The 9 Best iPad Pro Keyboards of 2021

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The Rundown

Best Overall:

Logitech Slim Folio Pro at Amazon

"Its keys are nice and responsive, and you’ll be able to type for hours without fatigue."

Best Budget:

Fintie Keyboard Case for iPad Pro at Amazon

"For the price, the keyboard provides a reasonable typing experience."

Best Protection:

ZAGG Rugged Book Go at Zagg.com

"Designed to take a beating, the case is rated for six-foot drop protection."

Best Laptop Experience:

Apple Magic Keyboard at Amazon

"With solid construction, a high-quality integrated trackpad, and a great typing experience, the Magic Keyboard provides the most laptop-like experience for your iPad Pro."

Best Design:

Brydge Pro Keyboard at Amazon

"One of the most durable iPad keyboards on the market."

Best Lightweight:

Apple Smart Keyboard Folio at Amazon

"Provides a physical connection to the Smart Connector by adding a flap that also doubles as protection for the iPad."

Best for Apple Pencil:

ZAGG Slim Book Go at Amazon

"It's the safest way to carry this expensive accessory."

Best Standalone Keyboard:

Apple Magic Keyboard 2 at Amazon

"You can use special function keys to control features like brightness, media playback, and volume control on the iPad."

Best RGB:

Phixnozar iPad Pro 12.9 Keyboard Case at Amazon

"Its iPad Pro 12.9 case (designed for 3rd/4th-gen models) comes with the kind of dazzling rainbow lighting beneath the keys that you usually see on pricey mechanical gaming keyboards for PC."

The iPad Pro’s on-screen keyboard is just fine for tapping in website URLs, tweets, and the occasional email, however, if you plan to do real work, the best iPad Pro keyboard will be a physical one. Keyboard accessories for the iPad Pro provide added comfort, tactile feel, and responsiveness.

Luckily, there are loads of options available for Apple’s tablet, with keyboard cases featuring fold-out designs and others that convert your iPad Pro into a laptop-like clamshell form. Some cases connect directly to the Smart Connector on the tablet, while others pair wirelessly via Bluetooth. You’ll also find some cases that let you detach the keyboard from the case or the keyboard to multiple smart devices.

While there’s a wide range of cases available, Logitech’s Slim Folio Pro at Amazon is our pick for the best overall option, thanks to its strong keyboard, durable case, and reasonable price. However, there are more affordable alternatives, not to mention super-premium options such as Apple’s expensive Magic Keyboard (view at Amazon).

Here’s a look at those and other great iPad Pro keyboards, as well as tips on how to pick the best iPad Pro keyboard for your needs and budget.

Logitech Slim Folio PRO for iPad Pro 11-inch

Buy on Amazon Buy on Logitech.com Buy on Staples.com

What We Like

Versatile design
Responsive keys
Good value for price

What We Don't Like

It’s a little bulky

Logitech has a long history of making great keyboards, so it’s no surprise that its Slim Folio Pro for the iPad Pro is a slam dunk. In fact, it’s our pick for the best overall keyboard for iPad Pro, hitting a sweet spot in terms of price, design, and functionality.

This Bluetooth keyboard pairs wirelessly and then is very easy to use once connected. The magnetic dock keeps your iPad Pro upright and in place, plus it serves as a power switch that conserves energy when not in use. Meanwhile, the keys feel smooth and responsive in use thanks to Logitech’s scissor-switch design, so you can type for hours with ease. There are helpful iPad-specific shortcuts on the keyboard, as well.

The Logitech Slim Folio Pro is also incredibly versatile, since you can fold the keyboard flat to use it for drawing or reading, plus it has a magnetic latch to both closes the case and lets you easily store your second-gen Apple Pencil.

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What We Like

Very affordable
Nice style options
Solid keyboard

What We Don't Like

Not premium-feeling
Better keyboards elsewhere

Even a mid-priced iPad Pro keyboard can seem like a tough expense after shelling out for the tablet itself, but you can keep things cheap without buying junk with the Fintie Keyboard Case for iPad Pro. This affordable alternative connects wirelessly via Bluetooth and gives you a solid-quality physical keyboard, with tactile and responsive keys that promptly respond. It even has a slot to hold your Apple Pencil.

And although this keyboard case doesn’t cost a whole lot, Fintie has released it in several colors and styles, letting you personalize your tablet experience without breaking the bank.

