7 best Bijoy Bayanno alternatives for PC in 2026 (Bangla typing that works)
Bijoy Bayanno is the layout the Bangla publishing industry runs on. Newspapers, government forms, legal offices, textbook publishers, the muscle memory of a whole generation of typists lives inside that key map. It is also paid software with a discouragingly complex activation process and no meaningful updates in years. If you already know the Bijoy key layout but don’t want to buy another license, or you are a new typist looking at Bangla input for the first time, there is a broad set of Bijoy Bayanno alternatives worth trying.
These seven cover every angle: same-layout free replacements, phonetic typing systems where you spell Bangla using English letters, and hybrid setups that ship both. All run on Windows, with several also on macOS and Linux.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Starting price | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avro Keyboard | Same layout, free | Yes | Free | Ships both phonetic and Bijoy-compatible layouts |
| Ridmik Keyboard for PC | Modern UI | Yes | Free | Companion to the popular mobile keyboard |
| Google Input Tools | Cross-device typing | Yes | Free | Transliteration from Latin to Bangla |
| Borno | Lightweight typing | Yes | Free | Small footprint, fast startup |
| UniBijoy via Avro | Bijoy layout on Unicode | Yes | Free | Same key map as Bayanno, without the paywall |
| IBus Avro | Linux typists | Yes | Free | Bangla input for GNOME, KDE, XFCE |
| Ekushey Bangla Keyboard | Classic layout | Yes | Free | Old-school Bangla layout maintained for legacy files |
Why people leave Bijoy Bayanno
The complaints on r/bangladesh, LinkedIn threads from Dhaka technologists, and student forums cluster around the same points.
1. It is paid software with an awkward activation
Every other Bangla typing tool on this list is free. Bijoy Bayanno licensing requires purchase from the official site plus per-machine activation, and users regularly hit re-activation issues after a Windows reinstall or hardware change.
2. No macOS or Linux build
Bijoy Bayanno is Windows only. For anyone moving between a Mac at home and a Windows PC at the office, that alone rules it out.
3. Closed source with slow updates
The release cadence has been slow enough that many users still run older builds. There is no visible roadmap and no way for the community to fix bugs.
4. Fixed layout only
Bijoy Bayanno teaches the classical Bijoy layout, which is memorable but not intuitive if you are a new typist. Alternatives that add phonetic input (type “ami” and get “আমি”) get new users producing text on day one.
5. Non-Unicode output causes web headaches
Some Bijoy Bayanno workflows still produce ANSI-encoded output for legacy publishing pipelines. That text does not paste cleanly into modern Unicode-aware apps and websites, and users are constantly converting between the two.
The alternatives
Avro Keyboard, best overall
Avro Keyboard from OmicronLab is the mainstream free replacement in Bangladesh. It ships two input modes in one installer: an English-to-Bangla phonetic mode (Avro Phonetic) and a fixed-layout mode that includes UniBijoy, which mirrors the Bijoy key map on Unicode. Bijoy Bayanno vs Avro Keyboard is the first comparison most people make when the Bijoy license expires.
Where it falls short: The main window and settings menu look dated. Some enterprise IT policies flag the installer as unsigned because of an older code-signing certificate.
Pricing:
- Free: Everything, open source
- Paid: N/A
- vs Bijoy Bayanno: Free, cross-platform (Windows, macOS, Linux), and both phonetic and fixed layouts in one app.
Migrating from Bijoy Bayanno: Install Avro, switch the fixed layout to UniBijoy, and your muscle memory transfers directly. Non-Unicode Bijoy documents need a one-time conversion (Avro has a Unicode-ANSI converter built in).
Download: omicronlab.com
Bottom line: For most Bijoy Bayanno users, this is the drop-in replacement. Same layout, no license, active maintenance.
Ridmik Keyboard for PC, best modern UI
Ridmik Keyboard is the most popular Bangla keyboard on Android, and the Windows companion is aimed at users who want the same phonetic experience on both devices. It handles suggestions, emoji, and mixed English-Bangla text with less friction than either Bijoy Bayanno or classic Avro.
Where it falls short: The desktop build is a much lighter product than the mobile app and lags behind on layout customization. If you rely on the fixed Bijoy layout, this is not the tool.
Pricing:
- Free: Everything
- Paid: N/A
- vs Bijoy Bayanno: Modern phonetic-first UI vs a classical fixed-layout workflow. Different tool for different typists.
Migrating from Bijoy Bayanno: No layout carry-over. You are relearning input. But your recent Bangla-typed text is already Unicode, so nothing has to convert.
Download: ridmik.com
Bottom line: Pick this if you use Ridmik on your phone and want a matching desktop experience.
Google Input Tools, best cross-device fallback
Google Input Tools covers Bangla through both a transliteration mode (type “bangla” and get “বাংলা”) and a virtual keyboard. It runs as a Chrome extension, a Windows IME, and inside Google Docs. Bijoy Bayanno vs Google Input Tools comes up whenever someone needs to type Bangla on a shared or locked-down machine where installing full software is off the table.
Where it falls short: The Windows desktop IME has been in maintenance mode for years. On modern Windows 11 the installer runs, but Microsoft’s own IME framework has moved on.
Pricing:
- Free: Everything
- Paid: N/A
- vs Bijoy Bayanno: Works inside a browser without any install; predictions are trained on huge web corpora.
