# a vs Love2D Game Maker

The clearest difference is price: a at Free against Love2D Game Maker's $12.99. a also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (78% vs 50%). On update cadence, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

a is free to download; Love2D Game Maker costs $12.99 up front. Love2D Game Maker sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. a asks for nothing beyond the download.

a holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: a has 553 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of a's written reviews are positive against 50% of Love2D Game Maker's.

a ships an update monthly, Love2D Game Maker every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | a | Love2D Game Maker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $12.99 |
| Rating | **[4.6 (553 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-shell/id1473805438/reviews)** | [4.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/love2d-game-maker/id6476174098/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **553** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **78.3% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#21** | #177 |
| Size | 1.9 GB | 140 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nicolas Holzschuch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1450994948) | [盼军 崔](https://appshunter.io/developer/567286451) |

## What reviewers say

### a

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-shell/id1473805438)

**Currently charting:** #21 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


### Love2D Game Maker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/love2d-game-maker/id6476174098)

**Currently charting:** #177 Top Paid · Developer Tools (US App Store)

Create 2D games on your mobile device using the Love2D framework. Features a powerful code editor, virtual joystick, and asset management. Learn from open-source games and share your creations.

**Highlights:** Love2D framework integration, Advanced Lua code editor, Virtual joystick support, Asset management and import, Cross-platform export, Learning resources with open-source games

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Buy me a coffee | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is a free?

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

### Is Love2D Game Maker free?

Love2D Game Maker costs $12.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, a or Love2D Game Maker?

a is rated higher. a averages 4.6 out of 5 from 553 ratings, while Love2D Game Maker averages 4.3 from 3 ratings.

### Do a or Love2D Game Maker have ads?

Neither a nor Love2D Game Maker shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, a or Love2D Game Maker?

a ships an update monthly, and Love2D Game Maker every 2 weeks. Most recently, a was updated on October 19, 2026 and Love2D Game Maker on October 20, 2026.

### Which is more popular, a or Love2D Game Maker?

a currently peaks at #21 in the App Store charts, and Love2D Game Maker at #177. 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.*