Apple’s iPad Air Magic Keyboard Folio is way too expensive, so I tried these 8 cheaper alternatives to see which is best

If you want to turn your iPad Air into a productivity machine, you’re probably going to need a keyboard case. When I reviewed the iPad Air M4, Apple sent along its Magic Keyboard Case for me to test too, and while it’s a great accessory — I was able to type nearly as fast as my regular keyboard — I couldn’t get over the fact that it costs $269, nearly half as much as the iPad Air itself. And, Apple’s keyboard lacks backlighting, making it much harder to use in darker conditions.

Fortunately, there are dozens of companies who make iPad Air keyboard cases that cost far less than Apple’s, so I rounded up eight models to see which is the best accessory for your tablet. On each, I used the Speed Typer iPad app, and timed myself three times to get an average score for both speed and accuracy.

I rated each on three criteria (design, price and typing speed) on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best), to see which can really turn your iPad into a laptop replacement.

Belkin Pro Keyboard Case with Magnetic Stand

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Like Logitech and Zagg, Belkin’s case was one of the more expensive models I tested (but still about $100 less than Apple’s). I liked its soft-touch cover and overall look and feel; at 1 pound 7 ounces, it fell in the middle of the pack weight-wise.

The Belkin case has five rows of keys, so you need to press the function button to access iPad-specific controls. There’s only one color for the backlighting, but you can adjust its brightness via a dedicated button to the left of the arrow keys. The backlighting was nice and even, though not as refined as Logitech’s.

On the typing test, I averaged an excellent 61 words per minute, with a 99 percent accuracy rate — the best among all the cases I tested, Apple included. However, one thing I thought was a plus — the extra large touchpad — proved to be a bit of a detriment, as my hands brushed against it, frequently causing the cursor to jump and open windows by accident. I had to restart the typing test several times because I would inadvertently open another window by mistake.

Price: 1
Design: 7
Typing speed: 10
Total score: 18

Dancesoul Keyboard Case for iPad Air 11 inch

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This is one of dozens of no-name Chinese brands selling iPad accessories; while the Amazon listing says “Dancesoul,” the spacebar and enclosed materials are all branded Wiwu. Still, the price is right, the build quality is sturdy, and the exterior of the case has a nice soft-touch finish. Outwardly, this keyboard case most closely mimics Apple’s own case, right down to the oval-shaped hinge and embedded USB-C port.

I also like that there’s a dedicated sixth row of keys for iPad-specific controls. The case is somewhat heavy at 1.2 pounds, but that’s right in the middle. The keyboard backlighting can be switched between seven colors. However, it’s not the brightest. Instead of a dedicated on/off switch, like on some of the other cases I tested, this one turns on automatically when you open the lid. It’s a nice feature to have.

Sadly, I averaged just 50 words per minute, with a 96 percent accuracy rate, the lowest score among the cases I tested.

Price: 7
Design: 5
Typing speed: 1
Total score: 13

ESR for iPad Air 11 Inch Case with Keyboard

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ESR’s case has a unique, and really clever feature: the upper portion of its case can be removed from the keyboard section, and rotated to either portrait or landscape mode. The case also has a small slot to store a stylus, another nicety. The detachable section was very light, so it won’t offer the protection of a Zagg case, but won’t get in the way, either.

The exterior of the ESR case has a leather-like feel that’s very close to Apple’s own case, and the keyboard deck itself also has a nice soft-touch finish. At $112, this case fell in the middle of the ones I tested - it was neither the cheapest, nor the most expensive.

The backlit keyboard has five rows of keys; it took me a few minutes to get the feel for the keyboard, but I eventually averaged 61 words per minute with a 98 percent accuracy rate, which tied Belkin for the fastest overall score.

Price: 6
Design: 9
Typing speed: 10
Total score: 25

Logitech Combo touch

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At $169, this is one of the most expensive options on the market (though still $100 less than Apple’s own case). Logitech’s case comes in two sections, an upper part that encases the iPad, and the keyboard. The two halves connect magnetically. It’s a neat idea — it’s easy to simply leave the keyboard behind — but it has one main drawback. In order to prop the iPad up, you have to extend a stand out at the back of the case, which takes up a lot more space than the other cases, which have stiff hinges. I couldn’t see myself using this easily on a plane, for instance.

Still, Logitech makes good use of all that room, adding a sixth row of iPad keys and the most spacious touchpad I’ve seen on a keyboard case. It’s even larger than the one on the official Apple case. However, I found that I was more prone to accidentally brushing part of my left hand against it, which made the cursor jump around.

It’s also the only keyboard that has an app - once installed, it updated the keyboard’s firmware. But, unlike Logitech’s gaming keyboards, there’s no customization options, so the app is kind of useless otherwise.

This keyboard has the nicest backlighting of the group — it’s bright and even — but the keys had the least amount of travel of the bunch. I averaged 56 words per minute and 98% accuracy, which was in the middle of the pack.

