How to Buy the Best Keycaps for Your Mechanical Keyboard

WIRED

24-03-2025

Here's everything you need to know—from keycap sculpts to materials—to make your typing experience more personalized. Photograph: Henri Robbins
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Whether you're buying your first mechanical keyboard or doing research for your endgame build, keycaps are a huge part of not only your keyboard's appearance but also its all-around typing experience. The keycaps you choose can have a massive impact on how you type, what it feels like, and what your keyboard sounds like. That's why it's important to find the right set for your personal needs.
However, there are a lot of different details to consider when looking at keycaps, and it can be overwhelming if you're new to the hobby or out of the loop on certain developments. I've put together this guide to serve as a jumping-off point into the world of keycaps. Here's everything you need to know.
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The most important part of any keycap set is to make sure the keycaps will fit your keyboard . If not, you'll either be stuck not using the set at all, or mixing your brand-new keycaps with old ones for full coverage. To start, here's what you'll want to look for.
Make sure your keycaps fit your switches! Most modern keyboards use standard MX-style switches with a plus-shaped stem. These have become ubiquitous, and as a result, almost every keycap set offered today will be compatible with them. However, if you want to use keycaps from an older keyboard, there's a good chance they won't fit a newer one. Photograph: Henri Robbins
The three most common 'alternative' switches are Alps switches, which have a small minus-shaped stem, Topre (also referred to as EC) switches, which have a circular stem, and Kailh Choc low-profile switches, which have two prongs on the stem. These keycaps cannot be used on an MX-style keyboard, but any keycap listings will clearly label them.
Next, you'll want to check layouts. While most keyboards have adopted fairly standardized layouts today, a few stand out. The best modern example is the HHKB Studio, which has unique G, H, and B keys, plus a shorter-than-average spacebar, none of which are included in the 'standard' keycap set. Some keycap sets will have specific kits to cover more unusual layouts though.
Make sure your keycap set has full coverage. While most sets today include everything needed for a full-size keyboard, I have seen an influx of keycap sets that sell the number pad separately in exchange for a lower base price, and the same has even been the case for arrows and function row keys, particularly on budget-oriented (or customizable) keycap sets.
After you've figured out what kind of keycaps you need for your keyboard, you should start thinking about what shape you want these keycaps to be. The shape of your keycaps will have the largest impact on how typing feels, and on how comfortable typing is. The most basic aspects of this are the height of the keycap, the shape it is sculpted in, and the presence of different sculpted rows.
But first, it's worth noting that there is no standardized naming convention for keycap profiles—the names themselves are arbitrary and are determined entirely by the keycap manufacturer. Some have logical names (like how OSA keycaps are a fusion of OEM—original equipment manufacturer—and SA—spherical all—sculpts), while others are a bit silly (PBS stands for Penguin Belly Slide).
A keycap's height is the most immediately obvious aspect of its profile. Typically, keycaps are sorted into high-profile, medium-profile, and low-profile categories, which are all determined based on the height they extend past the top of the switch. The most standard height is the Cherry profile, which most people have likely typed on before. These sit a bit above the outer bezel of the keyboard, with the highest point sitting at 9.8 mm and the lowest point at 7.3 mm, and can be easily used without a wrist rest.
On the other side of the spectrum, SA keycaps (which you may have seen on the computers in Severance ) have a high point of almost 17 mm and a low point of 12.6 mm. The difference between the tallest and shortest keycaps is more drastic, and the average height is typically higher, resulting in a deeper typing sound and a greater need for a wrist rest. Photograph: Henri Robbins
Some keycap profiles, like Cherry and SA, will have different keys depending on the row they are in. These rows are typically denoted as R1 (row 1), R2, and R3. R4 (or sometimes R5) sits at the very top of the keyboard, and R1 is at the bottom. These separate rows will typically have different heights and angles, which can make reaching the top rows easier and make typing more comfortable. However, some people prefer a uniform layout where every row of keys has an identical height and shape. There aren't many uniform profiles available, but the most prominent—SA and PBS—are still fairly popular and easy to find in multiple colors.
