# a vs GDevelop

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: a at none against GDevelop's 21. a also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (78% vs 50%). GDevelop's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly) and ratings volume (2.4K vs 553). On price, chart position, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. GDevelop sells 21 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. a asks for nothing beyond the download.

a holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 553 and 2.4K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of a's written reviews are positive against 50% of GDevelop's.

a ships an update monthly, GDevelop every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | a | GDevelop |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (553 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-shell/id1473805438/reviews)** | [4.3 (2.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gdevelop-create-and-play-games/id1663675754/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 553 | **2.4K** |
| Positive reviews | **78.3% of reviews** | 49.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | #19 | **#16** |
| Size | 1.9 GB | 383 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Nicolas Holzschuch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1450994948) | [GDEVELOP FRANCE](https://appshunter.io/developer/1014461175) |

## 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


### GDevelop

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gdevelop-create-and-play-games/id1663675754)

**Currently charting:** #16 Top Grossing · Developer Tools, #37 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

Discover and play a wide variety of indie games created by a global community. This platform also empowers users to design and publish their own 2D and 3D games using a no-code, AI-assisted engine, suitable for all skill levels.

**Highlights:** Unlimited indie game access, Create 2D/3D games, No-code development, AI-assisted game building, Game templates and assets, Publish and share games, Leaderboards and multiplayer

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

**In-app purchases (21)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| GDevelop Silver | $6.99 | per month |
| GDevelop Gold | $12.99 | per month |
| GDevelop Pro | $39.99 | per month |
| GDevelop Silver - 1 year | $49.99 | per year |
| GDevelop Gold - 1 year | $95.99 | per year |
| GDevelop Pro - 1 year | $399.99 | per year |
| Sci-Fi Space Village | $3.99 | one-time |
| Sci-Fi Space Characters | $3.99 | one-time |
| Sci-Fi Space Animals | $3.99 | one-time |
| Pixel Dark Fantasy Level 3 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pixel Dark Fantasy | $5.99 | one-time |
| Pixel Dark Fantasy Level 2 | $5.99 | one-time |
| 500 Credits | $5.99 | one-time |
| 1000 Credits | $9.99 | one-time |
| Platformer Bundle | $14.99 | one-time |
| GDevelop Mega Bundle | $17.99 | one-time |
| 2000 Credits | $18.99 | one-time |
| From Zero to Creator | $24.99 | one-time |
| From Zero to Creator | $34.99 | one-time |
| 5000 Credits | $44.99 | one-time |
| 10000 Credits | $89.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Powerful game engine
- 🤑 Can make great games
- 🤩 Awesome app
- 🤖 Impressive no-code features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 💰 Subscription model too restrictive
- 🤔 Limited free features
- 🤯 Confusing and complex
- 🤖 Mobile version not as capable as PC

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when changing sprites
- Keyboard issues on mobile
- Saved projects not loading properly
- Frequent crashes and loss of progress
- Importing assets causes issues

**Requested features**

- Sprite editor
- More programming features (e.g. switches, loops)
- Ability to organize code/actions better on mobile
- Reduce subscription limits
- Add daily rewards or free currency


## Frequently asked questions

### Is a free?

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

### Is GDevelop free?

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

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

a is rated higher. a averages 4.6 out of 5 from 553 ratings, while GDevelop averages 4.3 from 2.4K ratings.

### Do a or GDevelop have ads?

GDevelop shows ads; a does not.

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

a ships an update monthly, and GDevelop every 2 weeks. Most recently, a was updated on October 12, 2026 and GDevelop on October 11, 2026.

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

a currently peaks at #19 in the App Store charts, and GDevelop at #16. 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.*