nice!nano alternative
What controllers are compatable, as I cannot afford the nice!nano.
7 Replies
Got it — the nice!nano is the controller we officially support and design around, so it's the one we can guarantee compatibility with. Our Corne and Lily58 wireless kits are specifically designed for the nRF52840-based nice!nano, since it provides both Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) support and LiPo charging circuitry built-in.
If you're looking at alternatives, here are some considerations:
- Must-haves for ZMK wireless:
- nRF52840 chip (needed for BLE + ZMK support).
- Built-in USB for flashing firmware.
- LiPo charging (if you want to use the on/off switch and JST battery as intended).
- Known alternatives people sometimes use:
- MakerDiary nRF52840 MDK USB Dongle – compatible with ZMK, but doesn’t have onboard charging, so you'd need to wire in a battery directly.
- Adafruit Feather nRF52840 Express – also supported by ZMK, but it’s physically much bigger, so it doesn’t fit in our PCB cutouts/cases.
- SparkFun Pro nRF52840 Mini – similar limitation as the Feather; it works with ZMK but does not match the footprint of the nice!nano.
⚠️ Important: none of these are drop-in replacements for the nice!nano in our kits — they won’t physically fit or align with the sockets we provide. If you choose one of these, you’ll be doing case/PCB mods and custom wiring.
If you want a wireless split with minimal hassle, the nice!nano is really the only option that fully integrates with the Typeractive Corne/Lily58 kits.
Would you like me to point you to some budget-friendly ways to source a nice!nano, or are you okay with exploring DIY modifications using the alternatives above?
If you're looking at alternatives, here are some considerations:
- Must-haves for ZMK wireless:
- nRF52840 chip (needed for BLE + ZMK support).
- Built-in USB for flashing firmware.
- LiPo charging (if you want to use the on/off switch and JST battery as intended).
- Known alternatives people sometimes use:
- MakerDiary nRF52840 MDK USB Dongle – compatible with ZMK, but doesn’t have onboard charging, so you'd need to wire in a battery directly.
- Adafruit Feather nRF52840 Express – also supported by ZMK, but it’s physically much bigger, so it doesn’t fit in our PCB cutouts/cases.
- SparkFun Pro nRF52840 Mini – similar limitation as the Feather; it works with ZMK but does not match the footprint of the nice!nano.
⚠️ Important: none of these are drop-in replacements for the nice!nano in our kits — they won’t physically fit or align with the sockets we provide. If you choose one of these, you’ll be doing case/PCB mods and custom wiring.
If you want a wireless split with minimal hassle, the nice!nano is really the only option that fully integrates with the Typeractive Corne/Lily58 kits.
Would you like me to point you to some budget-friendly ways to source a nice!nano, or are you okay with exploring DIY modifications using the alternatives above?
I don't need wireless so the battery and bluetooth doesnt matter
Got it — thanks for clarifying!
If you don't need wireless (no battery, no Bluetooth), then you don’t actually need a nice!nano at all. Instead, you can use a wired-only controller. The most common choice is:
- Pro Micro (ATmega32U4-based) – This was the original standard for wired Corne and Lily58 builds.
- Elite-C – A drop-in replacement for the Pro Micro with USB-C instead of Micro-USB (much more durable).
Both of these are fully supported by QMK firmware (not ZMK). That means:
- You’d follow guides for a wired Corne or Lily58 build, and flash QMK instead of ZMK.
- You wouldn’t need batteries, power switches, or nice!view displays (those only work with nice!nano + ZMK).
⚠️ Important differences if using Pro Micro/Elite-C:
- Our wireless PCBs are designed around the nice!nano. If you bought our wireless kit, the pinouts and footprint won’t match a Pro Micro/Elite-C directly. You’d either need an older wired PCB version (not the wireless version we sell now), or be ready to do custom wiring mods.
- If you already have one of our wireless PCBs, you really need the nice!nano, since the pad layout won’t line up properly with a Pro Micro/Elite-C.
So the big question:
👉 Did you already buy one of our wireless kits, or are you starting from scratch and just want a wired Corne/Lily58?
That will determine whether using a Pro Micro/Elite-C is feasible.
If you don't need wireless (no battery, no Bluetooth), then you don’t actually need a nice!nano at all. Instead, you can use a wired-only controller. The most common choice is:
- Pro Micro (ATmega32U4-based) – This was the original standard for wired Corne and Lily58 builds.
- Elite-C – A drop-in replacement for the Pro Micro with USB-C instead of Micro-USB (much more durable).
Both of these are fully supported by QMK firmware (not ZMK). That means:
- You’d follow guides for a wired Corne or Lily58 build, and flash QMK instead of ZMK.
