# a vs Syntactic

The clearest difference is monetization model: Syntactic at free against a's paid. Syntactic also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6). a's advantage is ratings volume (553 vs 1) and chart position (#20 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Syntactic holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: a has 553 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

## The numbers

| Metric | a | Syntactic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (553 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-shell/id1473805438/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/syntactic/id6787757494/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **553** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 78.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | — |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#20** | — |
| Size | 1.9 GB | 299 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nicolas Holzschuch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1450994948) | [Tosin Amuda](https://appshunter.io/developer/6787757955) |

## What reviewers say

### a

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

**Currently charting:** #20 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


### Syntactic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/syntactic/id6787757494)

Learn and practice Rust programming on your device with a built-in compiler and editor. Includes the Rust Programming Language book, coding challenges, and optional AI error explanations. All features work offline.

**Highlights:** On-device Rust compiler, Syntax highlighting editor, Rust Programming Language book, Runnable code examples, Built-in quizzes, 66 coding challenges, Optional AI error explanations

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is a free?

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

### Is Syntactic free?

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

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

Syntactic is rated higher. a averages 4.6 out of 5 from 553 ratings, while Syntactic averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do a or Syntactic have ads?

Neither a nor Syntactic shows ads.

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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.*