# Jayson vs a

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: a at none against Jayson's 1. a also leads on chart position (#19 vs #92) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Jayson sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. a asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Jayson against 4.6 for a. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 425 and 553 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 81% of Jayson's written reviews are positive against 79% of a's.

Jayson ships an update every 3 weeks, a monthly. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Jayson | a |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (425 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jayson/id1447750768/reviews) | **[4.6 (553 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-shell/id1473805438/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 425 | **553** |
| Positive reviews | **80.7% of reviews** | 78.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #92 | **#19** |
| Size | 41 MB | 1.9 GB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Simon B. Støvring](https://appshunter.io/developer/423532907) | [Nicolas Holzschuch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1450994948) |

## What reviewers say

### Jayson

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jayson/id1447750768)

**Currently charting:** #92 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

This app allows you to view and edit JSON files directly on your device. It offers features like tabbed browsing, split-screen comparisons, and integration with Siri Shortcuts and the Share Sheet for easy JSON parsing and management.

**Highlights:** Browse JSON files, Table or syntax highlighted text view, Tabbed interface, Multiple splits for comparison, Siri Shortcuts integration, Share Sheet Actions, URL schemes

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Everything | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Elegant and intuitive JSON editing interface
- 🎯 Perfect for FNF mod development and updates
- 📱 Excellent iOS implementation with native feel
- 🔧 Powerful JSON manipulation capabilities
- ⚡ Great Shortcuts and URL scheme integration

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and instability issues
- 🔋 High battery consumption and device heating
- ❌ Missing search functionality
- 📵 Safari browser support issues
- 🔒 Limited free features, paywall for advanced options

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when opening large JSON files (89MB+)
- Crashes on regular use despite functionality
- Device freezing for extended periods
- Safari compatibility broken in recent updates
- Navigation back through JSON structure is unreliable

**Requested features**

- Search/find functionality within files
- JSON editing and modification capabilities
- XML format support
- Split-view for comparing different arrays
- Export functionality for edited JSON


### a

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-shell/id1473805438)

**Currently charting:** #19 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

Run a full Unix-like terminal environment on your iOS device. Execute a wide range of commands, edit files, and even program using included interpreters and compilers. Supports multitasking and integration with Shortcuts.

**Highlights:** Local Unix terminal emulator, SSH client, File transfer (scp, curl), Text editing (vim, ed), Scripting languages (Python, Lua, Perl, JS), C/C++ compiler, TeX distribution

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful terminal with Linux commands
- 👍 Useful for programming and development
- 🔒 Secure and reliable
- 💡 Impressive capabilities for an iOS app
- 👍 Helpful documentation and developer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Limited customization options
- 🔍 Missing some basic terminal features
- 🔍 Compatibility issues with certain packages

**Reported bugs**

- Toolbar buttons not accessible in portrait mode on some devices
- Pasting from clipboard can insert unexpected characters
- Sourcing certain script files causes crashes

**Requested features**

- Add support for package managers like Homebrew or APT
- Implement more advanced shell features like job control and better tab completion
- Integrate Git for version control
- Allow installing additional packages and libraries
- Improve clipboard and file management integration


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Jayson free?

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

### Is a free?

a is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Jayson or a?

a is rated higher. Jayson averages 4.5 out of 5 from 425 ratings, while a averages 4.6 from 553 ratings.

### Do Jayson or a have ads?

Neither Jayson nor a shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Jayson or a?

Jayson ships an update every 3 weeks, and a monthly. Most recently, Jayson was updated on September 23, 2026 and a on September 23, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Jayson or a?

Jayson currently peaks at #92 in the App Store charts, and a at #19. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*