Gmail vs SwiftKey

Since both the Gmail Android app and Gmail itself is made by Google, the app supports all features Gmail offers (like labeling/starring) and gets new features implemented early - usually as soon as they are announced.

Gmail brings much of the functionality and power of Google's search engine to the app's search. You can use operators such as label:, is:, OR, has: among others, define date ranges, limit search to specific groups and so on. And, you can do it all amazingly fast. The search will also try to predict what you're trying to search for before you've even finished your query and offer up those results.

The app allows inserting files from Drive straight to email or uploading attachments to Drive before sending them out. It will also notify if the person you're sending the file can open the file or if you should change the sharing settings for that file beforehand. Finally, you can choose which one of your Google accounts you want visible in the app.

Not only is the application free, it comes bundled with the Android OS by default so you don't even have to bother downloading it.

The app does not require a confirmation to show images as Google now hosts the images on their own servers making it safe. You can still disable the automatic displaying of images in the settings if you wish.

Gmail offers the ability to automatically organize your mail into specific categories:

• Primary
• Social
• Promotions
• Updates
• Priority

Each of the categories can be disabled and you can move your mail around from category to category or set your own rules which sender should be put in which category.

The prediction engine of SwiftKey is continuously being improved by using data from social networks, text messages or even emails from the user's device. Predictions appear above the keyboard as soon as a letter is typed. By adjusting to the user's writing habits and style, it really helps to save time when writing.

Swiftkey offers a wide range of different themes to add personality to your keyboard (some are free.. others paid for via in app purchases).

Has 61+ languages available that can be downloaded. So chances are the languages you need will be available.

Keyboard can integrate multiple languages into one seamless autocorrect engine.

You can choose between five different sizes to resize the keyboard.

The feature may seem odd but the ability to undock the keyboard is extremely useful in certain situations. For example when creating content or using difficult websites.

SwiftKey is competely ad-free.

Users can optionally display a number pad above the keyboard.

Swiftkey supports both popular methods of typing. Either way the methods integrate perfectly with the predictions featured above the keyboard.

When users type the name of the desired Emoji, a small list will come up where the right one can be selected.

Swiftkey is free to download and use, though there are in app purchases to unlock more features.

SwiftKey will even provide you exciting data about how you type such as a heatmap.

The more you use SwiftKey, the more your heat map will transform from perfect circles into blobs where you tend to press. From the Heatmap you'll know where you tend to make mistakes and how SwiftKey is improved. Other stats provided include:

• Distance flowed in meters
• Keystrokes saved
• Typos corrected
• Words completed

Even though SwiftKey is a third party keyboard, Swiftkey still uses the preferred Google voice dictation.

Any learned words, phrases (inc. email addresses) will be backed up to the cloud and available across multiple devices.

Among the layout choices is a split keyboard which anchors each half to the lower corners of the screen, where one would naturally hold a tablet device while typing, with the option to place a dedicated 10-key number pad in the unused space between them.