Typing Software Review
In the information age, typing has become a skill we use every day in our homes and workplaces. Typing software can help teach proper typing techniques, or hone your skills.
Being a skilled typist will give you a great advantage over others in the job field who aren’t as good, no matter the profession. Typing software offers the tools, features, lessons, exercises and tests to help you keyboard better and faster. No matter your age or skill level, it’s worth using the software to improve your keyboarding. As you look for the best typing software, be sure to read our product reviews and check out our articles on typing software.
We took a look at several typing software apps for both Windows PCs and Apple computers running OS X, and we offer comprehensive reviews on applications such as Typing Instructor Platinum, UltraKey and Mavis Becon Teaches Typing. We hope it will help you make an informed decision on which typing software is right for you.
If you're looking to increase your typing speed, accuracy or 10-key skills, typing software offers the lessons you need to get the job done. You can focus your typing practice on anything from just one hand to one finger.
Take advantage of challenging and entertaining typing software games included with the applications to step up your fun. Typing games are excellent mental recreation for aspiring typists of all ages. Some of the typing software applications we looked at come with these games, and their goal is to also keep your mind in motion. Games are also a great way to practice, and they keep kids‘ attention focused.
It’s important that you’re able to chart your progress as you work with the typing software. Most typing programs make it pretty easy to monitor your keying skills, words per minute speed increases and more. Initial skill level tests can pinpoint your ideal starting level, and progress reports and graphs show you how much your typing has improved.
Top typing software is easy to use, and offers a wide selection of typing tests, lessons, games and customizable options to make your typing experience enjoyable. Below are the criteria TopTenREVIEWS used to evaluate typing software.
Ease of Use
The features and instructions for the typing software should be easy to find and simple enough for anyone, of any age and with any skill level, to use and learn. The typing software should be easy to install and should not cause errors during installation.
Feature Set
Typing tutorial software should provide new users with a pretest to determine the best typing level to start. The application should have optional warm-up exercises available as well. Some of the most common features include:
• A large number of lessons and skill tests
• 10-key training
• Audio and video dictation
• The ability to track your progress
• Customizable practice options
• Typing games
Help & Support
Typing software help files should be straightforward and right where you need them, whether it’s a user manual or help online. The typing software manufacturer may offer telephone or email technical support and an online FAQs page as well.
Typing programs will help to teach anyone of any age learn how to type, or improve their keyboarding skills. Whether you're interested in typing for work or for pleasure, with typing software, reaching your goals is just a few keystrokes away.
At TopTenREVIEWS We Do the Research So You Don't Have To.™
In the information age, typing has become a skill we use every day in our homes and workplaces. Typing software can help teach proper typing techniques, or hone your skills.
| Rank | #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 | #6 | ||||
Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor
|
Typing Instructor Platinum | UltraKey | Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing | Typing Instructor Deluxe | 21st Century Typing | TypingMaster Pro | ||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Reviewer Comments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
| Lowest Price |
$29.99 |
$39.95 |
$24.99 |
$19.95 |
$14.99 |
$39.90 |
||||
| Overall Rating | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||
| Ratings | ||||||||||
| Ease of Use | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||
| Feature Set | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||
| Help/Support | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||
| View Specifications | Go! | Go! | Go! | Go! | Go! | Go! | ||||
| View Screenshots |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
| Features | ||||||||||
| Target Age Group | All | 8+ | 8+ | All | 8+ | All | ||||
| Lessons | ||||||||||
| Number of Lessons | 20+ | 14 | 44 | 64 | 14 | 27 | ||||
| Number of Practice Sessions | 300+ | unlimited | 430 | 80 | 14 | 135 | ||||
| 10-Key Lessons | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|||||
| Speed Building Lessons | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||
| Accuracy Building Exercises | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||
| Individual Finger Lessons | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||
| Graduated Lessons | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||
| Guide Hands for... | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||
| Tests | ||||||||||
| Number of Tests | 20 | 148 | 14+ | 26 | 14 | 22 | ||||
| Initial Skills Level Test | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||
| Timed Speed Tests | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||
| Timed Accuracy Tests | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||
| 10-Key Tests | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|||||
| Create Custom Tests & Timings | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|||||
| Warm-ups | ![]() |
![]() |
||||||||
| Results & Progress | ||||||||||
| Words per Minute Results | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||
| Accuracy Results | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||
| Adjusted Words per Minute Results | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||
| Auto Save Results on all Activities | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|||||
| Progress Reports by Key, Finger and Hand | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|||||
| Graphs: Bar, Line & Stacked | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|||||
| Printable Results | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||
| Certificates of Achievements | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|||||
| Practice Material | ||||||||||
| Number of Practice Articles | 250+ | 68 | 300+ | 75 | ||||||
| Import Custom Practice Articles | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|||||
| Create Custom Practice Articles | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|||||
| Download Additional Practice Material | ![]() |
![]() |
||||||||
| Games | ||||||||||
| Number of Games | 30+ | 16 | 10 | 2 | 4 | |||||
| Keyboard & 10-Key Challenges | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||||
| Multi-Level Play | ![]() |
![]() |
||||||||
| Customize/Personalize | ||||||||||
| Customizable User Options | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||
| Create Custom Drills | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|||||
| Add Sounds for Correct/Incorrect Keys | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||
| Audio and/or Video Dictation | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||||
| Add Your Own Music | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||||
| Adjustable Text Size | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||
| Download to Palm OS Handheld | ![]() |
![]() |
||||||||
| Multi-Language Support | ||||||||||
| English | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||
| Spanish | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||||
| French | ![]() |
![]() |
||||||||
| Italian | ![]() |
|||||||||
| Help/Support | ||||||||||
| Phone Support | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|||||
| Manual | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||||
| FAQ | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|||||
| Knowledge Base | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||||
| Email address | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|||||
| Online Form | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|||||||
| Tutorials | ![]() |
![]() |
||||||||
| Download updates | ![]() |
![]() |
||||||||
| Supported Configurations | ||||||||||
| Windows 7 | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||||
| Vista | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|||||
| XP | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||
| 2000 | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||||
| MAC | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|||||||
| Additional Licenses | ||||||||||
| Multi-User Licenses | 10+ User Licenses | School & Home | 10+ User Licenses | |||||||
| Reviewer Comments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
| Lowest Price |
$29.99 |
$39.95 |
$24.99 |
$19.95 |
$14.99 |
$39.90 |
||||