Comparison

Textastic Code Editor vs Lucky Effects

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Textastic Code Editor

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
Read full description

Textastic is a comprehensive and versatile text and code editor for iPad and iPhone. It supports syntax highlighting for more than 80 programming and markup languages. Connect to SFTP, FTP, and WebDAV servers or to your Dropbox account. Use the built-in SSH terminal to work directly on your server. Features: - Syntax highlighting for more than 80 languages, including HTML, JavaScript, CSS, C++, Swift, Objective-C, Rust, XML, Markdown, PHP, Perl, Python, Ruby, Lua, YAML, JSON, SQL, shell scripts, and many more (full list available on the website) - Compatible with Sublime Text 3 and TextMate 1 syntax definitions and themes - Code completion for HTML, CSS, JavaScript, C, Objective-C, and PHP - SFTP (SSH), FTP, FTPS (FTP over SSL), WebDAV, and Dropbox clients - SSH terminal connections - Code formatter for HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and JSON - Git repositories from the Git client app Working Copy can be opened as external folders in Textastic - Emmet support - JavaScript console - iCloud Drive file synchronization - WebDAV server for easy file transfer between Textastic and your Mac or PC over Wi-Fi - Symbol list for quick navigation within a file - Full support for external keyboards, trackpads, and mice - Configurable keyboard shortcuts - Additional keys above the virtual keyboard for frequently used programming characters - Cursor navigation wheel for easy text selection - Move the cursor using swipe gestures - Split View and Slide Over multitasking on iPad - Open multiple files in tabs - Multiple windows on iPadOS - Dark Mode support - Support for common text encodings such as UTF-8, UTF-16, and ISO-8859-1 - Support for different tab widths and soft tabs (spaces instead of tabs) - Custom fonts - Find and Replace, including regular expression search - Find in multiple files - File information such as character and word counts - Local and remote web preview for HTML and Markdown files Pricing: Textastic requires a monthly or yearly subscription or a one-time purchase. Each subscription includes a 7-day free trial with full access to all features. Privacy Policy: https://www.textasticapp.com/privacy.html Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Lucky Effects

Features
Read full description

Lucky Effects is your gateway to stunning, real-time visual effects powered by MetalKit on iOS. Explore a growing collection of interactive effects — from glowing plasma rings and aurora spirals to electric arcs and particle strings — all fully customizable in color, speed, and intensity. Whether you’re a developer seeking inspiration, a designer looking for modern visuals, or simply curious about what’s possible with GPU-driven graphics, LuckyEffects makes high-end effects accessible at your fingertips. Features • Interactive Gallery – Browse effects like Plasma Circle, Comet Arc, String Particles, Electric Ring, and more. • Customization Controls – Adjust colors, speed, radius, thickness, brightness, and other effect parameters live. • Learn by Example – Unlock sample Swift + MetalKit source code for each effect, viewable directly inside the app. • Developer Resources – Access implementation notes and SwiftUI integration tips after unlocking. • One-Time Purchases – Unlock individual effects or the full pack permanently (non-consumable IAP). Restore anytime with your Apple ID. • Modern Design – Built with SwiftUI and UIKit for a clean, fluid, and immersive experience. Perfect For • iOS developers exploring Swift + MetalKit. • Designers seeking unique visual assets. • Learners curious about real-time GPU effects. Lucky Effects brings the magic of GPU-driven visuals into your hands — to explore, customize, and learn from. Legal: By purchasing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy: Terms of Use: https://bluepixeltech.wixsite.com/luckyeffectsterms/copy-of-terms-of-use Privacy Policy: https://bluepixeltech.wixsite.com/luckyeffectsterms/copy-of-privacy-policy

Screenshots

Textastic Code Editor4 screens
Lucky Effects4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Lucky Effects at every 4 days against Textastic Code Editor's every 2 weeks. Textastic Code Editor's advantage is chart position (#11 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Textastic Code Editor sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Lucky Effects sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Textastic Code Editor ships an update every 2 weeks, Lucky Effects every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 13, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 9 level
Textastic Code Editor versus Lucky Effects: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTextastic Code EditorLucky Effects
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (2.6K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews68.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings2.6K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscription—
Best chart rank#11 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.016.0
Further details — not scored
Size26 MB25 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlexander BlachPouya Khansaryan

Bugs and requests

Textastic Code Editor

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • 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

4 requests
  • 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

Lucky Effects

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Textastic Code Editor

Subscriptions2
  • Textastic Pro (Monthly)7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Textastic Pro (Yearly)7 Days trial$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Textastic Pro (One-Time)$69.99
10 purchases

Lucky Effects

One-time10
  • Unlock Neon Halo Effect$4.99
  • Unlock Spark Ring Effect$6.99
  • Unlock Comet Arc Effect$7.99
Show 7 more
  • Unlock Aurora Spiral Effect$14.99
  • Unlock Plasma Circle Effect$18.99
  • Unlock String Loop Effect$24.99
  • Unlock Glow Sphere Dots Effect$29.99
  • Unlock Wave Sphere Effect$44.99
  • Unlock Electric Ring Effect$69.99
  • Unlock Hell Fire Effect$79.99

Questions

Is Textastic Code Editor free?
Textastic Code Editor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Lucky Effects free?
Lucky Effects is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Textastic Code Editor or Lucky Effects have ads?
Neither Textastic Code Editor nor Lucky Effects shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Textastic Code Editor or Lucky Effects?
Textastic Code Editor ships an update every 2 weeks, and Lucky Effects every 4 days. Most recently, Textastic Code Editor was updated on November 13, 2026 and Lucky Effects on November 12, 2026.

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