Price: 1
Design: 8
Typing speed: 5
Total score: 15

RuneLK keyboard

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The RuneLK case looks like it came off the same assembly line as Belkin’s model; the two are nearly identical, save for a few minor things like branding and the font on the keys. It has a nice soft-touch exterior and a circular hinge that lets you tilt the iPad back about 130 degrees, similar to the other cases. Unlike others, it only has five rows of keys, so iPad functions, like adjusting the brightness, are part of the number row.

It only has one color backlighting — white — but there’s a dedicated key for adjusting the brightness, which I liked (other keyboards require you to press Function plus another button). The backlighting was nice and bright, too.

On the typing test, I averaged 56 words per minute with a 97 percent accuracy rate, which ranks in the middle of the pack. This case was also one of the heavier models at 1.7 pounds, but didn’t feel too weighty.

Price: 7
Design: 7
Typing speed: 5
Total score: 19

Tolpeiksoy Magnetic Keyboard Case with Stylus Pen for iPad Air 11-inch

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Of the keyboard cases I tested, this is the only one that also came with a stylus — though there’s no loop to connect it to the keyboard, a strange oversight. Still, that’s another $80 you won’t have to spend buying the Apple Pencil. And, the company also includes a membrane cover for the keyboard to keep it clean. However, this was also the heaviest case I tested, at 1 pound, 8.7 ounces.

This case has a nice faux-leather type finish on the outside, one of the more pleasing ones I felt. Instead of it being wake-to-open, it has an on/off switch, but there’s no dedicated row of iPad keys - they’re added as functions with the number row.

You can choose between seven colors for the backlighting, but I found it a bit distracting, owing mainly to the fact that the keys were white, so the light bled through; I found that red turned up the best. I only averaged 51 words per minute, with an accuracy rate of 96% — the second-lowest among the cases I tested. Curiously, I had the greatest variation in speeds, going from a low of 43 wpm to a high of 62 wpm.

Price: 3
Design: 5
Typing speed: 2
Total score: 10

typecase Touch Keyboard Case for iPad Air

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While all of the keyboard cases I tested let you use your iPad to type, they all require you to remove the iPad if you want to use it as a standalone tablet. Typecase’s unique swivel design lets you rotate the Air in the case and fold it flat against the keyboard, which is pretty clever. And, there's even a holder for a stylus, something you don't get with a lot of these cases.

However, the entire thing is plasticky — it was the cheapest-feeling of the group — and there’s a bit of flex in the keyboard itself. Considering its design, I was expecting this case to weigh the most of the group, but it was about average, tipping the scales at 1.3 pounds.

I like that the keyboard has a separate sixth row for iPad controls. The keyboard’s backlight color can be changed between 11 colors or just a plain white, and you can have it automatically cycle between the colors, as well as adjust the brightness. The backlighting was even and bright, one of the best from the group. Using the Speed Typer test, I averaged 58 words per minute with a 99 percent accuracy rate, which was one of my better performances of the group.

Price: 10
Design: 6
Typing speed: 8
Total score: 24

Zagg Pro Keys Connect

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Zagg’s case was the heaviest of the bunch I tested, coming in at 1.7 pounds. However, that’s because Zagg’s case is rated for a 6.6-foot drop protection, so this could be the model for those who are clumsier.

Like the Logitech case, you can detach the keyboard. The two halves connect magnetically, but there’s one extra element to the Zagg case that makes it less convenient: you have to connect a USB-C plug into the iPad itself to power the case. Logitech makes things simpler by using the three metal contact points on the rear of the iPad itself.

Also like Logitech’s case, Zagg’s uses a rear kickstand to prop itself up, which takes up more desk space than the other models in this roundup. I do like, though, that there’s a small clip on the front where you can attach a stylus.

While the backlit keyboard and touchpad are very spacious, the keys themselves felt small and too smooth for my liking; my fingers often slipped, and as a result, I got a fairly middling score on the typing test, averaging 53 words per minute with a 96% accuracy rate.

Price: 2
Design: 6
Typing speed: 5
Total score: 13

Scorecard

Bottom line

Overall, the ESR case was my favorite among the iPad Air cases I tested, scoring 25 out of a possible 30 points. While it wasn’t the least expensive model, nor was it the priciest, and I liked the fact that it not only had a slot for a stylus, but also let me use the Air in both landscape and portrait mode.

If you’re looking for a budget model, the typecase tied the ESR for overall points; its design isn’t as refined, but it was still reasonably light, and let me swivel the tablet around a full 360 degrees. And, I notched my second-highest typing score. The fact that it costs less than $70 makes it even more appealing.

If you’re looking for durability, Zagg’s is the best option, though I wasn’t enamored with the design of its keys, nor how the iPad connected to the case itself.

While the iPad Air might not be the cheap productivity machine that is the MacBook Neo, you can still use it to get work done — and you don’t have to pay Apple’s prices to do so.