# TextEdit vs Lightweight Text Editor

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Lightweight Text Editor at 82% against TextEdit's 18%. Lightweight Text Editor also leads on rating (4.3 vs 3.7) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). TextEdit's advantage is price (Free vs $2.99) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 26 months). On ads there is nothing between them.

TextEdit is free to download; Lightweight Text Editor costs $2.99 up front. TextEdit sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Lightweight Text Editor asks for nothing beyond the download.

Lightweight Text Editor holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TextEdit has 376 ratings behind it against 58, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 18% of TextEdit's written reviews are positive against 82% of Lightweight Text Editor's.

TextEdit ships an update every 3 weeks, Lightweight Text Editor every 26 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TextEdit | Lightweight Text Editor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| Rating | [3.7 (376 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/textedit-text-editor/id1070883678/reviews) | **[4.3 (58 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightweight-text-editor/id1626906348/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **376** | 58 |
| Positive reviews | 18.1% of reviews | **82.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 26 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 480 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kairoos Solutions SL](https://appshunter.io/developer/978066434) | [Erik Wegener](https://appshunter.io/developer/424482392) |

## What reviewers say

### TextEdit

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/textedit-text-editor/id1070883678)

A fast and versatile text editor for mobile devices, offering compatibility with various file formats and editors. It provides a distraction-free writing experience with advanced formatting, organization, and sharing features.

**Highlights:** Supports TXT, RTF, Markdown, TeX, and PDF formats, Cross-device and computer syncing via iCloud/Files, Distraction-free writing interface, Customizable keyboard extension for faster typing, Visual rich text formatting and one-tap options, Syntax highlighting for Markdown and TeX, Instant statistics and counters

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TextEdit+ Unlock AI Assistant | $4.99 | per month |
| TextEdit+ Unlock AI Assistant | $29.99 | per year |
| TextEdit+ Full Unlock | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 📝 Simple and clean text editor
- 🔗 Integrates well with iCloud
- 👍 Useful for basic document editing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Requires subscription for full functionality
- 🔒 Locks users out of previously purchased content
- 🚫 Prevents access to app without subscription
- 🤖 Forced AI integration that users don't want

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when opening certain file types
- Formatting issues when copying/pasting text
- Inconsistent behavior across devices

**Requested features**

- Allow users to choose iCloud directory
- Offer one-time purchase option instead of subscription
- Restore previous paid versions without AI


### Lightweight Text Editor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightweight-text-editor/id1626906348)

This app allows users to work with plain text files without formatting concerns. It can open any text file, create folders for organization, and adjust encoding and line endings.

**Highlights:** Open any plain text file, Create folders for organization, Change text encoding, Adjust line endings (CR/LF/CRLF), No formatting concerns

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TextEdit free?

TextEdit is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Lightweight Text Editor free?

Lightweight Text Editor costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, TextEdit or Lightweight Text Editor?

Lightweight Text Editor is rated higher. TextEdit averages 3.7 out of 5 from 376 ratings, while Lightweight Text Editor averages 4.3 from 58 ratings.

### Do TextEdit or Lightweight Text Editor have ads?

Neither TextEdit nor Lightweight Text Editor shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, TextEdit or Lightweight Text Editor?

TextEdit ships an update every 3 weeks, and Lightweight Text Editor every 26 months. Most recently, TextEdit was updated on September 21, 2026 and Lightweight Text Editor on September 24, 2026.

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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.*