The sculpt of the keycap also indicates the shape of the keycap's face. The two most popular sculpts are cylindrical and spherical. Cylindrical keycaps will have a U-shaped indentation with peaks on either side and a dip in the center, while spherical keycaps are going to be more bowl-like, with peaks on all four corners and a divot in the center. Popular keyboard maker Keychron typically ships its keycaps with OSA-profile spherical keycaps, while most keyboards from Razer, Corsair, and other big names use Cherry or OEM profile keycaps with a cylindrical sculpt.
Some keycap profiles are perfectly flat, although these are uncommon and typically only used on keyboards with low-profile switches and/or ortho-linear layouts.
A lot of different materials are used to make keycaps. These are some of the most common ones you can find in full keycap sets:
ABS: This is the most common material for a keyboard's original keycaps to be made in. ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) plastic is everywhere in your life, from LEGO sets to car interiors, and it comes in countless different finishes, textures, and levels of quality. While the thinner ABS plastic used in budget keyboards may not be high quality, some ABS keycaps, like those from GMK and Signature Plastics, are considered to be the best of any material. Regardless of quality, ABS plastic will almost inevitably shine over time the more you type on it—some people avoid it for this, while others see having 'shined' keycaps as a badge of honor. ABS is preferred for its bright and vibrant colors, durability, and smooth feel when typing. ABS also creates a higher-pitched sound when typing compared to other keycap materials.
PBT: A large percentage of aftermarket 'custom' keycaps are made from PBT (polybutylene terephthalate). This material is often a higher-end plastic that focuses on thickness and rigidity while having a more textured top when compared to ABS. Colors on PBT keycaps are often not as vibrant, although the difference between ABS and PBT today is much less significant than it used to be. One of the largest upsides of PBT is that it doesn't easily shine over time, even after decades of use in point-of-sale systems, meaning your keycaps will always look as good as the day you got them. PBT typically creates a deeper typing signature than ABS.
Ceramic: Ceramic keycaps are one of the most recent developments in the keycap world. They are primarily made by Cerakey, a relatively new brand from China. These keycaps provide a deeper typing sound some people describe as marbly. When I used ceramic keycaps previously, I found them to break easily because of their brittle ceramic stems. However, modern ceramic keycaps use a plastic stem to avoid this issue. The largest benefits of a keycap like this are the typing feel and sound: The keycaps themselves are smooth and slick to type on, and they create a deeper and more resonant typing sound compared to plastic keycaps.
Metal: While individual metal keycaps have been around for a long time, full metal keycap sets only became popular in recent years as interest in custom mechanical keyboards increased. A full set of metal keycaps will typically cost upwards of $200, and installing them may require some supporting upgrades to your keyboard such as a heavier switch underneath the spacebar or additional sound dampening to reduce metal pinging when typing.
Awekeys Copper Eagle Full Metal Keycap Set Photograph: Henri Robbins
In writing this article, I tested two sets of metal keycaps: One from NovelKeys, and the other from Awekeys. I had minor issues with fit and finish in both kits, although the NovelKeys set was generally clean and free of manufacturing errors on visible surfaces. On the other hand, the Awekeys set had multiple keys with visible pitting and surface imperfections.
My largest issue with both was one that seemed to be unavoidable: Due to the extreme precision required to manufacture metal keycaps and the relatively lenient manufacturing tolerances of plastic switches, some keycaps in both sets had trouble fitting onto switches, either being too tight or too loose. With the Awekeys set, some were so loose that I could flip the keyboard over or release a key after pressing it down and they would come off. The company recommended using an included tool to bend the keycap stem back into place, which was successful but somewhat nerve-wracking, especially on such an expensive set of keycaps. In my experience, the stems were stiff enough that it was necessary to use a hammer in conjunction with the tool to adjust the stems properly.
Metal keycaps will feel more substantial than plastic keycaps, but will also create a higher-pitched typing sound than most other keycaps, especially in a keyboard with a metal plate. I found one of the main appeals of these keycaps, the cold and metallic feel when typing, quickly dissipates as the keycaps absorb heat from your fingers, and after a few minutes of typing, they are hard to differentiate from smooth plastic. However, their density can make a keypress feel slightly more crisp and immediate compared to a standard keycap, especially on a lighter tactile switch.
