# Scarlet vs The Developer

Scarlet and The Developer both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 92% of Scarlet's written reviews are positive against 0% of The Developer's. Scarlet also leads on ratings volume (294 vs 5) and device support (5 vs 3). The Developer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and price ($0.99 vs $2.99). On rating, update cadence, ads and chart position there is nothing between them.

Scarlet costs $2.99 and The Developer $0.99 up front. Scarlet sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. The Developer asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Scarlet against 4.4 for The Developer. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Scarlet has 294 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 92% of Scarlet's written reviews are positive against 0% of The Developer's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 9, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Scarlet | The Developer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **$0.99** |
| Rating | **[4.5 (294 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scarlet/id1532669250/reviews)** | [4.4 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-developer/id1608266151/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **294** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **92.5% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#85** | #152 |
| Size | 3 MB | 2.4 GB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Steven Troughton-Smith](https://appshunter.io/developer/286133549) | [Salvatore La Mattina](https://appshunter.io/developer/1602626911) |

## What reviewers say

### Scarlet

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scarlet/id1532669250)

**Currently charting:** #85 Top Paid · Developer Tools (US App Store)

A personal issue tracker designed for solo developers and hobby projects. It saves data locally to a file, eliminating the need for accounts, cloud services, or syncing. Easily manage and close project tasks with simple tagging for organization.

**Highlights:** Personal issue tracker, Local file saving, No accounts or cloud services, Simple task management, Tagging for organization

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Scarlet (Full Unlock) | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to set up and use
- 💾 Simple JSON-based data storage
- 🎯 Straightforward bug tracking functionality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Critical data loss issues
- ❌ Fails to save added items
- 🚫 Limited app functionality
- ⚠️ Unreliable file persistence

**Reported bugs**

- Data loss when browsing issues
- Added items not saved after closing and reopening
- Only original items persist after multiple sessions
- Permanent data loss during normal usage

**Requested features**

- Auto-open last used file on startup
- Support for popular apps and mods installation


### The Developer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-developer/id1608266151)

**Currently charting:** #152 Top Paid · Developer Tools (US App Store)

Embark on an interactive tutorial with a unique story to learn programming and build your own app. This app guides beginners through the entire process, from setup to App Store submission, in under an hour.

**Highlights:** Interactive programming tutorial, Learn Swift and Xcode, App submission guide, iOS and watchOS development, Beginner-friendly lessons, Create your first app in under an hour

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Scarlet free?

Scarlet costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is The Developer free?

The Developer costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Scarlet or The Developer?

Scarlet is rated higher. Scarlet averages 4.5 out of 5 from 294 ratings, while The Developer averages 4.4 from 5 ratings.

### Do Scarlet or The Developer have ads?

Neither Scarlet nor The Developer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Scarlet or The Developer?

Scarlet ships an update every 3 months, and The Developer every 3 months. Most recently, Scarlet was updated on October 9, 2026 and The Developer on October 9, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Scarlet or The Developer?

Scarlet currently peaks at #85 in the App Store charts, and The Developer at #152. 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.*