Buy on Zagg.com

What We Like

Tough, durable design
Responsive keyboard
Detachable keyboard

What We Don't Like

A little pricey

Any iPad Pro keyboard case will offer some level of protection to your tablet—it is a case, after all. But if you’re really worried about keeping your pricey iPad safe, then you might want to opt for the ZAGG Rugged Book Go. As the name implies, this ruggedized option is tougher than your average keyboard case, promising six-foot drop protection. What’s surprising is that it doesn’t feel overly chunky or heavy as a result.

The well-designed keyboard is second only to Logitech’s in terms of responsiveness and tactile feedback, looking and feeling much like a proper laptop layout. Meanwhile, the backlit keyboard offers seven different color options—a unique perk—and a very secure slot holds your Apple Pencil against the magnetic charging port, so it’s always powered up and ready for use. You can also pair the Zagg keyboard to a second wireless device, plus the Bluetooth keyboard is detachable, providing added versatility in the process.

Buy on Amazon Buy on Best Buy Buy on Apple

What We Like

Comfortable to type on
Integrated trackpad
iPad Pro can be easily removed

What We Don't Like

Expensive
Can't be used in Portrait mode
No Apple Pencil holder

If you’re keen on using an iPad as a full-fledged laptop replacement, then you can’t do better than Apple’s official Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro. This is a serious productivity booster at a serious price point, and it won’t be for everyone. However, it’s built specifically for those that see the tablet as a versatile all-in-one device for legitimate work demands, and those who want to take full advantage of all that iPadOS has to offer.

The Magic Keyboard is quite a bit different from Apple’s cheaper Smart Keyboard Folio, as well as most other iPad Pro keyboards. It has strong hinges and magnets that suspend the iPad Pro in place above the keyboard, but it’s very easy to pick up the tablet and go when you’re done. It attaches via the Smart Connector rather than wirelessly via Bluetooth, so there’s no need to pair or charge the keyboard peripheral. The included USB-C port is only for charging your iPad Pro, leaving the tablet’s own port free for accessories.

And the Magic Keyboard has one big advantage that truly seals the laptop-style experience: a proper trackpad. Like those on Apple’s MacBooks, it’s an excellent and responsive way to interact with your iPad Pro and features the full range of familiar multi-touch gestures. It also has well-backlit keys that automatically adjust to your ambient lighting, and delivers a stellar typing experience. In short: Apple’s Magic Keyboard is excellent, but it’s very expensive at an MSRP of $300—so you might do just fine with something much cheaper.

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Buy on Amazon Buy on Brydge.com

What We Like

MacBook-like quality
Fully adjustable angles
Ideal for lap usage

What We Don't Like

Not super-protective
No trackpad

The Brydge Pro Keyboard isn’t the most protective option around, but the keyboard itself feels super durable. While not an official Apple product, it very much looks and feels like typing on a MacBook keyboard, right down to the responsive and tactile feel of typing on the keys. The solid aluminum build helps keep the iPad Pro and keyboard attachment in place without a rear stand needed to prop things up, which makes this one of the best lap-based solutions around.

Your tablet slides right into two little hinges attached to the keyboard, completing the laptop-inspired clamshell design that can be adjusted as pleased. You can even fold it all the way back into a tablet mode, when you don’t need the keyboard (but still want it attached). Also, the keyboard can be removed and used at a distance if desired, while the new 11-inch iPad Pro Brydge keyboard has a magnetic snap-on cover to help protect the back of your tablet.

Buy on Amazon Buy on Apple

What We Like

Very thin design
Great keyboard
Use Smart Connector

What We Don't Like

Expensive
Minimal protection

Apple’s Smart Keyboard Folio is undoubtedly less robust than the aforementioned Magic Keyboard, and has a lower price to match, but it’s still a premium option. Still, it has a couple of key advantages over some of the cheaper rivals on this list. It connects via the Smart Connector on the back of the iPad Pro—a physical connection, so Bluetooth isn’t needed and there’s no pairing process. It’s just plug-and-play.

It also pulls power (a small amount) from the iPad itself, so between the lack of battery and Bluetooth radio, this is a pretty slim keyboard case overall. It doesn’t provide a lot of protection, but it’s thin and effective, and the keyboard feels great and is very responsive in use.

