Best Keybr Alternatives for Learning to Type

The Short Answer

Keybr is excellent at one job. Most people move on because they want a different job done, not because Keybr stopped working.

I opened the home page of every site on this list before writing it, and I read Keybr's own project page to describe it accurately.

What Keybr Actually Does

It helps to be precise about what you're replacing.

Keybr's project page on GitHub lists its main features. It tracks every keystroke and computes statistics for each key. It generates lessons that focus on your weakest keys. You set a target speed, and it tracks your progress toward it.

It also starts with a small set of the most frequent letters in your language. It adds more letters only once you reach your target speed with the current ones.

The practice text comes from a phonetic model built from a dictionary of real words. So the lessons follow the letter patterns of the language, rather than showing sentences you'd actually read.

Why People Look for Something Else

Keybr's approach is great for building accuracy on each key. But it doesn't cover every goal.

Plenty of people want to practice on real words and sentences, the kind of text they'll type at work or school.

Parents and teachers often want a structured course with lessons, videos and a clear order.

Others want competition. Racing real people is a strong reason to come back tomorrow.

And some need a specific kind of text, like code or another language.

None of those are flaws in Keybr. They're just different jobs. The sections below match each goal with a site that does it well.

Monkeytype, for Real Words and Tests

Monkeytype is the most common next step once your fingers know the keys.

Its GitHub readme describes it as a minimalistic and customizable typing test. It lists many test modes, an account system to save your speed history, a variety of test lengths and languages, punctuation and numbers modes, and quotes.

The big difference from Keybr is the text. Monkeytype uses real words and quotes, so your speed reflects everyday typing.

It doesn't adapt lessons to your weak keys the way Keybr does. It's a test and practice tool, not a course.

Our comparison of Keybr and Monkeytype covers when to switch from one to the other.

Ngram Type, the Closest Match to Keybr

If you like Keybr's focused drilling, Ngram Type is the closest relative.

Instead of letters, it drills common letter groups. Its GitHub readme explains that an ngram is a sequence of characters, and that the tool trains on the most common ones. You can choose bigrams, trigrams, tetragrams or whole words, from the top 50 up to the top 200.

You can also set a minimum speed and accuracy that a lesson must reach before you move on.

The author notes that the project was inspired by Amphetype and Monkeytype.

It's a free, simple page. It suits people who already touch type and want to smooth out common letter combinations.

TypingClub, for a Full Course

If you're learning from scratch and want a guided path, TypingClub is a strong pick.

Its home page says it offers free typing courses, with 650 typing games, typing tests and videos.

That's a very different approach from Keybr. Instead of adapting to your weakest key, it walks you through a fixed order of lessons that introduce the keyboard step by step.

That structure is useful for children and for adults who like to see clear progress through a course.

The tradeoff is flexibility. A fixed course won't zero in on your weakest key the way Keybr does. You can use both side by side.

Typing.com, for Schools and Beginners

Typing.com is the other big course style option.

Its home page describes it as a free typing program with a K to 12 curriculum. That covers touch typing, digital citizenship, coding lessons and games.

It's built with classrooms in mind, so it suits teachers, parents and younger learners especially well.

Adults can use it too. You don't need to be in a class to sign up and follow the lessons.

If you're choosing between the two big course sites, our comparison of Typing.com and TypingClub looks at how they differ in practice.

TypeLit, for Typing Real Books

TypeLit takes the opposite approach to Keybr. Instead of generated text, you type real literature.

Its home page says you can practice by retyping entire books, such as Alice in Wonderland, 1984, Dracula and The Art of War. You can also import your own text.

That makes practice feel less like drilling and more like reading. Long passages also train stamina, which short lessons don't.

The downside is control. You can't target your weakest keys, and books include punctuation and capitals that slow beginners down.

It's a good fit once you can touch type and want practice that keeps you interested for longer sessions.

SpeedCoder, for Programmers

Code has its own rhythm, full of brackets, symbols and indentation. Keybr doesn't focus on any of that.

SpeedCoder is built for exactly this. Its home page describes it as an online touch typing tutor for programmers, with practice in languages such as C, C++ and JavaScript.

That's useful because symbols live on awkward keys. Practicing them in real code patterns builds the reach you actually need.

If you mostly write prose, you won't need it. If you code all day, it's worth a few sessions a week alongside your normal practice.

Our post on how fast developers really type puts code typing speeds in context.

10FastFingers, for Languages and Competitions

10FastFingers is one of the oldest typing test sites, and it covers ground Keybr doesn't.

Its home page lists a free typing test in WPM, typing competitions, practice with custom texts and typing games. It says the test is available in over 50 languages.

The competitions are the draw for many people. You type the same word set as others and compare scores.

The language range also matters if English isn't your main language.

It doesn't adapt to your weak keys, so it works best alongside a trainer rather than instead of one.

TypingAcademy, Another Free Course

TypingAcademy is a smaller option in the course category.

Its home page says it teaches typing with 10 fingers and offers free typing practice online, with everything you need to learn touch typing.

It follows a lesson by lesson approach, like TypingClub and Typing.com. That makes it a reasonable pick if those two don't suit your taste.

With course sites, the best one is usually the one you'll keep opening.

Try the first lesson on each and pick the one whose layout feels calmest to you.

Typing Races, for Motivation

Drills build skill. Competition keeps you coming back.

That's the gap a typing race fills. You type the same passage as other people at the same time, and the first to finish wins.

Our own site offers live typing races and a separate practice mode. Both are free and use common English words.

Races work best after you can touch type. Racing while you still look at the keys can build bad habits, because you'll rush and fall back on them.

A simple routine is Keybr for accuracy on weak keys, then a few races to put that accuracy under pressure.

How to Pick One

Match the site to your goal:

• Still learning where the keys are. Stay with Keybr, or pair it with TypingClub, Typing.com or TypingAcademy.
• Know the keys, want real words. Monkeytype.
• Want Keybr style drills on letter groups. Ngram Type.
• Want long, interesting practice. TypeLit.
• Write code. SpeedCoder.
• Type in another language. 10FastFingers.
• Need motivation. A typing race.

You don't have to pick only one. Most fast typists mix a drill tool with a test or race site.

The mistake is switching every week. Give each site a few weeks before you judge it.

A Simple Weekly Routine

Here's one way to combine Keybr with the alternatives.

Three days a week. Ten to fifteen minutes on Keybr or Ngram Type, focused on accuracy.

Two days a week. Fifteen minutes on real text, with Monkeytype tests or a chapter on TypeLit.

One day a week. A few races or a competition on 10FastFingers, just for fun.

One day off. Rest matters more than most people expect.

Track one number, such as your average speed on a 60 second test, once a week. That's enough to see whether the mix is working.