Hello everyone!
I have created the following list with all the
keycap (keysets, not artisans)
manufacturers I know:
MANUFACTURER | MATERIAL(S) | MAIN PROD. METHOD(S) | MAIN PROFILE(S) | PRICING ($-$$$$) | QUALITY1 *NOTES1 Basic < Not bad < Good < Very good < Top tier
2 Yellow color means "Lack of information / Possible known mistake"More
AIFEI / GLIGING / SUMGSN / VENIT KEYS / YONG-QIU ABS / PBT Doubleshot / Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry, SA $ Basic *Clones
AKKO-EPOMAKER PBT / PC Doubleshot / Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub / UV print ASA, Cherry, OEM, OSA $$ Not bad
ALL.CAPS PBT Dye-sub Cherry $$$ Good
ANGRY MIAO PBT / PC Dye-sub / Laser etched-engraving Unique-Unknown $$$ Good
BSP EUROPE (BSP) PBT Dye-sub Cherry $$$ Good
CANNONCAPS PBT Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry $$$ Very good *Property of CANNONKEYS
OG CHERRY ABS / PBT / POM Doubleshot / Dye-sub / Laser etched-engraving / UV print Cherry $$$$ Top tier *Only found in vintage keyboards sold in second-hand market
CONTRAKEY PBT Dye-sub Cherry $$ Good
CREATEKEEBS a.k.a. ESC.HIT ABS-PBT Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry $$-$$$ Good *Cooperating with ALOHAKB
DEADLINE STUDIO (DEADLINE) PC Laser etched-engraving Cherry $$$ Good
DOMIKEY (DMK) ABS / PBT Doubleshot & Tripleshot / Dye-sub Cherry, SA $$$$ Top tier
DROP (Artifact Bloom Series, DCX & MT3) ABS / PBT Doubleshot / Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry, MT3 $$-$$$ Very good
DUCKY PBT Doubleshot OEM $$ Not bad
ENJOY PBT (ePBT) ABS / PBT Doubleshot / Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry $$$-$$$$ Very good
GEEKARK PBT Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry $$$ Very good
GLORIOUS (GPBT) PBT Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry $$ Good
GLOVE PBT Pad print & UV coat WDA $$$$ Good
GMK-UNIQEY ABS Doubleshot / UV print Cherry $$$$ Top tier *Owner of the original CHERRY molds
HAMMERWORKS CRP PBT Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry $$$ Top tier
HK GAMING PBT Dye-sub Cherry $ Basic
IDOBAO PBT Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry, MA, OEM $-$$ Not bad
INFINIKEY (IFK) PBT Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry $$$ Very good *Property of THE KEY COMPANY
IV WORKS PBT Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry $$$ Very good
JKDK PBT Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry $$ Good *AliExpress legit/original manufacturer?
