PocketMika vs Gboard. Voice typing on Android.
Gboard’s microphone key is free, already on most Android phones, and getting smarter. PocketMika costs money. Here’s when that’s worth it, and when it isn’t.
Checked October 19, 2026.
The short answer
Stay with Gboard voice typing if you dictate short messages, want it free, speak a language other than English, or like typing on Gboard anyway. Google’s new Rambler mode, rolling out to some Pixel and Galaxy phones in 2026, also drops filler words and keeps your corrections.
Choose PocketMika if you want to keep a different keyboard (like Samsung Keyboard), change a message by saying what to change (“make it shorter”, “change Friday to Saturday”), or have it write a reply from the chat on screen.
Side by side
| PocketMika | Gboard voice typing | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it lives | A bubble over any keyboard | The mic key on Gboard |
| Works with Samsung Keyboard | Yes | No, you switch to Gboard |
| Drops “um”, “like”, false starts | Yes | With Rambler, on phones that have it |
| “Friday, no, Saturday” keeps Saturday | Yes | With Rambler, on phones that have it |
| Edit in your own words (“make it shorter”) | Yes, then “nope” to undo | Set commands: delete, clear, undo; “fix it” on recent Pixels |
| Write a reply from the chat on screen | Yes. You still press Send | No |
| Languages | English | Many |
| Works offline | No; a take waits up to about two hours for a connection | On some phones, with offline speech downloaded |
| Price | CA$14.99 a month, or CA$119.99 a year with 7 days free | Free |
When Gboard is enough
If your messages are short and you say them in one go, Gboard’s microphone key is fast, free and already there. It handles many languages, can work offline on some phones, and with Rambler it cleans up the “ums” too. There’s no reason to pay for something you won’t notice.
What PocketMika adds
You keep your keyboard
Gboard’s voice typing lives inside Gboard. If you like Samsung Keyboard, or any other keyboard, PocketMika floats over it and changes nothing about how it types.
You fix a message by saying what’s wrong
Dictation is rarely perfect the first time. With PocketMika you don’t tap into the text to fix it: say “change Friday to Saturday”, “make it friendlier” or “add a fire emoji” and it’s edited in place. “Nope” puts it back.
It writes the reply
In an empty message box, say how you want to answer, like “say yes, but ask what time”. PocketMika reads the chat on screen and writes a reply that fits. You read it and press Send yourself.
Questions
Does PocketMika replace Gboard?
No. PocketMika is a bubble that floats above whatever keyboard you use, Gboard included. You can keep Gboard and use PocketMika only when you want to talk.
Can Gboard voice typing edit what I wrote?
Gboard’s voice typing understands short commands like “delete”, “delete [a word]”, “clear”, “clear all” and “undo”, and on recent Pixel phones “fix it” proofreads. PocketMika takes the change in your own words, such as “make it friendlier” or “keep only the first sentence”.
What is Gboard Rambler?
A Gemini-powered dictation mode Google announced in May 2026 that removes filler words and handles mid-sentence corrections. Reports say it reaches Pixel and Galaxy phones first; check your Gboard’s voice settings to see if you have it.
Is Gboard voice typing free?
Yes. PocketMika is paid: 7 days free on the yearly plan, then CA$119.99 a year, or CA$14.99 a month, with a weekly allowance of free words without a plan.
Try PocketMika
A bubble above your keyboard. Hold it, talk, and it types what you meant.
Coming to Google PlayAndroid only, in English. 7 days free, then CA$119.99 a year or CA$14.99 a month.
Sources
What we say about other apps comes from their own pages and from reporting, checked on the date at the top. Apps change; if something here is out of date, tell us at support@voicekey.ca.