# Textastic Code Editor vs a

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: a at none against Textastic Code Editor's 3. a also leads on review sentiment (79% vs 69%) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.0). Textastic Code Editor's advantage is ratings volume (2.5K vs 553). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Textastic Code Editor sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. a asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Textastic Code Editor against 4.6 for a. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.5K and 553 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 69% of Textastic Code Editor's written reviews are positive against 79% of a's.

Textastic Code Editor ships an update every 2 weeks, a monthly. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Textastic Code Editor | a |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (2.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/textastic-code-editor/id1049254261/reviews)** | [4.6 (553 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-shell/id1473805438/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.5K** | 553 |
| Positive reviews | 68.9% of reviews | **78.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Paid** |
| Best chart rank | #19 | #19 |
| Size | 26 MB | 1.9 GB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Alexander Blach](https://appshunter.io/developer/303486870) | [Nicolas Holzschuch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1450994948) |

## What reviewers say

### Textastic Code Editor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/textastic-code-editor/id1049254261)

**Currently charting:** #19 Top Grossing · Developer Tools, #43 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

A powerful text and code editor for mobile devices, offering syntax highlighting for over 80 languages, code completion, and formatting tools. It allows connection to various servers and cloud storage for seamless file management and editing.

**Highlights:** Syntax highlighting for 80+ languages, SFTP, FTP, WebDAV, and Dropbox client, Built-in SSH terminal, Code completion and formatting, External keyboard and trackpad support, Split View and Slide Over multitasking

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Textastic Pro (Monthly) | $2.99 | per month |
| Textastic Pro (Yearly) | $19.99 | per year |
| Textastic Pro (One-Time) | $69.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Highly performant
- 👍 Versatile and feature-rich
- 💡 Excellent integration with other apps (e.g. Working Copy)
- 👍 Customizable and intuitive UI
- 👍 Reliable and stable

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezes
- 🔒 Restrictive paywall for basic functionality
- 👎 Confusing file management and upload/download workflow
- 👎 Lack of modern code editing features (e.g. auto-indent, code folding)

**Reported bugs**

- Issues with SSH/SFTP connectivity and authentication
- Problems with handling large files or files with certain extensions
- Inconsistent text selection and editing behavior

**Requested features**

- Add support for more cloud storage providers (e.g. Google Drive, OneDrive)
- Implement a more seamless remote file editing and syncing workflow
- Improve code editing features like code folding, multi-cursor support, and code beautification
- Add a built-in terminal or ability to run code directly within the app


### a

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-shell/id1473805438)

**Currently charting:** #19 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

Run a full Unix-like terminal environment on your iOS device. Execute a wide range of commands, edit files, and even program using included interpreters and compilers. Supports multitasking and integration with Shortcuts.

**Highlights:** Local Unix terminal emulator, SSH client, File transfer (scp, curl), Text editing (vim, ed), Scripting languages (Python, Lua, Perl, JS), C/C++ compiler, TeX distribution

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful terminal with Linux commands
- 👍 Useful for programming and development
- 🔒 Secure and reliable
- 💡 Impressive capabilities for an iOS app
- 👍 Helpful documentation and developer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Limited customization options
- 🔍 Missing some basic terminal features
- 🔍 Compatibility issues with certain packages

**Reported bugs**

- Toolbar buttons not accessible in portrait mode on some devices
- Pasting from clipboard can insert unexpected characters
- Sourcing certain script files causes crashes

**Requested features**

- Add support for package managers like Homebrew or APT
- Implement more advanced shell features like job control and better tab completion
- Integrate Git for version control
- Allow installing additional packages and libraries
- Improve clipboard and file management integration


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Textastic Code Editor free?

Textastic Code Editor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is a free?

a is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Textastic Code Editor or a?

Textastic Code Editor is rated higher. Textastic Code Editor averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.5K ratings, while a averages 4.6 from 553 ratings.

### Do Textastic Code Editor or a have ads?

Neither Textastic Code Editor nor a shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Textastic Code Editor or a?

Textastic Code Editor ships an update every 2 weeks, and a monthly. Most recently, Textastic Code Editor was updated on September 23, 2026 and a on September 23, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Textastic Code Editor or a?

Textastic Code Editor currently peaks at #19 in the App Store charts, and a at #19. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*