Comparison

a vs Python Editor App

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

Head to head
About

a

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
Read full description

a-Shell is a complete local terminal emulator, allowing to run most Unix commands on your iOS device. You can transfer files using scp and curl, edit them with vim and ed, process them using grep, awk and sed. You can work with git repositories using lg2.  Most commands are compiled for iOS native Arm64 format, making them fast and well integrated with the BSD Unix that powers iOS/iPadOS. a-Shell includes Python, Lua, Perl, JavaScript, C, C++ for programming and TeX (texlive 2025, with Tikz and LuaTeX) for text processing. There are also multiple network utilities: nslookup, ping, whois, ifconfig... Type help for help, help -l to get the full list of commands. a-Shell can be controlled from Shortcuts: run commands in order, process files in a-Shell, get the results as text or files, transfer files to other apps... a-shell uses iOS 13+ “multiple windows” ability, so you can run multiple shells at the same time, with different commands, in different directories. You can edit a file in one window with vim and process it in the other with python. Compile your C or C++ programs to webAssembly using clang or clang++, and execute the resulting binary. A complete webAssembly SDK is included (WASI-libc). a-Shell is the complete version. If you need a smaller app, and you don't need a C compiler, a TeX engine, or numpy and matplotlib, there is a-Shell mini.

About

Python Editor App

Code and run Python 3 scripts directly on your iOS device with a feature-rich editor. Enjoy syntax highlighting, auto-indentation, code completion, and AI-powered code assistance. Optimize your workflow with multi-window support and background script execution.

Highlights
  • Create, edit, and run Python 3 scripts
  • Syntax highlighting, auto-indentation, code completion
  • AI-powered code assistant
  • Multi-window support
  • Background script execution
  • Reusable code snippets
Features
Read full description

Introducing the ultimate Python editor for iOS! Enjoy a powerful, easy-to-use environment for coding in Python right from your iPhone or iPad. Whether you’re new to coding or an experienced developer, you’ll love the intuitive interface and feature-packed design that makes programming simple and efficient. With our Python editor, you can create, edit, and run Python scripts directly on iOS. Features include syntax highlighting, auto-indentation, and code completion, helping you write clean, error-free code. A built-in library of reusable snippets—plus the option to create your own—makes development faster than ever. Designed to take full advantage of iOS, the app supports Liquid Glass API for a fluid, responsive coding experience, along with multi-window support, letting you work on multiple files or scripts side by side. Use touch gestures to navigate, split your screen to view code and console simultaneously, and keep scripts running in the background while you multitask. And now, with the integrated Code Assistant, you can generate, refine, and debug Python code with AI-powered suggestions—directly inside the editor. After a 3-day free trial, a subscription unlocks the complete experience: - DeelSeek Integration (with your API key) - DeelSeek Code Assistant - Liquid Glass API & Multi-window support - Editor customization - Beautiful themes - Complete Python guidebook - Python learning resources Privacy Policy: https://www.iubenda.com/privacy-policy/85758827 Terms of Service: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula

Screenshots

a4 screens
Python Editor App4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: a at 79% against Python Editor App's 20%. a also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.1) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). Python Editor App's advantage is ratings volume (6.5K vs 553). On price, update cadence, ads and chart position 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. Python Editor App sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. a asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

a holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Python Editor App has 6.5K ratings behind it against 553, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of a's written reviews are positive against 20% of Python Editor App's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

a ships an update monthly, Python Editor App every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
a versus Python Editor App: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteraPython Editor App
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (553 ratings) — better4.1 (6.5K ratings)
Positive reviews78.6% of reviews — better19.8% of reviews
Number of ratings5536.5K — better
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFreemium — better
Best chart rank#18 — better#19
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS14.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size1.9 GB403 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperNicolas HolzschuchAndromeda Corp LTD

Customer experience

a

All ratings553 ratings
Positive88.1%
Neutral4.5%
Negative7.4%
Written reviews294 reviews
Positive78.6%
Neutral10.2%
Negative11.2%

Python Editor App

All ratings6,456 ratings
Positive77.8%
Neutral2.9%
Negative19.3%
Written reviews651 reviews
Positive19.8%
Neutral4.1%
Negative76.0%

User reviews

a

From 553 App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Python Editor App

From 6.5K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 💻 Great mobile Python IDE
  • 📚 Helpful built-in learning resources
  • 👍 Simple and easy to use

Room to improve

  • 💰 Aggressive paywall/subscription model
  • 🔒 No free trial or limited functionality
  • 🙅‍♀️ Inability to close subscription popup
  • 🚫 Unusable without paid subscription

Bugs and requests

a

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • 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

5 requests
  • 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

Python Editor App

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes on launch for some users
  • Typing issues and keyboard problems
  • Inability to run certain file types

Requested features

3 requests
  • Add support for third-party modules
  • Improve cursor control and editing capabilities
  • Provide option to disable review prompts

In-app purchases

None

a

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Python Editor App

Subscriptions3
  • Code Premium Pro W$2.997 Days
  • Py Editor Pro3 Days trial$3.997 Days
  • Code Premium$49.991 Year

Questions

Is a free?
a is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Python Editor App free?
Python Editor App is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, a or Python Editor App?
a is rated higher. a averages 4.6 out of 5 from 553 ratings, while Python Editor App averages 4.1 from 6.5K ratings.
Do a or Python Editor App have ads?
Neither a nor Python Editor App shows ads.
Which is updated more often, a or Python Editor App?
a ships an update monthly, and Python Editor App every 5 weeks. Most recently, a was updated on September 29, 2026 and Python Editor App on October 1, 2026.
Which is more popular, a or Python Editor App?
a currently peaks at #18 in the App Store charts, and Python Editor App at #19. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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