Comparison

RegEx Lab vs RegEx Tester

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

Head to head
About

RegEx Lab

This app allows users to test and experiment with regular expressions. It offers syntax highlighting, customizable match colors, and a detailed results list. Features include a replace function, dark and light themes, and a helpful cheatsheet for quick reference.

Highlights
  • Regex syntax highlighting
  • Match and capture group highlighting
  • Customizable highlight colors
  • Results list view
  • Replace feature
  • Dark and light themes
  • Regular expression cheatsheet
Features
Read full description

RegEx Lab - test regular expressions • Highlighting of regex syntax and of matches and capture groups. • Choose the color of the match highlights • Results List View which lists all the matches and capture groups. • Replace feature • Dark theme (by default) based on the Solarized color palette • Themes to choose from (light/dark) • A handy cheatsheet which tells you about the different operators, option flags and metacharacters. • An extra row of keyboard keys for common special characters • Undo / Redo quick access buttons • Support for Dynamic Type (iOS Settings Text Size) • Export / Import feature Questions, suggestions, issues? regexlab@sovio.co Made by Nikolay Suvandzhiev

About

RegEx Tester

Features
Read full description

RegEx Tester is a focused, lightweight tool for designing and validating regular expressions on iPhone and iPad. Built natively with the latest version of SwiftUI, it delivers a smooth, modern interface that feels right at home on every device. Create a new pattern from scratch or start with the built-in examples, then see results update as you type. Instant match counts, highlighted previews and clear validity indicators help you refine your regex without switching apps. what you can do • store an unlimited collection of custom patterns • search, sort and edit patterns at any time • duplicate the demo library or delete it to stay clutter-free • test against multiline input with live highlighting • copy any pattern or match to the clipboard in a tap • export or import patterns as JSON for backup and sharing • work entirely offline; nothing leaves your device why it’s different • clean interface, no ads or tracking • built in the latest SwiftUI for performance and future-proofing • fast, on-device processing powered by Apple’s NSRegularExpression • debounced testing keeps the UI responsive, even with large text • full accessibility support and dynamic type • english and italian localisations included RegEx Tester is free to use with no hidden fees. Download it today and build better regular expressions, faster.

Screenshots

RegEx Lab3 screens
RegEx Tester2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: RegEx Lab at monthly against RegEx Tester's every 5 months. RegEx Lab also leads on chart position (#78 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

RegEx Lab costs $0.99 and RegEx Tester $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

RegEx Lab ships an update monthly, RegEx Tester every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 9 level
RegEx Lab versus RegEx Tester: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRegEx LabRegEx Tester
Price$0.99$0.99
Rating4.8 (172 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews95.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings172 — better—
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 5 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
Best chart rank#78 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB0 MB
Age rating4+4+
DevelopersovioMarco Tini

Bugs and requests

RegEx Lab

Reported bugs

14 issues
  • iPad's Files app cannot find the app or Regex files
  • Export option creates messy files
  • Mac version lacks developer effort
  • Slow load screen when creating new expressions
  • Select this match option is unreliable
Show 9 more
  • Replace function is difficult to understand
  • Cheat sheet accessibility issues
  • Poor highlighting options
  • Keyboard behavior issues
  • Import functionality is broken
  • Highlighted errors persist
  • Difficulty with sequential regex application
  • Lack of named group support
  • Interface is entirely in English

Requested features

11 requests
  • Make app and Regex files visible in Files app
  • Improve export option for Regex files
  • Add a button to clear the text window
  • Allow simultaneous viewing of text and replacement text
  • Add a button to copy and replace text on the previous screen
Show 6 more
  • Add more examples to the cheat sheet
  • Add a user manual
  • Automatically jump to matched text
  • Add a Chinese language option
  • Add 'snippets' or templates
  • Add a special keyboard for common expressions

RegEx Tester

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

RegEx Lab

No in-app purchases

None

RegEx Tester

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is RegEx Lab free?
RegEx Lab costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is RegEx Tester free?
RegEx Tester costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do RegEx Lab or RegEx Tester have ads?
Neither RegEx Lab nor RegEx Tester shows ads.
Which is updated more often, RegEx Lab or RegEx Tester?
RegEx Lab ships an update monthly, and RegEx Tester every 5 months. Most recently, RegEx Lab was updated on November 11, 2026 and RegEx Tester on November 8, 2026.

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