Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Monkeytype VS Keyman

Compare Monkeytype VS Keyman and see what are their differences

Monkeytype logo Monkeytype

Monkeytype is a minimalistic typing test, featuring many test modes, an account system to save your typing speed history and user configurable features like themes, a smooth caret and more.

Keyman logo Keyman

KeyMan is a leading typing and language learning platform that helps you to learn more than 600 different languages on your mobile or web browser.
  • Monkeytype Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-17
  • Keyman Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-28

Monkeytype features and specs

  • User-friendly Interface
    Monkeytype offers a clean and simple interface that is easy to navigate, allowing users to focus on their typing practice without distractions.
  • Customizable Settings
    Users can customize various settings such as test length, themes, and text sources to tailor their typing practice to their preferences.
  • Real-time Analytics
    The platform provides real-time statistics on typing speed, accuracy, and error patterns, helping users track their progress effectively.
  • Variety of Test Modes
    Monkeytype offers multiple test modes including 10fastfingers, typeracer, custom paragraphs, and more to keep practice sessions diverse and engaging.
  • Portable Data
    Users can save their typing data and access it from any device, ensuring their progress is always up-to-date.

Possible disadvantages of Monkeytype

  • Limited Features in Free Version
    Some advanced features and customization options are only available in the premium version, potentially limiting the experience for free users.
  • Internet Dependency
    An active internet connection is required to save and access progress data, which can be inconvenient for users with unreliable connectivity.
  • No Offline Mode
    Unlike some other typing practice tools, Monkeytype does not offer an offline mode, meaning users cannot practice without an internet connection.
  • No Guided Lessons
    The platform does not provide structured typing lessons or learning paths, which may be a drawback for beginners looking for a step-by-step learning process.
  • Basic Typing Content
    The default text samples for typing practice can be repetitive and may not cater to users looking for more specialized or varied typing material.

Keyman features and specs

  • Multilingual Support
    Keyman provides support for a wide range of languages, especially those that are not well supported by standard keyboard layouts, enabling users to type in their native scripts.
  • Customizable Layouts
    Users can create and customize their own keyboard layouts tailored to their specific language needs, which can be beneficial for languages with complex characters or scripts.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    Keyman is available on multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux, ensuring consistent typing experience across different devices.
  • Community and Support
    A strong user community and ample support material are available, providing resources and assistance for users to get the most out of Keyman.
  • Integration with Other Applications
    Keyman can be integrated into other applications, enhancing its functionality and providing a seamless typing experience across different software.

Possible disadvantages of Keyman

  • Learning Curve
    New users might find it challenging to learn and adapt to custom keyboard layouts, especially for complex scripts.
  • Occasional Technical Issues
    Users may encounter bugs or technical issues, especially when running custom scripts or layouts, which might require troubleshooting.
  • Resource Intensive
    Running Keyman, particularly with custom layouts or in environments with limited resources, can be demanding on system resources and may affect performance.
  • Limited Offline Use
    Some features or resources might only be accessible with an internet connection, limiting full functionality in offline scenarios.
  • Compatibility Issues
    Occasionally, there can be compatibility issues with certain applications or operating system versions, which might require additional support or workaround solutions.

Analysis of Monkeytype

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Monkeytype is highly recommended for those looking to improve their typing skills. Its engaging and simple design, combined with robust functionality, creates an effective and enjoyable learning environment.

Why this product is good

  • Monkeytype is considered good by many users because of its minimalist interface, comprehensive customization options, and extensive language support. It focuses on providing a distraction-free typing experience with features like custom themes, various test modes, and detailed statistics to track progress. Additionally, it offers accessibility options that make it inclusive for a wide range of users.

Recommended for

  • Individuals looking to improve their typing speed and accuracy.
  • People who enjoy customizable user experiences.
  • Users who want to practice typing in different languages.
  • Educators and typing coaches seeking a tool for teaching typing skills.
  • Anyone seeking a distraction-free typing test platform.

