Teclo vs Kiiwi
Updated
Kiiwi launched on r/macapps in October 2026 at the same price as Teclo. Both play a sound for every key in any app on your Mac. They differ in where the sounds come from, how many there are and what else the app does.
Side by side
| Teclo | Kiiwi | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 once | USD 4.99 for the first 100 buyers, then 6.991 |
| Free trial | 7 days, no account | None; a browser demo instead1 |
| Macs per licence | Up to 3 | Not listed |
| macOS | 13 or later | 14 or later1 |
| Where to get it | Direct, at teclo.app, through Polar | Direct2 |
| Sounds | 16 packs in 5 categories, synthesized | 36 keyboard packs, recorded switches2 |
| Press, release and variation | Separate press and release; 5 variants for ordinary keys plus Space, Return and Delete; small random pitch and level changes | Separate recordings per row; 8 samples and 5 pitch variants per switch2 |
| Stereo by key position | Yes | Yes2 |
| Mouse and trackpad | A click pair for every pack; trackpad swipe and pinch sounds | 8 mouse click packs1 |
| Scroll sounds | Yes, optional | Six scroll tick styles1 |
| Your own sounds | Yes, folders of WAV files | Not listed |
| Muting | Pause from the menu bar; no per-app or automatic mute | Shift-Command-K toggle1 |
| Typing pet | Yes, a keycap pet with moods and power-ups | Not listed |
| Worth knowing | Rain, marimba, typewriter, arcade and sci-fi packs next to nine keyboards | Typing stats1 |
- Kiiwi's llms.txt, read October 2026
- kiiwi.app, read October 2026
Teclo's column is ours. Other apps change their prices and features; check their pages before you buy.
The short answer
- Pick Kiiwi for the largest set of recorded switch sounds, with many mouse packs, scroll ticks and typing stats.
- Pick Teclo for a 7-day trial on your own Mac, packs that are not keyboards, the keycap pet, or a Mac on macOS 13 (Kiiwi needs 14).
Where the sounds come from
Kiiwi’s site argues for recordings, and its launch post said “Some apps in this space generate the sound.” Teclo is one of those apps, and says so: every Teclo pack is synthesized from a model of the switch, keycap, plate and case. Kiiwi’s recordings are not all its own, either: its developer wrote that “the sound packs in the app are from kbsim and MechvibesDX”, two free sample sets. The trade is honest either way. Recordings capture one real board; synthesis lets Teclo build sounds no keyboard makes and measure each pack so that no two sound alike.
The fastest way to decide is to listen. Kiiwi has a playground on its site, and every Teclo sound page has a keyboard you can play.
What Teclo adds
- A desktop pet, a keycap that sleeps until your first key, gets happier as you type faster and powers up when you keep the pace.
- Night, Retro, Arcade and Scifi packs next to the nine keyboards.
- A folder for your own WAV packs, and trackpad swipe and pinch sounds.
- Seven days of the full app free, so you hear it on your own speakers or headphones before paying.
Questions
Are Kiiwi's sounds recorded?
Kiiwi's site says its sounds are recorded real switches. Its developer also wrote on Reddit that the sound packs in the app are from kbsim and MechvibesDX, two free sample sets.
Can I try Kiiwi or Teclo before paying?
Both let you hear the packs in your browser. Kiiwi offers that demo instead of a trial; Teclo also gives you all of the app free for 7 days on your own Mac.
Which costs less, Kiiwi or Teclo?
Kiiwi says it costs USD 4.99 for its first 100 buyers and 6.99 after that. Teclo costs $4.99 once, after a 7-day free trial.
Which has more sound packs?
Kiiwi lists 36 keyboard packs and 8 mouse packs. Teclo has 16 packs, 9 of them keyboards, each with its own mouse click pair.
Sources
Other facts on this page come from these pages, read on or before the date above.