March 28, 202610 min read

Best Hindi Typing Apps for Android in 2026 — Top 10 Keyboards Compared

Compare the best Hindi typing apps for Android. Detailed review of Gboard, SwiftKey, Indic Keyboard, and 7 more Hindi keyboard apps with pros and cons.

Hindi keyboard Android apps Gboard SwiftKey comparison

There are over 30 Hindi keyboard apps on the Google Play Store. Most of them are mediocre. A few are excellent. And choosing the wrong one means autocorrect fights you on every word, predictions miss the mark, and typing Hindi feels harder than it should.

I tested the top 10 Hindi keyboard apps on Android over two weeks. Here is what I found.

Quick Comparison Table

App	Transliteration	Devanagari Keyboard	Voice Input	Glide Typing	Bilingual	Privacy	Rating
Gboard	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★☆☆	#1
SwiftKey	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★☆☆	#2
Indic Keyboard	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★☆☆☆	★★☆☆☆	★★★☆☆	★★★★★	#3
Google Hindi Input	★★★★★	★★★☆☆	★★★☆☆	☆☆☆☆☆	★★☆☆☆	★★★☆☆	#4
Lipikaar	★★★★☆	★★★☆☆	★★☆☆☆	☆☆☆☆☆	★★☆☆☆	★★★★☆	#5
Swarachakra	★★☆☆☆	★★★★★	☆☆☆☆☆	☆☆☆☆☆	★☆☆☆☆	★★★★★	#6
Hindi Keyboard by Desh	★★★☆☆	★★★☆☆	★★☆☆☆	★★☆☆☆	★★☆☆☆	★★★☆☆	#7
Multiling O Keyboard	★★★☆☆	★★★★☆	★★☆☆☆	★★★☆☆	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	#8
ai.type Keyboard	★★★☆☆	★★★☆☆	★★★☆☆	★★★☆☆	★★★☆☆	★★☆☆☆	#9
Fleksy	★★☆☆☆	★★☆☆☆	★★★☆☆	☆☆☆☆☆	★★☆☆☆	★★★★☆	#10

#1: Gboard (Google Keyboard)

The default choice for a reason.

Gboard comes pre-installed on most Android phones. Its Hindi support is comprehensive and constantly improving.

What Makes Gboard the Best

Transliteration quality: Gboard's Hindi transliteration engine is the most accurate in any keyboard app. It handles ambiguous inputs well:

"kha" → correctly suggests ख (not क + ह)
"gya" → suggests ज्ञ (the correct conjunct, not ग + य)
"shri" → suggests श्री (not शरी)

Word prediction: After a week of use, Gboard learns your vocabulary. It predicts your next word based on context:

After "शुभ" it suggests "प्रभात" or "रात्रि"
After "कृपया" it suggests "ध्यान" or "बताएं"

Voice input: Google's Hindi speech recognition is best-in-class. 92-95% accuracy in a quiet environment. Glide (swipe) typing: Works on the Devanagari keyboard. Swipe from character to character and Gboard predicts the word.

Gboard Limitations

Privacy: Sends typing data to Google for prediction improvement (can be partially disabled)
Devanagari layout: The on-screen layout could be more intuitive — some characters require extra taps to find
No Krutidev support: If you need Krutidev output, Gboard cannot help

Gboard Hindi Setup

Open Gboard settings (long-press comma key → gear icon)
Languages → Add Keyboard
Select "Hindi" and/or "Hindi (Transliteration)"
Done

Verdict: If you are only going to install one keyboard, this is it. Best overall Hindi typing experience on Android.

#2: Microsoft SwiftKey

The best for bilingual typists.

SwiftKey's killer feature is its ability to predict Hindi and English words simultaneously, without switching keyboards.

What Makes SwiftKey Stand Out

Bilingual prediction: Type "aaj meeting" and SwiftKey suggests "आज meeting" — it understands you are mixing languages and handles both seamlessly. Learning speed: SwiftKey claims to learn your writing style faster than any other keyboard. In my testing, it took about 3 days to accurately predict my common Hindi phrases, versus 5-6 days for Gboard. Cloud sync: Your learned words sync across devices. Set up SwiftKey on a new phone and your Hindi vocabulary is already there. Customization: More theme options, keyboard size adjustments, and layout options than Gboard.

SwiftKey Limitations

Transliteration slightly less accurate than Gboard — more often suggests the wrong conjunct
Voice input uses Microsoft's engine — slightly less accurate for Hindi than Google's
Not pre-installed — you need to download it from Play Store

Who Should Choose SwiftKey Over Gboard

People who frequently mix Hindi and English in the same message
Users who switch between multiple devices
Those who want more keyboard customization options

Verdict: Best bilingual keyboard. If you code-switch between Hindi and English constantly, SwiftKey handles it better than anyone.

#3: Indic Keyboard (AOSP)

The privacy-first choice.

Indic Keyboard is an open-source keyboard based on Android's AOSP keyboard. It supports 23 Indian languages with zero data collection.

What Makes Indic Keyboard Special

Privacy: Completely offline. No data leaves your phone. No account required. No cloud sync. Your typing data stays on your device. Inscript layout: Offers a proper standard Inscript keyboard layout — the same one used in government typing exams. If you are preparing for CPCT or SSC, this is the closest to what you will see on exam day. 23 Indian languages: Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, Odia, Assamese, Urdu, Sanskrit, Nepali, Konkani, Manipuri, Bodo, Dogri, Kashmiri, Maithili, Santali, Sindhi, and more.