Monkeytype videos

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Keyman videos

KEYMAN - The new way to organise your keys. [Unboxing & Review]

More videos:

  • Review - Texas Star 667V Repair Review (Keyman)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Monkeytype and Keyman)
Personal Productivity
95 95%
5% 5
Games
0 0%
100% 100
Tool
100 100%
0% 0
Typing Games
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Monkeytype seems to be a lot more popular than Keyman. While we know about 223 links to Monkeytype, we've tracked only 9 mentions of Keyman. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Monkeytype mentions (223)

  • Fingerjigger
    Typing speed tests are always fun. I enjoy https://monkeytype.com/. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago
  • Introducing SnarkyType: The Snarkier way to type fast
    I'MMMM BACKKKK developers! My mystery project is underway! ...And it is literally just Monkeytype but it roasts you if you mess up. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • Typing 118 WPM Broke My Brain in the Right Ways
    I really recommend MonkeyType. The UI is great, the stats are clear, and the modes are really elegant. https://monkeytype.com/ I used it daily like the author for about 6 months to improve from 80wpm to about 120wpm. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Frame.work laptop now available in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden
    Https://monkeytype.com/ is my go-to place to practice. It proved invaluable when I was first getting used to my fancy ortholinear split keyboard. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Show HN: I built a math website the internet loved, I'm back with more features
    Cool. Highly recommend to implement the review exercise style of https://www.executeprogram.com/!, both the UI, albeit with better theming (https://monkeytype.com/), while keeping the hn styled comment section, although I'd let none-related comments run horizontally to click through different approaches/explanation(-styles). You got a startup there. Keep it affordable. 5 bucks a month after u get a propper UI and... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
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Keyman mentions (9)

  • Looking for a keyboard I can buy either online or at some kind of store that will allow me to type phonetic symbols
    Keyman is very popular among linguists, if you still prefer a keeb that will input IPA Unicode by itself, you can get a QMK compatible keyboard (like this), but you'll need to program it, as in write the code yourself. Source: over 2 years ago
  • How to type with "historical" noto sans fonts on word?
    SIL's Ukelele is a popular app for creating custom keyboard layouts on macOS. SIL also recommends Keyman if you're looking for a cross-platform app for creating custom keyboards. Keyman already supports thousands of languages so they might already have a keyboard for the languages you need. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Trying to insert letters with diacritics
    While I haven't used it myself, I have heard that Keyman is highly flexible and extensible, so it may allow OP to create a layout in its own format that has the desired behavior. Keyman was originally a commercial product, but SIL (which had long advocated its use) acquired it in 2015 and made it free shortly thereafter. The original developer seems to still be part of the team working on it for SIL. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Tam Thฦฐใ€ˆไธ‰ๆ›ธใ€‰writing system for Vietnamese: Input Method Editor (IME) package is done.
    For Tam Thฦฐ, specifically the phonetic Latin Quแป‘c Ngแปฏ and Kรฝ ร‚m, I'm working off of an existing keyboard distribution platform called Keyman. It's free and open source with good developer's guide. For my case, Vietnamese typing is a bit complicated with many key sequences that makes modifications to a base glyph, and Keyman is a fit tool for that in my experience. It also follow the principle of "write once, run... Source: over 3 years ago
  • Tam Thฦฐใ€ˆไธ‰ๆ›ธใ€‰writing system for Vietnamese: Input Method Editor (IME) package is done.
    Because Tam Thฦฐ is in fact 3 writing systems combined, I made 3 separate IMEs/keyboard layouts for each of them: 2 phonetic keyboards for Latin Quแป‘c Ngแปฏ and Kรฝ ร‚m Tแปฑ using Keyman, and 1 logographic keyboard for Hรกn Nรดm (think of it as Vietnamese Kanji, you can read more about its history here) using Rime. This results in the user having to install both Keyman and Rime + my IME package for each of the two. Then... Source: over 3 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Monkeytype and Keyman, you can also consider the following products

keybr - This website teaches touch typing via lessons that feature letters and spaces on the user's screen. During each lesson, a cursor highlights the letter or space that the user must type... read more.

Typing Chef - Typing Chef is a fun typing game in which the player assumes the role of a chef and whose aim is to manage their kitchen by performing a number of the task with the help of his keyboard.

Typing.com - Learn & Teach Typing, Free! Perfect for all ages & levels, K-12 and beyond.

Desert Typing Racer - Desert Typing Racer is a Single-player, Typing and Racing video game in which the objective of the player controls a car and try to reach on the finish line by eliminating all the opponent cars.

10FastFingers.com - Improve your Typing Speed with our Typing Games

Typing Club - Learn touch typing online using TypingClub's free typing courses. It includes 650 typing games, typing tests and videos.