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Buy on Amazon Buy on Zagg.com

What We Like

Pencil storage options
Laptop-style keyboard
Modest price

What We Don't Like

Bulkier than some rivals

The ZAGG Slim Book Go has a unique approach amongst iPad Pro keyboard cases: it offers a level of Apple Pencil storage versatility not seen in nearly any other device. While that is surely a niche consideration for many users, you might appreciate the multiple options available for storing the stylus while out and about.

The Slim Book Go has three different places for it: in a storage slot at the base of the cover, in a holder atop the keyboard while you’re using the iPad Pro, or at the top of the iPad Pro for charging. It’s a wider case than most other options, given the extra storage slots, but could provide some welcome peace of mind for the Apple Pencil’s safety. The laptop-style keys feel great, and you get the seven key backlight colors and multi-device pairing capabilities as seen on some of Zagg’s pricier keyboard cases. The keyboard itself is also detachable.

Buy on Amazon Buy on Best Buy Buy on Apple

What We Like

Sleek, standalone design
Can use with other devices
iOS-specific controls

What We Don't Like

Pricey amongst Bluetooth keyboards
Doesn’t attach to iPad Pro

Already have an iPad case that you like and just want a Bluetooth wireless keyboard to pull out as needed? Apple’s own Magic Keyboard 2 is arguably your best choice, delivering excellent device quality, a compact build, and compatibility with core iPad functions such as brightness controls and media playback. A standard keyboard like this also has an ESC key that can be handy in some iOS apps, but is missing from many iPad-specific keyboards.

And because it’s a standalone keyboard, you can use any case you please to prop up the iPad Pro and not feel tethered to a specific keyboard case. Interestingly, some case makers have filled the demand for Magic Keyboard 2-compatible cases, including with the Fintie Carrying Case and Studio Neat Canopy.

Buy on Amazon

What We Like

Stylish RGB lighting
Sturdy design
Includes touchpad

What We Don't Like

Touchpad can be over-sensitive

If you want every single keyboard you use to have the same kind of stunning RGB light show as a gaming-centric keyboard, then Phixnozar has a keyboard case for you. Its iPad Pro 12.9 case (designed for 3rd/4th-gen models) comes with the kind of dazzling rainbow lighting beneath the keys that you usually see on pricey mechanical gaming keyboards for PC. It has two modes: a static rainbow look, and a “breathing” animation across the keys.

Customer reviews point to this being a strong and sturdy case with a stellar keyboard and the rare bonus of a touchpad, although some say that the touchpad is a little too sensitive (and thus easy to accidentally trigger). Still, given the vast price difference between this and the $300 Apple Magic Keyboard, this could be an ideal option for a lot of people.

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Final Verdict

Logitech’s Slim Folio Pro (view at Amazon) hits the sweet spot between keyboard quality, case durability, and reasonable price. However, if cost is no issue and you want a top-end experience, Apple’s pricey Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro (view at Amazon) might be worth the expense.

About our Trusted Experts

Jesse Hollington is a tech journalist with more than a decade of experience and expertise on all things Apple. Jesse was previously the Editor-in-Chief for iLounge and has written for many other publications, as well as writing books about the iPod and iTunes.

Andrew Hayward has covered games and technology since 2006 across more than 100 publications to date. He was also an editor for Mac|Life magazine and a longtime contributor to Macworld.

What to Look for in an iPad Pro Keyboard

Protection - “Keyboard” might be the key word here, but nearly all iPad Pro keyboards are technically also cases that strap onto the tablet—so you’ll want something that keeps your pricey device protected in the process. Some cases are tougher and more enveloping than others, but take into consideration how much you travel with your iPad and whether you need something that’s extra-durable.

Typing Experience - Durability is key, but if you’re on the hunt for an iPad Pro keyboard, then you’re definitely looking for something that feels like a serious upgrade over typing on the tablet’s screen. For those planning to use the iPad Pro keyboard for everyday use or any kind of long-form writing, then look to devices from companies known for stellar keyboards.

Ease of Use & Versatility - While all iPad Pro keyboards seek to accomplish the same core task, there can be various differences between them. Some cases let you detach the keyboard from the case or can be folded back to use the iPad in tablet or drawing forms without removing the case entirely. And some of these cases even have a laptop-like touchpad, if you really want to complete the notebook-style sensation.

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