One of the most important parts of a set of keycaps is the text on top of them. Even if you already know where your keys are, they bring a sense of character and style to the keyboard, whether you prefer them centered, oriented to one side, or not there at all.
The text on top of keycaps is referred to as 'legends,' and the secondary text on a keycap is the 'sub-legend.' The main legends will denote the primary function of the keys, while sub-legends will indicate a secondary function, a different language, or a callback to another keyboard with interesting sub-legends (like Space Cadet keycaps). There are countless details and specifics on how the legends can be designed and why they may look a certain way, but it ultimately comes down to personal preference and use case. What's more important here is how the text is put onto the keycaps. Photograph: Henri Robbins
Doubleshot: Often considered the gold standard of keycap legends, doubleshot legends will never fade or wear off. This is because the legend is made from plastic instead of being printed onto the keycap. This is done through a two-part injection molding process where the legend is cast in one color of plastic then the rest of the keycap is molded around it, resulting in a legend that goes all the way through the keycap instead of eventually wearing away as the keycap is worn down by typing. The largest benefits of these keycaps are the crispness of the legends, their durability, and the ability to easily combine high-contrast colors, but the cost of making new molds means the options for different fonts and icons are limited compared to printed keycaps, and high-end doubleshot keycaps are often more expensive than other options. While doubleshot legends were previously only available for ABS keycaps, they are now available with PBT keycaps too.
Tripleshot: For keycaps with differently colored sub-legends, a tripleshot keycap is a great option that is incredibly hard to find and more expensive than doubleshot legends. Only a few manufacturers currently produce tripleshot keycaps (such as Domikey and PBTfans), and they are limited almost entirely to Japanese sub-legends. Photograph: Henri Robbins
Dye sublimation: This is the most common printing method for PBT keycaps. Dye sublimation can fully impress the dye into the keycap instead of having it sit on top, much like dyeing a piece of clothing, creating a finish that will rarely wear away. This process can also produce incredibly vibrant and precise legends, which has allowed for fun and unusual keycap sets like RGBEnglish and 21KB's Rainbow Road keycaps. While dye sublimation can last a long time, it can have some downsides. The quality of the legends can vary greatly, with higher-end keycaps looking indistinguishable from doubleshot keycaps, but less expensive options appearing fuzzy or blurry. In addition, dye sublimation—much like any other dyeing process—can usually only apply colors darker than the base material. This is why most dye-sublimated keycaps will either have a lighter base color or will only print black on top of darker keycaps.
Reverse dye sublimation: Reversing this process allows for the entire keycap except for the legends to be dyed, which can create dark keycaps with light legends. However, this process is more difficult than standard sublimation, with mixed results over the years. Some sets of reverse dye-sub keycaps will look fantastic, but other times they will have fading around the edges, inconsistent color coverage, or issues with the sharpness of the legends. In addition, the printing is more susceptible to scratches than raw PBT. However, when done right, reverse dye-sub can create unique color schemes not otherwise possible with dye sublimation.
UV printing: While not as common today as it used to be, UV printing is still popular for creating vibrant, multicolored text on keycaps. UV printing is primarily found on GMK keycaps with unique or multicolored sub-legends, where it is used to add color or design to a key without the need to manufacture additional molds. This printing method has a higher likelihood of fading over time, and can potentially have a slightly raised feel when typing but it has advanced enough in recent years that any well-made set of keycaps with UV printing will still work well for regular use. UV printing is also commonly used for transparent keycaps with solid legends.
Pad printing: This is the method basically all budget-oriented office keyboards today use. In this method, the prints are applied directly onto the keycaps using a silicone pad and sit on top of the keycaps. Inexpensive pad-printed keycaps will typically have subtle outlines around the legends and will wear away quickly compared to any other method. However, this printing method is both high-resolution and inexpensive, hence its popularity.
Generally, there are three primary methods of sale for keycaps: In-stock sales, group buys, and preorders. Each has benefits and downsides, and knowing the difference is important when planning your purchase.
