Comparison

Jayson vs Simple_TextEdit

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

Head to head
About

Jayson

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
Read full description

Jayson is a JSON viewer and editor for iPhone and iPad. Browse JSON as a structure, edit values, and save your changes back to the file. Whether you're inspecting an API response, checking a config file, or making a quick fix on the go, Jayson turns raw JSON into something you can actually read and change. BROWSE AND EDIT - Open JSON files stored on your device or in iCloud Drive. - Toggle between a structured table view and syntax highlighted text. - Add new values and keys, and save your changes back to the file. - Parse text or the contents of a URL from your clipboard into JSON. - Highlight a key from a child of an array to get a quick overview of your data. TABS, SPLITS, AND WINDOWS - Switch between files, or different objects in a single file, using tabs. - Compare JSON in a single file or across files using multiple splits. - Open multiple windows on the iPad. WORKS WITH SHORTCUTS Jayson integrates with Shortcuts, which comes in handy for debugging API calls, previewing JSON files, and building workflows around JSON. - Pass a response from Get Contents of URL to Jayson to see how it is structured. - Open JSON as a document you keep working on, or as a temporary preview. - Format JSON and hand the result to the next action, using spaces or tabs. FREE, WITH AN OPTIONAL UPGRADE Jayson's core functionality is free. Browsing, editing, saving, splits, Shortcuts, and working with up to two tabs at a time cost nothing. A one-time in-app purchase enables having more than two tabs open at once, switching between light and dark themes, and personalizing the app icon, accent color and type icons. One purchase, no subscription.

About

Simple_TextEdit

This app provides a native plain text editing experience for iOS devices. It allows users to open, edit, and save plain text files like .txt, .md, and .json directly from the Files app, offering a streamlined alternative to rich text editors.

Highlights
  • Native plain text editing
  • Opens and saves .txt, .md, .json
  • Integrates with Files app
  • Prettify JSON functionality
  • Clipboard integration
  • Supports 39 languages
Features
Read full description

A native plain text editor for iOS. No accounts, no bloat, just text. **WHY NOTES ISN'T ENOUGH** Apple's Notes is rich text. It can't open or write actual plain text files. If you need to edit a .txt, .md, or .json from your Files app, Notes won't open it. **THE SOLUTION** SimpleTextEdit opens any plain text file from Files (iCloud, On My iPhone, third-party providers), edits it, and saves it back. One tap to prettify JSON. One tap to paste from or copy to the clipboard. Simple. Fast. Native. 39 languages.

Screenshots

Jayson4 screens
Simple_TextEdit1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Simple_TextEdit at 5.0 against Jayson's 4.5. Simple_TextEdit also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 81%) and monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases). Jayson's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (425 vs 1). On price, 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

Both are free to download. Jayson sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Simple_TextEdit sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Simple_TextEdit holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Jayson has 425 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of Jayson's written reviews are positive against 100% of Simple_TextEdit's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Jayson ships an update every 3 weeks, Simple_TextEdit every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Jayson versus Simple_TextEdit: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterJaysonSimple_TextEdit
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (425 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews80.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings425 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
Best chart rank#96 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.018.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size41 MB28 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSimon B. StøvringSeung-Un Ham

Customer experience

Jayson

All ratings425 ratings
Positive85.4%
Neutral6.1%
Negative8.5%
Written reviews83 reviews
Positive80.7%
Neutral7.2%
Negative12.0%

Simple_TextEdit

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Jayson

Reported bugs

6 issues
  • 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
Show 1 more
  • Accidental file exit when attempting to navigate

Requested features

9 requests
  • Search/find functionality within files
  • JSON editing and modification capabilities
  • XML format support
  • Split-view for comparing different arrays
  • Export functionality for edited JSON
Show 4 more
  • Comment recognition in JSON files
  • Plain text editor option
  • Improved file size handling for large documents
  • Better navigation controls on mobile devices

Simple_TextEdit

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Jayson

One-time1
  • Unlock Everything$4.99
1 purchases

Simple_TextEdit

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$1.99

Questions

Is Jayson free?
Jayson is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Simple_TextEdit free?
Simple_TextEdit is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Jayson or Simple_TextEdit?
Simple_TextEdit is rated higher. Jayson averages 4.5 out of 5 from 425 ratings, while Simple_TextEdit averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Jayson or Simple_TextEdit have ads?
Simple_TextEdit shows ads; Jayson does not.
Which is updated more often, Jayson or Simple_TextEdit?
Jayson ships an update every 3 weeks, and Simple_TextEdit every 3 months. Most recently, Jayson was updated on September 28, 2026 and Simple_TextEdit on September 19, 2026.

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