Short answer: Gboard is polished and deeply tied into Google’s ecosystem; TobiBoard is open-source, keeps your typing on-device, and sends no telemetry to anyone. Both type offline. The real difference is control: Gboard is closed-source software from an advertising company, while TobiBoard has no account, no backend, and adds AI only when you opt in with your own API key. I built TobiBoard for people who want the second thing.
I fork and maintain TobiBoard, so I’m not neutral here — but I’ll keep the comparison fair. Gboard is a genuinely good keyboard. The question is what you trade for it.
Side by side
| Dimension | TobiBoard | Gboard |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Open (GPL-3.0, HeliBoard fork) | Closed (Google) |
| Telemetry | None — no backend | Sends usage data to Google |
| Account | None | Google ecosystem |
| Everyday typing | On-device, offline | On-device + Google services |
| AI features | Optional, bring-your-own-key | Google’s, on by default |
| Cost | Free | Free |
| Where to get it | GitHub, Obtainium, self-hosted F-Droid | Play Store / pre-installed |
| Best for | Control and privacy | Convenience, Google integration |
What they share
Both keyboards do the everyday work — typing, glide, autocorrect, suggestions, multilingual dictionaries — on your device, offline. If all you want is a keyboard that works without a connection, either one does that.
TobiBoard inherits this from HeliBoard (AOSP/OpenBoard lineage), which it’s forked from. That’s the foundation; the differences are what sits on top.
Where they differ
Source and telemetry. Gboard is closed-source and made by Google. It sends usage data back to improve its models and services. TobiBoard is GPL-3.0, has no backend at all, and collects nothing — there’s no server for your data to go to.
AI, and who holds the key. Gboard’s smart features run through Google. TobiBoard ships two optional AI helpers that are off by default:
- Voice-to-Text — long-press Return, tap the mic, speak; your words come back as polished text.
- Text Fix — select rough text, hit Fix, get a clean version in the same language.
Both run only when you add your own OpenRouter or PayPerQ key, and OpenRouter routes default to zero data retention. Nothing reaches the cloud until you opt in, and even then it goes to a provider you chose — not to me, and not to Google.
How you install it. Gboard comes from the Play Store or pre-installed. TobiBoard ships outside the store: grab the APK from GitHub Releases, point Obtainium at the repo for automatic updates, or add the self-hosted F-Droid repo at leinss.xyz/TobiBoard/repo.
Which should you pick?
- Stay on Gboard if you’re happy in Google’s ecosystem and want the most polished, feature-complete keyboard with zero setup.
- Switch to TobiBoard if you want your typing to stay yours: open-source, no telemetry, no account, and AI that only runs on your own key when you ask for it.
TobiBoard is open source — read the code, build it yourself, or file an issue: github.com/leinss/TobiBoard. If privacy on your own devices is the theme, you might also like TobiVoice for on-device voice-to-text on the Mac.