In-stock sales: This is what most keycap sets will be sold as. These keycaps are readily available somewhere, sitting in a warehouse, and will ship to you after your order has been placed. This will be the most reliable and immediate way to get a set of keycaps.
Group buys: With group buys, you give your money to an individual or vendor who will pool all the customers' money together to order keycap sets directly from a manufacturer. This is how keycaps were purchased for years by enthusiasts, and it is typically the only way to get a guaranteed set of limited-run or small-batch keycaps. The group buy method is done to meet the Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) for a manufacturer to produce a set of keycaps without the vendor needing to purchase all the keycap sets up front and hope they sell. The main concern with group buys is inconsistency: There have been multiple vendors recently who mismanaged money and were unable to fulfill their group buys. Ultimately, this comes down to vetting the vendors you're buying from and ensuring they have a good reputation within the community. Even then, there is still some risk involved.
Extra preorders: When placing an order for a group buy, a vendor will typically order a small number of extra keycaps to cover any issues that arise after the sale, and to have additional sets available for people who weren't able to join the group buy. These are typically called 'extras,' and will be made available for preorder once the manufacturer has confirmed how many sets they have produced. While these are never guaranteed, and will typically be more expensive than the initial group buy price, it can be a good way to get a set you missed out on after the fact.
When it comes to pricing, you can essentially pay as much as you want for a set of keycaps. However, some details can help determine or justify the price of a set. The largest determining factor is the manufacturer of a keycap set. Past that, the price is dependent on how many keycaps are in the set and how complicated the manufacturing of a set is.
Doubleshot ABS keycaps from high-end manufacturers like GMK or Signature Plastics will often run well over $100. This is primarily because these brands are well known for having outstanding color accuracy, durability, and quality control. They are the highest-quality keycaps you can get, but less-expensive keycaps will typically have 90 percent of the quality for 50 percent of the price.
Coming in around or below the $100 mark, PBT keycaps from larger manufacturers like EnjoyPBT will feature a thicker PBT keycap with high-resolution dye-sub printing.
With all of this, it can be overwhelming to figure out what keycaps you might want for your keyboard. There are a few starting places great for finding the perfect set of keycaps for you. Some of my preferred shops are:
Cannonkeys has a massive selection of in-stock PBT keycaps in various colors along with a more limited selection of ABS keycaps. The brand designs many of its sets in-house and offers quite a few sets with both retro and modern styling, taking inspiration from pop culture and vintage keyboards.
Novelkeys is another well-known name in the keyboard world, offering a large selection of ABS and PBT keycap designs. It regularly collaborates with keycap designers, but quite a few of its sets are only available through group buys or limited extras from said group buys.
NovelKeys Aluve Keycaps Photograph: Henri Robbins
21kb is a small manufacturer of beige dye-sub keycaps. While the beige base of these keycaps may not be the most attention-grabbing, the brand has countless options for fun, clever, or otherwise interesting legends that go onto those keycaps, along with the ability to custom-order an individual set to your specifications. These keycaps are some of the highest-quality PBT sets I've purchased, and I use them on my primary keyboard.
Drop is a huge name in the keyboard space, and it has done a lot to advance the world of keycaps. It has large offerings of standard keycaps in everyday color schemes, along with high-profile collaborations (like The Lord of the Rings keycaps) and countless exclusive sets from manufacturers like GMK and Signature Plastics.
Mekibo is a frequent vendor for keycap group buys. The company doesn't stock many keycaps, but I find that every set it offers will be well done and looks great on the right keyboard.
Omnitype offers a large selection of GMK keycaps, along with its in-house over-the-counter line of keycaps. It has been a large part of the keyboard community for years and continually introduces sets that bring something unique to the table.
Divinikey has a lot of keycaps, including PBT keycaps you can't find anywhere else. This is one of the best places to order PBTFans keycaps (Chinese-based KBDFans' line of keycaps), and there's a good number of sets from other international vendors as well.
Outside of these shops, there are a few resources to verify the legitimacy of keyboard vendors and get more recommendations. One of the largest is the MK Vendor Trust and Safety System made by keyboard YouTuber TaehaTypes. This system keeps track of keyboard vendors along multiple metrics to ensure products come from a reliable source.