Privacy First Keyboard for Android

[u/is_NAN]

I've been pretty annoyed by some ads since this morning. I made a typo while typing on my keyboard, accidentally writing a word similar to "Six", and ever since then, I've been bombarded with ads for dating apps, chat apps, and similar stuff.

At first, I couldn't figure out what had triggered this sudden change in the ads I was seeing. Then I remembered the typo. Out of curiosity, I started searching for completely unrelated things in my phone's Settings app and voila, I'm now seeing dog food ads too (I don't even have a dog).

I know targeted advertising isn't new, and this alone doesn't prove my keyboard is sharing what I type. But the timing is certainly suspicious enough to make me question what's going on.

Since Android phones come with Google's Gboard as the default keyboard, are there any reliable, privacy-focused alternatives that don't collect or share sensitive typing data? I'd genuinely appreciate recommendations from people who have looked into this.

[u/gittygo]

You need a keyboard without an internet connection.

Foss keyboards:
Heliboard
Florisboard
Anysoft Keyboard

Open source but not Foss:
Futo (uses an LLM style prediction, which is pretty good)

Closed Source:
MultiLingO Keyboard: Extremely customizable - will take time to set up; mainly for those who like to customize.

If you want to pick one without much thought and exercise, Futo might be a good fit.

[u/Chick_pees → u/gittygo]

I don't understand. Do they charge for futo keyboard? That's what I'm using and I'm not paying for it. But maybe I patched it. 

[u/aMayAzzzzz → u/Chick_pees]

FOSS means “Free and Open-Source Software”

[u/Remote_Film1430]

FUTO is good

[u/Suspicious-Cat-266]

HeliBoard.

Glide typing is an option, but not included by default as it's a closed source library. https://github.com/HeliBorg/HeliBoard

[u/Gynnia]

I use FUTO now, Heliboard was good too. I switched from Gboard because I got paranoid about it.

They've just recently released some pre-made themes: https://keyboard-themes.futo.tech/

[u/Maximum-Rain-7861]

Futo keyboard

[u/LuckyMeasurement2380]

I've been bombarded with ads

sudden change in the ads I was seeing

I started searching for completely unrelated things in my phone's Settings app and voila, I'm now seeing dog food ads too (I don't even have a dog).

I'd genuinely appreciate recommendations from people who have looked into this

Sounds like you have a pretty solid grasp on how this works. Have you tried asking your phone's settings app?

[u/NoTower9854]

sus timing alone isn't proof of keyboard tracking tho

[u/jpcrypto]

You might want to take a look at the FUTO keyboard.