, it is really very useful when conversing in a mix of Hindi and English.
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I just installed the trial version and have downloaded the 'hinglish' language. Seems interesting. Will give it a shot and then decide.
 
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My story is similar to yours.
I was using Swype earlier and when it went to beta and all I switched to SwiftKey.

Let me tell you one thing that the swiping function still works better in Swype although it depends a lot on personal usage style and preference.

But it is hard (almost impossible) to beat the predictive text input of SwiftKey.
Hinglish is one of the best features of SwiftKey.
Flow is hit and miss a lot of times and I remember being pretty accurate with Swype.
But with enough usage Flow also can be used pretty neatly.

So overall I would say SwiftKey is better but you are doing a good thing by trying it out first.
Do try out the normal thumb typing as well since you might be surprised to see how fast it can really be due to the amazing predictive text engine.
 
I've begun using Swiftkey (trial version) on my Nexus ... not sure if I like it so much more than the native keyboard to go and buy it ...
Hinglish? where/how do I download that?
Haven't tried out Swype though..
 
In the languages pack there will be a language called hinglish.

Switkey has been my keyboard for over 2 years now. Serving me quite good.
 
Swiftkey is better.

But security concerns have been expressed reg the "prediction" business - reg passwords storage etc.

I stopped after this security issue came up. It was so big that Swiftkey went defensive in their blog also.
 
The 'Hinglish' dictionary for Swiftkey is just great. My only concern with switching from Swype was losing my own words (hindi ones) from database. But I guess I wont be needing it anymore. My initial impressions: I am liking this Swiftkey.
 
After using both have gone to Touchpal :P

Swype KB pros and cons:
Great for swiping accurately
You can cut and paste like PC

Dragon voice for dictation sucks
Not so good with predictive text, as in predicting the next word
Huge memory footprint
KB lags a bit while opening

Swiftkey KB pros and cons:
Excellent predictive text, most of the time the app will know the next word you would type -- learns typing habit quickly
Uses Google voice for dictation, which is much better than Dragon
Easy to customize

Resource use is moderate, lesser than Swype, still quite a bit
Swipe / Flow typing is not at par with Swype -- it does a hit-and-miss job of predicting what word you want while swyping
 
It's simple. I am using Android for Swype, I can't utter how much I rely on it, every day, every minute. When they released their paid app I bought it asap. It's about the engine, where Swype is WAY ahead than any keyboard available on Google Play or outside unofficially. SKF is good, but it's damn irritating, you mistype a word, then you have to tap on it to select it, then the other options would come! I have no idea who came up with that idea in their R&D team. Just type a big email/SMS using Swype, and do the same with SKF, you will see who fares better, Swype is much more accurate than SKF, Swype is much faster than SKF. I bought SK when they introduced their 'Flow' thingy, really had high hope about it! But after using it for almost a month I realized how many wrong words were done by it, due to it's less accurate nature, and how much extra time was wasted. The only thing I liked about SK is their predictive text, it is usable when I am using the phone in landscape, where Swyping is little cumbersome. For people who relies on predictive text SK is great, but for people like me only one keyboard is there and that's Swype.
 
Swiftkey, using it since last 2 years and I like it the best. Used Swype and Touchpal in the past but now nothing can beat Swiftkey (atleast for me).
 
ithehappy said:
It's simple. I am using Android for Swype, I can't utter how much I rely on it, every day, every minute. When they released their paid app I bought it asap. It's about the engine, where Swype is WAY ahead than any keyboard available on Google Play or outside unofficially. SKF is good, but it's damn irritating, you mistype a word, then you have to tap on it to select it, then the other options would come! I have no idea who came up with that idea in their R&D team. Just type a big email/SMS using Swype, and do the same with SKF, you will see who fares better, Swype is much more accurate than SKF, Swype is much faster than SKF. I bought SK when they introduced their 'Flow' thingy, really had high hope about it! But after using it for almost a month I realized how many wrong words were done by it, due to it's less accurate nature, and how much extra time was wasted. The only thing I liked about SK is their predictive text, it is usable when I am using the phone in landscape, where Swyping is little cumbersome. For people who relies on predictive text SK is great, but for people like me only one keyboard is there and that's Swype.
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Err, I can type equally fast with both the keyboards (on SK even without using Flow) so I don't see a reason how any one of them might be faster than the other.
And what engine are you talking about?
If it is the swiping engine then yes Swype has the upper hand.

The way I see it for swipe typing Swype is best and for normal thumb typing nothing comes close to Swiftkey.
 
Yeah, I am talking about swiping keyboards only. And yeah swipe engine, my whole point was based on swipe only. For tappers SK is great, but I ain't a tapper, not in portrait. But there are several other keyboards I tried which are not that inferior to SK when it comes to tapping/thumb keyboard, like Thumb keyboard, Perfect etc. But when it comes to swiping nothing comes close to Swype, be it over-hyped Keymonk or anything else. I wish there was an app where both SK and Swype would auto change on landscape and portrait respectively, damn, what am I thinking :p
PS: I don't like the word saving procedure of SK at all, I kept tapping on the words, then nothing were saved, then someone in their forum told me to type my desired custom/non-English words and hit the soft back button, very weird procedure of saving words.
kestrel5915 said:
Err, I can type equally fast with both the keyboards (on SK even without using Flow) so I don't see a reason how any one of them might be faster than the other.
And what engine are you talking about?
If it is the swiping engine then yes Swype has the upper hand.

The way I see it for swipe typing Swype is best and for normal thumb typing nothing comes close to Swiftkey.
Click to expand...
 
ithehappy said:
Yeah, I am talking about swiping keyboards only. And yeah swipe engine, my whole point was based on swipe only. For tappers SK is great, but I ain't a tapper, not in portrait. But there are several other keyboards I tried which are not that inferior to SK when it comes to tapping/thumb keyboard, like Thumb keyboard, Perfect etc. But when it comes to swiping nothing comes close to Swype, be it over-hyped Keymonk or anything else. I wish there was an app where both SK and Swype would auto change on landscape and portrait respectively, damn, what am I thinking :p
PS: I don't like the word saving procedure of SK at all, I kept tapping on the words, then nothing were saved, then someone in their forum told me to type my desired custom/non-English words and hit the soft back button, very weird procedure of saving words.
Click to expand...

I think you might be looking for this: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ne0fhykLabs.android.utility.kmLauncher&hl=en

Also, now saving is automated in SK but I'm not sure about the related security risks.
 
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