When comparing Swype vs Fleksy, the Slant community recommends Fleksy for most people. In the question“What are the best third-party keyboards for iOS?” Fleksy is ranked 1st while Swype is ranked 4th. The most important reason people chose Fleksy is:
The most unique aspect about Fleksy is it's gesture system. The middle row of keys that is grayed out serves as the gesture row. The gesture row uses swipes to input spaces, periods, and correction all while you are typing. Of course this new way of typing will definitely take some to get used to.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Personal language model
Swype learns the way you type as you use it. Eventually Swype will create a personal language model based on your methods of typing. This model will even be maintained across all your Android devices.
Pro Swype gestures
Swiping from the question mark, comma, period, or other punctuation to the space key will enter the punctuation and a space at the same time
A swipe from the Swype key in the bottom left corner to "a" will select all, "x" will cut, "c" will copy, and "v" will paste
A swipe from the Swype key to the "5" will open the dedicated number keypad
A swipe from the Swype key to the space key will switch to the last language used
Pro Living Languages and Hotwords (opt in)
Swype's dictionary is continually evolving by crowd sourcing the hottest words and phrases from its over 250 million users. With Swype's Living Language you won't have to stop Swyping and type just to use that new phrase.
Pro Very accurate recognition
Some other keyboards can swype now, but Swype still does it best.
Pro Cloud syncing dictionary
Swype saves all of your corrections and improved predictions to the cloud so whenever you switch the experience will remain the same.
Pro Gesture typing, tap typing, and suggested words
Swype allows you to easily change between swyping and tap typing depending on the situation.
Pro Dedicated Emoji prediction bar, with a much broader selection of predictions.
Pro 71 Languages and 20 Dialects
Swype features on of the largest collections of languages and dialects out of all of the more popular keyboards for mobile.
Pro Keyboard themes
Swype allows you to customize the look of your keyboard with themes and color choices.
Pro Gesture system
The most unique aspect about Fleksy is it's gesture system. The middle row of keys that is grayed out serves as the gesture row. The gesture row uses swipes to input spaces, periods, and correction all while you are typing. Of course this new way of typing will definitely take some to get used to.
Pro Modern design
The Fleksy experience from the opening tutorial to the design of the keyboard is extremely well developed and very modern. Almost all reviews note the appearance as one of it's best features.
Pro Personalization
Like other alternative keyboards Fleksy can personalize your predictions based on your social media, Gmail, SMS, and device dictionary.
Pro Light, dark, and blue themes
The Fleksy themes can be changed in the look feel section of the settings.
Pro Extremely accurate autocorrect
Fleksy uses a very accurate auto correct that has allowed the app to break the speed typing record on a mobile keyboard as well as allow users to type without even looking at the screen.
Pro Private by design
Fleksy is completely private and never mines people personal data - www.fleksy.com/privacy/
Pro Type without looking at the keyboard
Fleksy is made by the creators of the alternative keyboard BlindType that was acquired by Google. As a result many of the technologies developed in BlindType are reinvented in Fleksy. The combination of accurate prediction and gestures allow you to focus on the text you are actually typing not the keyboard.
Pro Minimalist design
Pro Smooth Popup keypress
Fleksy has a very smooth keypress.
Pro "Mini" mode
Fleksy is able to offer a "mini" sized keyboard that is shorter in height because the whole row of keys with the spacebar is hidden. Fleksy is able to do this because spaces, periods, and corrections can all be performed with simple gestures. "Mini" mode can be accessed at any time by swiping the keyboard down with two fingers. "Mini" mode saves critical screen real estate.
Pro Holds world record for fastest typing on a touchscreen
Fleksy broke the world record by typing "The razor-toothed piranhas of the genera Serrasalmus and Pygocentrus are the most ferocious freshwater fish in the world. In reality they seldom attack a human."
The record holder typed this message in just 18.19 seconds, beating the old record by 1/4 of a second.
Pro Support extensions
Extensions enable user to customize the keyboard according to their need.
Pro Emoji support
Fleksy features over 800 emoji that the user can use when typing.
Pro Invisible mode
Fleksy has an extension that makes the whole keyboard transparent, useful when you can already blind type with it.
Pro Works on Gear 2 smartwatch
Fleksy is able to be installed on Gear 2 watches, making for a whole new way to type to ones phone or tablet.
Pro Good support for more then one language
Offers strong auto-correct in a lot of languages.
Cons
Con Big privacy concerns
The cloud support does who knows what with private data. The licence terms are quite clear with this: "You understand that through your use of the Software and the Service you consent to the collection and use as set forth herein of Speech Data and Licensing Data, including the transfer of both to the United States and/or other countries for storage, processing and use by Nuance and third party partners."
Also, this keyboard has a high GPS usage, for some unkown reason (the support wouldn't elaborate on this problem).
Con Very, very slow update pace
If there is any bugs, it will take very long time for the developer to issue another update to fix it.
Con Lag as a result of update issues
An abnormal amount Google Play reviewers are complaining of lag and memory problems that they never experienced with previous versions of Swype.
Con Can't change tap sound
You cant change tap sound volume or enable vibration
Con Language switch is bad
Hard way to use pop up language menus and Sayles feature are not good enough.
Con Dragon voice dictation
The Dragon voice dictation included in Swype is not as developed as Google's voice recognition software.
Con No swipe input
Fleksy does not use the popular swype function for typing.
Con Requires swiping to change the language
Requires swiping to change the language, making it difficult for users who mix multiple languages in their conversations.