Comparison

Jayson vs HexFil

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

HexFil

Features
Read full description

Ever wondered how to transmit big files with no internet and no USB drive? Picture this: You're in a secure environment. Air-gapped systems. No network. No removable media allowed. Yet you need to extract data - logs, firmware, configuration files - from a machine that can only display information on its screen. What do you do? HeExfil solves this impossible problem. Using nothing but your iPhone's camera, HeExfil captures hexadecimal dumps displayed on any screen and intelligently reconstructs them into complete, usable binary files. It's like data teleportation through light. What is HeExfil? HeExfil is an advanced optical data capture tool designed for security researchers, embedded engineers, forensic analysts, and anyone working with air-gapped or restricted systems. It turns your iPhone into a powerful hex capture device capable of extracting data from any display - no cables, no network, no physical contact required. Key Features Intelligent Camera Capture • Point your camera at any hex dump on a screen • Real-time OCR (Optical Character Recognition) with intelligent error correction • Automatically handles common OCR confusions (O to 0, I to 1, Cyrillic characters, etc.) • Live confidence scoring shows you capture quality in real-time • Adjustable region of interest (ROI) for precise targeting Smart File Assembly • Automatically reconstructs binary files from captured hex lines • Detects and tracks gaps in incomplete captures • Displays real-time completeness percentage • CRC-32 checksums for data integrity verification • Supports offset-based captures (captures can start from any memory location) Live Monitoring Dashboard • Real-time status updates (Idle, Capturing, Processing, Paused) • Confidence meter shows OCR accuracy • Unique line counter prevents duplicate captures • Adjustable sensitivity slider for different screen types • Duplicate line filtering ensures clean data Powerful File Management • Live Capture View: See your current capture session in real-time • Saved Files: Keep multiple capture sessions organized • Hex Dump Viewer: Review captured data line-by-line with monospaced formatting • Gap Detection: Instantly identify missing data ranges • Export Options: Share as .bin binary files or .hex text dumps Advanced Settings • Configurable bytes-per-line (8, 16, 32, or custom) • Duplicate filtering toggle • Auto-pause on low confidence • Region-of-interest customization Export and Share • Export reconstructed binaries directly to Files app • Share hex dumps as text for analysis • Copy to clipboard for quick transfers • Standard iOS share sheet integration Perfect For: • Security Researchers extracting firmware or memory dumps from restricted devices • Embedded Engineers capturing debug output from development boards • Forensic Analysts documenting hex data from isolated systems • IT Professionals working in air-gapped or SCIF environments • Hardware Hackers reverse-engineering protected devices • Anyone who needs to transfer data without physical or network access How It Works 1. Display your hex dump on any screen (terminal, oscilloscope, debug console, etc.) 2. Open HeExfil and point your camera at the display 3. Adjust the region of interest to frame your hex data 4. Capture automatically as HeExfil reads and validates each line 5. Monitor progress with real-time completeness tracking 6. Export your reconstructed binary file when complete No typing. No manual entry. No errors. Just pure optical data capture. Technical Highlights • Built with Swift and SwiftUI for native performance • Powered by Vision Framework for accurate text recognition • AVFoundation camera integration for real-time capture • Intelligent OCR fixups handle common misreads • Supports standard hex dump formats (offset plus hex bytes) • CRC-32 validation ensures data integrity • Works with monochrome or color displays

Screenshots

Jayson4 screens
HexFil4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HexFil at none against Jayson's 1. HexFil also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (18.6 vs 26.0). Jayson's advantage is chart position (#90 vs unranked). On price, ads 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. HexFil asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Jayson ships an update every 3 weeks, HexFil daily. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Jayson versus HexFil: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterJaysonHexFil
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (425 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews80.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings425 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
Best chart rank#90 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.018.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size41 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSimon B. StøvringFady Oueslati

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

HexFil

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Jayson

One-time1
  • Unlock Everything$4.99
None

HexFil

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Jayson free?
Jayson is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is HexFil free?
HexFil is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Jayson or HexFil have ads?
Neither Jayson nor HexFil shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Jayson or HexFil?
Jayson ships an update every 3 weeks, and HexFil daily. Most recently, Jayson was updated on October 17, 2026 and HexFil on October 7, 2026.

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