# TextEdit vs HoLaTeX

The clearest difference is update cadence: TextEdit at weekly against HoLaTeX's every 2 months. TextEdit also leads on ratings volume (378 vs 1). HoLaTeX's advantage is rating (4.0 vs 3.7) and iOS requirement (16.6 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TextEdit sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days and HoLaTeX sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $23.95 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

HoLaTeX holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TextEdit has 378 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

TextEdit ships an update weekly, HoLaTeX every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TextEdit | HoLaTeX |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (378 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/textedit-text-editor/id1070883678/reviews) | **[4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/holatex/id6458879810/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **378** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 17.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 573 MB | 1.3 GB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **16.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kairoos Solutions SL](https://appshunter.io/developer/978066434) | [BML Solutions Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/349426067) |

## 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 (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| TextEdit+ Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| TextEdit+ Annual | $14.99 | per year |
| TextEdit+ Full Unlock | $14.99 | 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


### HoLaTeX

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/holatex/id6458879810)

A secure, offline LaTeX editor for iOS and iPadOS that compiles documents directly on your device. It supports multiple compilers and offers features like syntax highlighting and iCloud integration for seamless workflow.

**Highlights:** Local and secure LaTeX compilation, Offline usage, Multiple compiler options (PdfTeX, XeTeX), Syntax highlighting and line numbers, iCloud integration, Share TEX and PDF files

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $23.95 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TextEdit free?

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

### Is HoLaTeX free?

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

### Which has better reviews, TextEdit or HoLaTeX?

HoLaTeX is rated higher. TextEdit averages 3.7 out of 5 from 378 ratings, while HoLaTeX averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do TextEdit or HoLaTeX have ads?

Neither TextEdit nor HoLaTeX shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, TextEdit or HoLaTeX?

TextEdit ships an update weekly, and HoLaTeX every 2 months. Most recently, TextEdit was updated on October 11, 2026 and HoLaTeX on September 25, 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.*