Kodex vs Desktop Browser
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Kodex
An advanced code editor for iOS devices, offering desktop-class features like multi-caret editing, regex search, and syntax highlighting for over 150 languages. It integrates with the Files app and supports external keyboards for a seamless coding experience.
- Multi-caret editing
- Regex search and replace
- Minimap for navigation
- Syntax highlighting (150+ languages)
- External keyboard support
- Files app integration
- Customizable themes and fonts
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Kodex is an advanced code editor which brings powerful and desktop-class editor features to your iPad or iPhone: * Multi-caret editing, to quickly transform code selections. * Regex search and replace, with template matching and replace-all-matches. * Minimap which allows quick scroll navigation though the document. * Multiple window support * Syntax highlighting for over 150 languages. * Trackpad support with custom gestures to add cursors (ctrl+shift+click). * Auto complete feature (currently only for HTML). * Add as many guide columns as you wish (default 80 and 120 characters). * Configurable tab size (default 4 spaces), or insert spaces when pressing tab. * Draw hints for invisible characters such as new lines, tabs, and spaces. * Customizable key bindings, so you can configure Kodex to use the same key combos you are already used to. * Kodex smartly preserves your open documents so that your work stays as you left it between launches. * Light and Dark modes. Kodex is integrated with the Files app, so you can easily open files from any other app, and from your iCloud documents folder. You can launch Kodex QuickEdit from any file sharing view in any app to edit its contents without launching the main Kodex App (be aware this functionality depends on the host app implementing the sharing activity properly). Included are 10 editor themes, and several monospaced fonts for code editing (you can install your own preferred fonts using system profiles). Font size and line spacing are adjustable, so you can configure Kodex to best fit your preferred screen size, arrangement, and orientation. Kodex is not a compiler, and you can not build or run the code you edit from it. Think of Kodex as a NotePad++ or Sublime Text substitute for iPhone and iPad. Kodex is currently optimized for external keyboards, such as Apple's Smart Keyboard for the iPad Pro, or any bluetooth/USB keyboard. More virtual keyboard features will be added in a future version.
Desktop Browser
Experience a full desktop web on your mobile device. This browser simulates a large, resizable screen to display desktop versions of websites, avoiding mobile-optimized layouts. Enjoy features like zoom control, full-screen mode, and privacy-focused data collection.
- Desktop website rendering
- Zoomable screen (1x-3x)
- Full screen mode
- Portrait/landscape transitions
- Favorites management
- UI customization
- Multiple tabs (Pro)
- Theme customization (Pro)
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Zoomable is a browser that provides a full desktop web experience. It simulates a large and resizable screen and shows the desktop version of websites, so you can stay away from those bad mobile web experiences. • Zoom freely between 1x and 3x. • Seamless transitions between portrait and landscape mode. • Supports full screen mode. • Save and manage favorites. • Lightning fast and super small install size. • Supports UI customization for both portrait and landscape mode. • Respects user privacy; the app only collects anonymous diagnostic data unrelated to browsing, and you can opt out. • [Pro] Multiple tabs. • [Pro] Customize themes. The app is designed for everyone, it works great with many websites. However, it is particularly useful for developers. For example, accessing App Store Connect and Firebase Console works great in this app because of the screen scale feature.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Desktop Browser at 4.5 against Kodex's 4.2. Desktop Browser also leads on ratings volume (3.3K vs 207) and chart position (#20 vs #87). Kodex's advantage is iOS requirement (13.4 vs 15.0). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Kodex sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Desktop Browser sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Desktop Browser holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Desktop Browser has 3.3K ratings behind it against 207, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Kodex's written reviews are positive against 64% of Desktop Browser's.
Kodex ships an update monthly, Desktop Browser every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Kodex | Desktop Browser |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (207 ratings) | 4.5 (3.3K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 63.1% of reviews | 64.4% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 207 | 3.3K — better |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 5 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #87 | #20 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.4 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 14 MB | 15 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Bruno Philipe Resende Silva | Actowise LLC |
Customer experience
Kodex
Desktop Browser
User reviews
Kodex
From 207 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Powerful code editor
- 👍 Well-integrated with iPad features
- 🎨 Excellent syntax highlighting and theming
- 📁 Broad file format support
- 💡 Useful QuickEdit mode
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🔍 Lack of search and replace functionality
- 🔀 Difficulty navigating between files
- 🚫 No option to run/compile code
- 📏 Forced word wrapping with no toggle
Desktop Browser
From 3.3K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 👍 Intuitive user interface
- 🔍 Effective desktop mode
- 💡 Useful zoom feature
- 🔒 Secure browsing
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and reloads
- 🔍 Inconsistent desktop mode performance
- 📱 Incompatible with some mobile apps
- 💸 Paid version required for full functionality
- 🔌 High battery consumption
Bugs and requests
Kodex
Reported bugs
4 issues- Crashes when opening certain file types
- Loses data after copy/paste and undo/redo
- Compatibility issues with latest iOS versions
- Overlapping UI elements in search/replace
Requested features
5 requests- Add search and replace feature
- Implement code execution/compilation
- Improve file management and navigation
- Provide option to disable word wrapping
- Introduce more keyboard shortcuts
Desktop Browser
Reported bugs
4 issues- Issues connecting to local IP addresses
- Inability to use Google account login
- Blank pages when resizing or zooming
- Redirects to search engine instead of desired site
Requested features
5 requests- Add ad-blocking capabilities
- Implement local network access
- Allow setting as default browser
- Introduce a virtual trackpad mode
- Improve bookmark management
In-app purchases
Kodex
- Tip$4.99
Desktop Browser
- 2 Extra Tabs$2.99
- Pro Lifetime$9.99
- Pro Lifetime$14.99









