# a vs Runestone Text Editor

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: a at none against Runestone Text Editor's 1. Runestone Text Editor's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly) and ratings volume (2K vs 553). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Runestone Text Editor 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 — 4.6 for a against 4.7 for Runestone Text Editor. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 553 and 2K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 79% of a's written reviews are positive against 76% of Runestone Text Editor's.

a ships an update monthly, Runestone Text Editor every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | a | Runestone Text Editor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (553 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-shell/id1473805438/reviews) | **[4.7 (2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runestone-text-editor/id1548193893/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 553 | **2K** |
| Positive reviews | **78.6% of reviews** | 76.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#19** | #41 |
| Size | 1.9 GB | 64 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nicolas Holzschuch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1450994948) | [Simon B. Støvring](https://appshunter.io/developer/423532907) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Runestone Text Editor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runestone-text-editor/id1548193893)

**Currently charting:** #41 Top Free · Developer Tools, #48 Top Grossing · Developer Tools (US App Store)

A powerful plain text and code editor for iPhone and iPad. Offers syntax highlighting, line numbers, find and replace, and extensive customization options for developers and writers.

**Highlights:** Syntax highlighting for many languages, Customizable themes and fonts, Advanced find and replace, Line numbers and cursor location, Code formatting with Prettier.js, Multiple windows on iPad

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💎 Excellent text editor
- 🚀 Smooth and responsive
- 🎨 Customizable themes and appearance
- 🔒 Secure file storage and sync
- 👍 Clean and intuitive interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 🔍 Difficulty navigating files/folders
- 📝 Limited functionality without premium
- 🔌 Performance issues on older devices
- 🔒 Difficulty accessing files in cloud storage

**Reported bugs**

- Disappearing files
- Difficulty pasting text
- Scroll position not saved
- Hangs on startup
- Trouble opening large files

**Requested features**

- Markdown preview
- Code folding
- Syntax highlighting for more languages
- Ability to run/execute code
- Multiple file/window support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is a free?

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

### Is Runestone Text Editor free?

Runestone Text Editor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, a or Runestone Text Editor?

Runestone Text Editor is rated higher. a averages 4.6 out of 5 from 553 ratings, while Runestone Text Editor averages 4.7 from 2K ratings.

### Do a or Runestone Text Editor have ads?

Neither a nor Runestone Text Editor shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, a or Runestone Text Editor?

a ships an update monthly, and Runestone Text Editor every 2 weeks. Most recently, a was updated on September 23, 2026 and Runestone Text Editor on September 23, 2026.

### Which is more popular, a or Runestone Text Editor?

a currently peaks at #19 in the App Store charts, and Runestone Text Editor at #41. 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.*