Indic Keyboard Limitations

No glide/swipe typing — tap only
Basic voice input — relies on Android's default, not as polished as Google or Microsoft
No bilingual prediction — you must manually switch between English and Hindi
Dated UI — looks functional but not modern

Who Should Choose Indic Keyboard

Privacy-conscious users who do not want typing data sent to Google/Microsoft
Government exam candidates practicing Inscript
Users who type in multiple Indian languages (not just Hindi)
People who prefer open-source software

Verdict: Best for privacy and exam prep. Not the prettiest, but the most trustworthy with your data.

#4: Google Hindi Input

The transliteration specialist.

Google Hindi Input is a standalone app (separate from Gboard) focused specifically on Hindi transliteration.

What Sets It Apart

Dedicated transliteration: While Gboard treats Hindi as one of many languages, Google Hindi Input is built exclusively for Hindi transliteration. The suggestion engine is sometimes more contextually aware for Hindi-specific use cases. Handwriting input: Draw Devanagari characters on screen with your finger. Useful for characters you cannot find on the keyboard. Word completion: Start typing the first few characters and it shows a list of Hindi words to complete.

Google Hindi Input Limitations

No longer actively updated — Google has shifted focus to Gboard
No English typing — you need to switch to another keyboard for English
No glide typing
Fewer features than Gboard overall

Who Should Choose Google Hindi Input

Users who want a dedicated Hindi-only keyboard
People who find Gboard overwhelming and want something simpler
Users who want the handwriting recognition feature

Verdict: Good if you want a simple, focused Hindi keyboard. But Gboard has essentially absorbed all its features, so this is for people who prefer simplicity.

#5: Lipikaar

The phonetic purist.

Lipikaar uses a unique phonetic input system where each key maps to a set of phonetically related characters. Press a key multiple times to cycle through related characters.

How Lipikaar Works

Unlike transliteration (where you type full Roman words), Lipikaar maps:

Press k once → क

Press k twice → ख

Press k three times → ग

Press k four times → घ

This groups characters by their phonetic family (velar consonants together, dental consonants together, etc.).

Lipikaar Pros

Logical grouping once you learn the system
Works offline
Supports 18 Indian languages
Small app size

Lipikaar Cons

Steep learning curve — the multi-press system is not intuitive at first
Slower than transliteration for beginners
Limited prediction and autocorrect
No swipe typing

Verdict: Interesting approach, but the learning curve makes it hard to recommend over Gboard or SwiftKey for most users.

#6-10: Brief Reviews

#6: Swarachakra

Unique circular interface — characters are arranged in a radial menu around each base consonant. Academically interesting (developed at IIT Bombay) but slow for daily use. Great for learning Devanagari character relationships. No transliteration.

#7: Hindi Keyboard by Desh Keyboards

Simple Devanagari keyboard with basic transliteration. Lightweight (under 5 MB). Good for low-end phones with limited storage. Limited prediction quality. Ads in free version.

#8: Multiling O Keyboard

Ultra-lightweight keyboard (under 1 MB base) with plugin-based language support. Supports 200+ languages. Hindi support is good but requires downloading the Hindi plugin. Great for polyglots. Minimal UI.

#9: ai.type Keyboard

AI-powered predictions with Hindi support. Predictions are sometimes impressive, sometimes wildly wrong. More focused on English with Hindi as an add-on. Privacy concerns — had a data breach in 2017.

#10: Fleksy

Gesture-based keyboard with basic Hindi support. Known for speed in English typing. Hindi support is limited — no transliteration, basic Devanagari only. Better for English-primary users who occasionally type Hindi.

Decision Matrix: Which Keyboard Should You Choose?

If You...	Choose
Want the best all-round Hindi keyboard	Gboard
Mix Hindi and English in every message	SwiftKey
Care about privacy above all	Indic Keyboard
Need only Hindi transliteration, nothing else	Google Hindi Input
Want to learn Devanagari character families	Swarachakra
Have a very low-end phone (limited storage)	Multiling O
Are preparing for government typing exams	Indic Keyboard (Inscript)
Want the best voice typing in Hindi	Gboard
Type in 5+ Indian languages	Indic Keyboard or Gboard

Performance Comparison

I tested each keyboard typing the same 100-word Hindi passage three times and measured:

Keyboard	Avg. Speed (WPM)	Errors per 100 Words	Battery Impact
Gboard (transliteration)	28	3	Low
Gboard (Devanagari)	22	5	Low
SwiftKey (transliteration)	26	4	Low
SwiftKey (bilingual)	25	3	Low
Indic Keyboard (Inscript)	20	6	Very low
Google Hindi Input	27	3	Low
Lipikaar	15	8	Very low
Swarachakra	12	10	Very low

Notes:

Speed depends heavily on familiarity — these numbers reflect a user comfortable with all methods
Transliteration is fastest for people who think in Roman script
Direct Devanagari is faster once fully learned (touch typists report 35+ WPM)
Battery impact is negligible for all keyboards

My Recommendation

Install Gboard + keep Indic Keyboard as backup.

Gboard handles 95% of Hindi typing needs — transliteration, Devanagari, voice, swipe, predictions. It is the most capable keyboard app for Hindi on Android.

Keep Indic Keyboard installed for two reasons:

If you are preparing for government exams, it has the most authentic Inscript layout

If you ever want to type Hindi without your data going to Google, switch to Indic Keyboard

For bilingual power users, SwiftKey is the alternative to Gboard. Try both for a week and keep whichever fits your typing style better.

The best Hindi keyboard is the one you actually use. Pick one, set it up, and start typing. You can always switch later.