# iVim vs Terminal Emulator Plus

The clearest difference is rating: iVim at 4.6 against Terminal Emulator Plus's 1.0. iVim also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 8 months). Terminal Emulator Plus's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. iVim sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Terminal Emulator Plus asks for nothing beyond the download.

iVim holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iVim has 174 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

iVim ships an update every 5 weeks, Terminal Emulator Plus every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iVim | Terminal Emulator Plus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (174 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ivim/id1266544660/reviews)** | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/terminal-emulator-plus/id1669565256/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **174** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 84.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 127 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | [文礼 周](https://appshunter.io/developer/497312859) | [Dioneibys Blanco Grudas](https://appshunter.io/developer/1658652313) |

## What reviewers say

### iVim

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ivim/id1266544660)

This app brings the powerful Vim text editor to iOS devices. It offers advanced features like custom font import, an extended and customizable keyboard, multistage language input, and seamless integration with other apps through sharing and document pickers. Advanced functionalities like plugin management and version control are available via in-app purchases or a subscription.

**Highlights:** Custom font import with ligature support, Extended and customizable keyboard, Multistage language input, App sharing and document picker integration, External hardware keyboard support, Integrated scripting languages (Python, Lua), Plugin management (In-App Purchase), Native version control (iVim Pro subscription)

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| iVim Pro | $4.99 | per month |
| Small Donation | $1.99 | one-time |
| Auto Restore | $3.99 | one-time |
| Plugins Manager | $4.99 | one-time |
| Big Donation | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎯 Excellent Vim port with most keybindings and features working correctly
- ⌨️ Innovative custom keyboard with easy access to special characters and Vim keys
- 🔌 Great integration with iOS Files app and external keyboards
- 🎨 Highly customizable with plugin support and color schemes
- 📚 Comprehensive Vim documentation included (:help iOS)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Keyboard constantly pops up and obscures content
- 🐛 Difficulty hiding keyboard on iPad
- ⚠️ App appears abandoned with infrequent updates
- 💰 Expensive subscription model for Pro features
- 🔐 Requires internet access for basic text editing

**Reported bugs**

- Keyboard obscures command line and content
- Keyboard cannot be hidden or dismissed properly
- Paste function unreliable with Command-V
- Plus buffer (+) paste not working
- App loses all data when iOS suspends it

**Requested features**

- .vimrc functionality that actually works
- Easier document/file access without multiple clicks
- Reading mode to hide keyboard while scrolling
- Better keyboard dismissal mechanism
- Function keys on the keyboard


### Terminal Emulator Plus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/terminal-emulator-plus/id1669565256)

This utility app provides access to various shell types for simplified terminal-optimized tasks. It features a friendly web front-end for quick functions like conversions and calculations.

**Highlights:** Access different shell types, Terminal-optimized tasks, PTY connection, Web front-end, Quick conversions, Quick math functions

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iVim free?

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

### Is Terminal Emulator Plus free?

Terminal Emulator Plus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, iVim or Terminal Emulator Plus?

iVim is rated higher. iVim averages 4.6 out of 5 from 174 ratings, while Terminal Emulator Plus averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do iVim or Terminal Emulator Plus have ads?

Terminal Emulator Plus shows ads; iVim does not.

### Which is updated more often, iVim or Terminal Emulator Plus?

iVim ships an update every 5 weeks, and Terminal Emulator Plus every 8 months. Most recently, iVim was updated on October 22, 2026 and Terminal Emulator Plus on October 21, 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.*