We rely on our smartphone keyboards countless times a day. Yet many of us stick with the default option without a second thought on our iPhone and Android devices . But are we settling for good enough? I wondered the same thing, and it led me to a month-long keyboard dive. Being a tech reviewer, I try the best offerings from Apple, Google, and Samsung.

For the past month, I've lived and typed with Gboard, iOS keyboard, and Samsung Keyboard, and now I'm ready to share my firsthand experience and deliver a verdict in this three-way showdown.

Samsung Keyboard has the best AI integration

What struck me about the Samsung Keyboard during my month of testing was its neat AI integration. We live in an AI-driven world, and while I've used Siri on my iPhone and played around with Gemini on my Android, the way Samsung baked Galaxy AI into its keyboard felt genuinely useful.

I sometimes rush while typing, and this was incredibly helpful in polishing my messages on the fly. I also loved the ability to change the tone of my writing. With a tap, the keyboard offered suggestions to expand my initial thoughts or draft sentences based on the context. I no longer need to rely on a third-party app for such suggestions. I can't wait to see how Google will integrate Gemini into Gboard in the future.

Gboard and iOS Keyboard score high on aesthetics

With Gboard, I appreciated the Material You theming. It felt modern and integrated well with the overall Android look and feel. The way the keyboard subtly pulled colors from my wallpaper created a personalized experience.

Then there is the iOS keyboard. While Apple doesn't offer themes, the translucent keyboard has a unique aesthetic. It blends seamlessly with the content behind it. The Samsung Keyboard felt comparatively bland in terms of visual customization. Even though Samsung offers customization through the Good Lock app and its Keys Cafe module, it's an extra step, not an out-of-the-box experience.

All three keyboards cover the basics

Speaking of the core functionalities across all three keyboards, it's clear they all nailed the fundamentals. No matter which one I used – Google's Gboard, Samsung Keyboard, or Apple Keyboard – the basic tools I relied on daily were consistently present and performed as expected.

First, swipe gestures for typing were a breeze on all of them. Whether I was quickly composing a message one-handed or preferred the flow of gliding my finger across the keys, each keyboard offered a smooth and responsive swiping experience.

Similarly, sticker support is standard now, and all three delivered here. Gboard and Samsung Keyboard integrate seamlessly with Bitmoji. Apple, interestingly, has its unique take on Genmoji. The ability to create custom stickers from text prompts within the Apple Keyboard felt neat.

However, there was one notable difference in the media support. Unlike the Samsung Keyboard and Gboard, the iOS keyboard lacks GIF support. This felt like a bit of a miss in an era where GIFs are a common form of expression.

Multilingual typing is flawless on Gboard

Let's come to the crucial part. I frequently switch between English and Hinglish (English written with Hindi words and phonetic spellings). In this regard, Gboard shines and provides a flawless experience. Gboard flawlessly handled both languages simultaneously. Gboard seemed to detect which language I was typing in and offered relevant predictions and autocorrections accordingly.

Samsung Keyboard also performed admirably in handling both English and Hinglish, and I could rely on it for multilingual typing. However, I noticed instances where it wasn't as intuitive as Gboard. The iOS Keyboard was the weakest performer when it came to my multilingual typing needs. I consistently found its handling of English and Hinglish to be inconsistent and often frustrating. This inconsistency often disrupted my typing flow.

Gboard is a cross-platform solution

Gboard is the only one of the three that offers native applications on both Android and iOS. Samsung Keyboard is primarily exclusive to Samsung's Android devices, and Apple Keyboard is the default and deeply integrated keyboard within the iOS ecosystem, without a standalone app for Android.

If you frequently switch between Android and iPhone and are looking for a consistent experience on them, Gboard makes a compelling case. This reduces the learning curve and allows for a more seamless transition. Your muscle memory for key locations and accessing features will largely remain the same.

Key strokes and insights

After a full month of tapping, swiping, and autocorrecting with Gboard, Samsung Keyboard, and Apple Keyboard, it's clear that each has strengths and weaknesses. While Gboard excels at multilingual typing, Samsung Keyboard marches ahead with a neat AI integration. The iOS Keyboard remains the most inconsistent of all. It often failed to learn my preferences and kept autocorrecting the wrong words.

Now, check out our dedicated post if you are looking for more keyboard options for your Android device .