Migrating from Bijoy Bayanno: No import. New workflow, new muscle memory. Best if your existing documents are already Unicode.
Download: google.com/inputtools
Bottom line: Good backup for public-computer scenarios; not a full-time replacement.
Borno, best lightweight option
Borno is a small, fast Bangla typing tool built by Bangladeshi developers as a modern take on the phonetic keyboard. It handles both Unicode and legacy ANSI output, uses under 50 MB of RAM, and starts near instantly.
Where it falls short: Smaller user base and community, so troubleshooting relies on the developer’s Facebook page rather than mature forums.
Pricing:
- Free: Everything
- Paid: N/A
- vs Bijoy Bayanno: Free and lighter, but doesn’t ship the classical Bijoy layout out of the box.
Migrating from Bijoy Bayanno: No key-map overlap. New typists pick it up quickly; long-time Bijoy typists have to relearn.
Download: Borno on Sourceforge or the developer’s page.
Bottom line: Right for casual typists on older PCs where every megabyte matters.
UniBijoy via Avro, closest layout match
UniBijoy is not a separate app but a layout profile that ships with Avro Keyboard. It reproduces the classic Bijoy key map on Unicode, which is exactly what most Bijoy Bayanno users want when they leave the paid tool. Bijoy Bayanno vs UniBijoy is really the same layout, one paid and closed, the other free and open.
Where it falls short: Because it lives inside Avro, you install a larger tool than you strictly need. If you already have Avro installed for phonetic input, no cost.
Pricing:
- Free: Everything
- Paid: N/A
- vs Bijoy Bayanno: Identical layout, free forever, Unicode output.
Migrating from Bijoy Bayanno: Install Avro, pick UniBijoy as the fixed layout, keep typing. This is the migration path for typists who care most about muscle memory.
Download: ships inside Avro Keyboard
Bottom line: The single best answer for keeping the Bijoy layout without paying for Bayanno.
IBus Avro, best for Linux
IBus Avro is the Linux port of Avro Keyboard, packaged for GNOME, KDE, and XFCE through the IBus input framework. It gives Linux users the same phonetic and Bijoy-layout options as Windows users get from the mainline Avro build.
Where it falls short: Setup involves editing IBus preferences, which is fine for Linux natives but a wall for casual users. Some distros require compiling from source.
Pricing:
- Free: Everything
- Paid: N/A
- vs Bijoy Bayanno: The only real option for anyone who works on Linux.
Migrating from Bijoy Bayanno: Same layout options as Avro. Existing Bijoy typists find UniBijoy inside IBus Avro and keep going.
Download: github.com/sarim/ibus-avro
Bottom line: Non-negotiable pick for Bangla typing on Linux desktops.
Ekushey Bangla Keyboard, best for legacy files
Ekushey Bangla Keyboard is an older phonetic keyboard tool that dates to the mid-2000s but is still maintained for users working with legacy Bangla files. It handles ANSI-encoded documents that pre-date the Unicode transition and produces output compatible with older Bengali typography software.
Where it falls short: UI has not been meaningfully updated in a decade. Only useful if your documents live in that older ecosystem.
Pricing:
- Free: Everything
- Paid: N/A
- vs Bijoy Bayanno: Focused on legacy compatibility rather than modern typing.
Migrating from Bijoy Bayanno: Direct paste works for ANSI documents. Unicode workflows should look elsewhere.
Download: ekushey.org (developer page)
Bottom line: Only pick this if you are still living inside pre-Unicode Bangla publishing files.
How to choose
Pick Avro Keyboard if you want the closest same-layout, cross-platform replacement.
Pick UniBijoy inside Avro if the only thing you care about is keeping your Bijoy muscle memory.
Pick Ridmik Keyboard for PC if you already use Ridmik on your phone.
Pick Google Input Tools if you need to type Bangla on machines where you can’t install anything.
Pick Borno if you are on an old PC or want the smallest install.
Pick IBus Avro if you are on Linux.
Pick Ekushey if you are still maintaining ANSI-era Bangla documents.
Stay on Bijoy Bayanno only if your organization already runs a paid site license and every downstream tool expects Bayanno output.
Frequently asked questions
Is Avro Keyboard better than Bijoy Bayanno? For most typists yes. It is free, cross-platform, actively maintained, and ships both the phonetic and Bijoy-compatible layouts in one installer.
Can I use the Bijoy layout without buying Bijoy Bayanno? Yes. Install Avro Keyboard and switch the fixed layout to UniBijoy. That is the same key map on Unicode, at no cost.
What is the best free Bijoy Bayanno alternative? Avro Keyboard. It covers every workflow Bayanno covers, adds phonetic input, and runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Is there a Bangla keyboard for Mac? Avro Keyboard has a macOS build. IBus Avro covers Linux. Bijoy Bayanno itself does not run on either.
Can I convert Bijoy ANSI documents to Unicode? Avro Keyboard includes a Unicode-ANSI converter for exactly this. Paste in the ANSI text, click convert, copy out the Unicode output.
Which alternative works best for professional publishing? Long-established shops still use Bayanno because their downstream tools expect its output. If you are setting up new, Avro with UniBijoy plus modern Unicode-aware typography software handles the same jobs without the license.