# phpwin vs Runestone Text Editor

The clearest difference is ads: Runestone Text Editor at none against phpwin's shown. Runestone Text Editor also leads on ratings volume (2K vs 37) and rating (4.7 vs 4.4). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. phpwin sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Runestone Text Editor sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Runestone Text Editor holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Runestone Text Editor has 2K ratings behind it against 37, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of phpwin's written reviews are positive against 76% of Runestone Text Editor's.

phpwin ships an update every 6 weeks, Runestone Text Editor every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | phpwin | Runestone Text Editor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (37 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phpwin/id1157634089/reviews) | **[4.7 (2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runestone-text-editor/id1548193893/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 37 | **2K** |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | **76.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#36** |
| Size | 172 MB | 64 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Firas Moussa](https://appshunter.io/developer/547104847) | [Simon B. Støvring](https://appshunter.io/developer/423532907) |

## What reviewers say

### phpwin

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phpwin/id1157634089)

Develop and debug PHP files offline with a built-in web server and Git client. This app provides a comprehensive environment for managing PHP projects, including code editing, file management, and support for popular frameworks.

**Highlights:** PHP 8 with extensions, Offline web server, Git client, Code editor with auto-complete, File manager, Standalone web app support

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock all features | $4.99 | one-time |
| Standalone Web Application | $9.99 | one-time |


### Runestone Text Editor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runestone-text-editor/id1548193893)

**Currently charting:** #36 Top Grossing · Developer Tools, #44 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

A powerful plain text and code editor for iPhone and iPad. Offers syntax highlighting, line numbers, find and replace, and extensive customization options for developers and writers.

**Highlights:** Syntax highlighting for many languages, Customizable themes and fonts, Advanced find and replace, Line numbers and cursor location, Code formatting with Prettier.js, Multiple windows on iPad

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💎 Excellent text editor
- 🚀 Smooth and responsive
- 🎨 Customizable themes and appearance
- 🔒 Secure file storage and sync
- 👍 Clean and intuitive interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 🔍 Difficulty navigating files/folders
- 📝 Limited functionality without premium
- 🔌 Performance issues on older devices
- 🔒 Difficulty accessing files in cloud storage

**Reported bugs**

- Disappearing files
- Difficulty pasting text
- Scroll position not saved
- Hangs on startup
- Trouble opening large files

**Requested features**

- Markdown preview
- Code folding
- Syntax highlighting for more languages
- Ability to run/execute code
- Multiple file/window support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is phpwin free?

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

### Is Runestone Text Editor free?

Runestone Text Editor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, phpwin or Runestone Text Editor?

Runestone Text Editor is rated higher. phpwin averages 4.4 out of 5 from 37 ratings, while Runestone Text Editor averages 4.7 from 2K ratings.

### Do phpwin or Runestone Text Editor have ads?

phpwin shows ads; Runestone Text Editor does not.

### Which is updated more often, phpwin or Runestone Text Editor?

phpwin ships an update every 6 weeks, and Runestone Text Editor every 2 weeks. Most recently, phpwin was updated on September 29, 2026 and Runestone Text Editor on September 27, 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.*