JT KEYCAPS (JTK) ABS Doubleshot & Tripleshot Cherry $$$$ Top tier
KBDFans PBT Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub / Laser etched-engraving Cherry, DSA $-$$ Good
KEEBMONKEY PBT Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry $$-$$$ Good
KEYBEE (KBM) PBT Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry $$$ Very good
KEYCHRON PBT Doubleshot / Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry, OEM, OSA $-$$ Not bad
KEYKOBO (KK) ABS Doubleshot Cherry $$$ Very good
KEYREATIVE PBT Doubleshot / Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub KAM, KAT $$$ Very good
KINETIC LABS PBT Doubleshot / Dye-sub Cherry $$$ Good
KONO DESIGNER SERIES (KDS) PBT Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry $$$ Very good
KPREPUBLIC PBT Doubleshot / Dye-sub Cherry, CSA $-$$ Good
LELELAB ABS Unknown Unknown $$ Good
LEOPOLD PBT Doubleshot OEM $$ Not bad
MAX KEYBOARDS (MX) ABS / PC Laser etched-engraving / UV print OEM $$ Basic *Can produce individual custom keysets
MAXKEY PBT Doubleshot / Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub SA $$-$$$ Good
MELGEEK (MG) ABS / PBT Doubleshot / Dye-sub MDA, MG $$$ Very good
MILKYWAY KEYS (MW) PBT Doubleshot / Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry $$$$ Top tier
MODE DESIGNS (MODE) ABS Doubleshot Cherry $$$ Good
MONOKEI PBT Doubleshot Cherry $$$ Very good
MONSTARGEAR ABS / PBT Doubleshot / Dye-sub Cherry, MG, OEM $-$$$ Good
"MVKB (MV)" PBT Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry $$$ Very good *According to designer, Max Voltar, MV means "Sets produced by a variety of factories that have been approved by him"
NicePBT PBT Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub / Laser etched-engraving Cherry, DSA $$$ Very good *Property of CANNONKEYS
NOVELKEYS (NK) PBT Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry, DSA $$$ Very good
NUPHY PC+ABS / PBT Doubleshot Cherry-like, Low profile $ Good
OMNITYPE (OTC) PBT Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry $$$ Good
OSUMEKEYS (OSUME) PBT Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry $$$ Good
PBTFans ABS / PBT Doubleshot & Tripleshot / UV print Cherry $$$ Top tier *Property of KBDFans
PG PBT Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub NP/PG $$ Not bad
QUALITY PBT (qPBT) PBT Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry $$ Not bad
RAMA WORKS (RW) PC Doubleshot Unique $$$$ Very good
SHENPO PBT Dye-sub Cherry $ Good
SHURIKEY ABS Doubleshot Cherry $$ Good
SIGNATURE PLASTICS (SP)-PIMP MY KEYBOARD ABS / PBT Doubleshot / Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub DCS, DSA, DSS, SA $$$$ Top tier *Include Comptec keycaps
SwagKeys (SW) PBT Doubleshot Cherry $$$ Good
TAI-HAO ABS / PBT Doubleshot Bobo (unique), OEM $$ Not bad
TEACAPS (TeaPBT) PBT Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry $$-$$$ Good
TECSEE PBT Doubleshot Cherry $$ Not bad
TEX ELECTRONICS (TEX) ABS Laser etched-engraving TEX ADA $ Not bad
TOMATOCAPS (TMT) PBT Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry $$$ Good *Partnering with zFRONTIER
TOMO CAPS (TOMO) PBT Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry $$$ Very good
TRAITORS PBT Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry $$ Not bad
VARMILO PBT Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub OEM $$ Not bad
VORTEX KEYBOARD (VTK) PBT / PBT-POM Doubleshot / Dye-sub OEM $ Not bad *Also known as VORTEXGEAR or simply VORTEX
WASD ABS UV coat OEM $$ Basic *Can produce individual custom keysets
WINMX PBT Doubleshot / Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry, OSA, SA $-$$ Good
WORK LOUDER (wrk.) ABS / PC Laser etched-engraving Low profile Kaihl choc $$$ Good
WuquePBT (WS) PBT Doubleshot / Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub Cherry $$$ Good
YMDK ABS / PBT Dye-sub & Reverse dye-sub / Laser etched-engraving Cherry, DSA, OEM, XDA $ Basic
XIAMI (XMI)-21KB PBT Dye-sub Cherry $$$ Very good
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Last update (03 January 2023): OG CHERRY, DMK and ePBT modified, SW added.
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Data are based on public info, since obviously I have not tested a set from all of them.
There can be mistakes; so please, feel free to give me feedback to amend them.
It is an
open and
editable list. My idea is that people can fulfill gaps, giving their "most objective" opinion, in such a way that The Community can maintain the list updated.
PD: It is not my aim to create a "fandom war" among people. The main goal of this list is giving a quick consulting guide to designers, customers and enthusiasts in general who look for basic information about keycap manufacturers.