- You wouldn’t need batteries, power switches, or nice!view displays (those only work with nice!nano + ZMK).
⚠️ Important differences if using Pro Micro/Elite-C:
- Our wireless PCBs are designed around the nice!nano. If you bought our wireless kit, the pinouts and footprint won’t match a Pro Micro/Elite-C directly. You’d either need an older wired PCB version (not the wireless version we sell now), or be ready to do custom wiring mods.
- If you already have one of our wireless PCBs, you really need the nice!nano, since the pad layout won’t line up properly with a Pro Micro/Elite-C.
So the big question:
👉 Did you already buy one of our wireless kits, or are you starting from scratch and just want a wired Corne/Lily58?
That will determine whether using a Pro Micro/Elite-C is feasible.
just want a wired Lily58?
Perfect 👍 If you just want a wired Lily58, then you don’t need the nice!nano or batteries at all.
For a wired Lily58 build, the typical controllers are:
- Elite‑C (recommended) → USB‑C, more durable.
- Pro Micro (cheaper, but Micro‑USB and easier to damage).
Both work great and run QMK firmware (instead of ZMK). With QMK you’ll get a very stable, fully wired experience, and you can still set up layers, macros, tap‑dance, etc.
Here’s what you’d need for a wired Lily58:
- Lily58 wired PCB (not our wireless version — the footprints are different).
- 2x Elite‑C or Pro Micro controllers.
- TRRS jack and cable (to connect the two halves).
- Diodes (since the wired kits normally have them installed manually).
- Switches + keycaps of course 🙂
So short version:
✔️ Wired Lily58 = Pro Micro or Elite‑C with QMK
❌ The wireless Lily58 PCBs we sell are not compatible with Pro Micro/Elite‑C.
👉 If you don’t have the kit yet, you’ll want to look specifically for a wired Lily58 PCB/kit (sometimes called Lily58 Classic/Pro).
Would you like me to break down the differences between buying a wired Lily58 elsewhere vs. one of our wireless kits with nice!nano so you can compare before deciding?
For a wired Lily58 build, the typical controllers are:
- Elite‑C (recommended) → USB‑C, more durable.
- Pro Micro (cheaper, but Micro‑USB and easier to damage).
Both work great and run QMK firmware (instead of ZMK). With QMK you’ll get a very stable, fully wired experience, and you can still set up layers, macros, tap‑dance, etc.
Here’s what you’d need for a wired Lily58:
- Lily58 wired PCB (not our wireless version — the footprints are different).
- 2x Elite‑C or Pro Micro controllers.
- TRRS jack and cable (to connect the two halves).
- Diodes (since the wired kits normally have them installed manually).
- Switches + keycaps of course 🙂
So short version:
✔️ Wired Lily58 = Pro Micro or Elite‑C with QMK
❌ The wireless Lily58 PCBs we sell are not compatible with Pro Micro/Elite‑C.
👉 If you don’t have the kit yet, you’ll want to look specifically for a wired Lily58 PCB/kit (sometimes called Lily58 Classic/Pro).
Would you like me to break down the differences between buying a wired Lily58 elsewhere vs. one of our wireless kits with nice!nano so you can compare before deciding?
Do you guys not sell a wired version
We don’t sell a wired version of the Lily58 (or Corne) — all of our kits are designed specifically around the wireless nice!nano setup with batteries and ZMK firmware.
If you want a wired Lily58, you’d need to go through other keyboard kit vendors or open‑source PCB files (since the Lily58 is an open‑source design, there are several sellers out there who stock the “classic” wired PCBs/kits). Those are set up for controllers like the Elite‑C or Pro Micro, and run QMK.
So to summarize:
- ✅ We sell wireless Lily58 (nice!nano, batteries, ZMK).
- ❌ We do not sell a wired Lily58 kit.
- 🔎 For a wired Lily58, you’ll want to grab a kit from another vendor that provides the wired PCB version.
Want me to give you a quick checklist of what parts you’d need to build a wired Lily58 (so you know what to look for when shopping elsewhere)?
If you want a wired Lily58, you’d need to go through other keyboard kit vendors or open‑source PCB files (since the Lily58 is an open‑source design, there are several sellers out there who stock the “classic” wired PCBs/kits). Those are set up for controllers like the Elite‑C or Pro Micro, and run QMK.
So to summarize:
- ✅ We sell wireless Lily58 (nice!nano, batteries, ZMK).
- ❌ We do not sell a wired Lily58 kit.
- 🔎 For a wired Lily58, you’ll want to grab a kit from another vendor that provides the wired PCB version.
Want me to give you a quick checklist of what parts you’d need to build a wired Lily58 (so you know what to look for when shopping elsewhere)?