Archive · 17 Nov 2025
Four Open Source Android Keyboard Apps for Privacy
Imagine your phone's keyboard is like a notepad where you write things.
Some keyboards, like Gboard, might secretly copy what you write and send it to a company.
But there are special keyboards for Android, called AnySoftKeyboard, OpenBoard, and FlorisBoard, that are like private notepads.
They work right on your phone without sending anything to the internet.
This means no one can see what you type or collect your secrets.
These keyboards are made by people who want to help keep your information safe, and you can even change how they look and how they work!
AnySoftKeyboard is a long-standing open source keyboard app that operates offline and does not collect user keystrokes.
OpenBoard offers a minimal design and prioritizes privacy with end-to-end encrypted keystrokes and no user data harvesting.
FlorisBoard is a modern, actively developed keyboard that works offline and supports theming and gestures.
All three apps, AnySoftKeyboard, OpenBoard, and FlorisBoard, are open source and designed to protect user privacy on Android devices.
FlorisBoard is not available on Google Play, but can be downloaded from F-Droid or GitHub.
- Who
- Android users concerned about privacy
- What
- Open source keyboard apps that prioritize privacy and operate locally
- When
- Present
- Where
- On Android devices
- Why
- To protect user privacy from data collection by default keyboards like Gboard.
Concerns about Gboard
Open Source Keyboard Alternatives
Data Collection
Concerns about Gboard
Google collects data even from incognito mode on Gboard.
Open Source Keyboard Alternatives
AnySoftKeyboard, OpenBoard, and FlorisBoard run locally and do not collect user data.
Trustworthiness
Concerns about Gboard
Distrust in Gboard's privacy guarantees.
Open Source Keyboard Alternatives
Open source apps provide transparency and security through local processing and encryption.
- App
- AnySoftKeyboard
- Privacy Feature
- Offline, no data collection, no server upload.
- Key Features
- Gesture typing, custom themes, multi-language support, fine-tune autocorrect/suggestions.
- App
- OpenBoard
- Privacy Feature
- Minimal design, no user data harvesting, end-to-end encrypted keystrokes.
- Key Features
- Simple and minimal interface, easy setting adjustments.
- App
- FlorisBoard
- Privacy Feature
- Works offline, actively developed.
- Key Features
- Supports theming and gestures, spell check and predictive suggestions in progress.
- Availability
- FlorisBoard not on Google Play, available on F-Droid or GitHub.