# BASIC vs Runestone Text Editor

The clearest difference is price: Runestone Text Editor at Free against BASIC's $11.99. Runestone Text Editor also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.2) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). BASIC's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On ads, chart position and device support there is nothing between them.

Runestone Text Editor is free to download; BASIC costs $11.99 up front. Runestone Text Editor sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. BASIC asks for nothing beyond the download.

Runestone Text Editor holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Runestone Text Editor has 2K ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of BASIC's written reviews are positive against 76% of Runestone Text Editor's.

BASIC ships an update every 2 months, Runestone Text Editor every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BASIC | Runestone Text Editor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $11.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.2 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-programming-language/id1540244170/reviews) | **[4.7 (2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runestone-text-editor/id1548193893/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 17 | **2K** |
| Positive reviews | 68.0% of reviews | **76.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | #109 | **#38** |
| Size | 135 MB | 64 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nikolay Denislamov](https://appshunter.io/developer/505796639) | [Simon B. Støvring](https://appshunter.io/developer/423532907) |

## What reviewers say

### BASIC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-programming-language/id1540244170)

**Currently charting:** #109 Top Paid · Developer Tools (US App Store)

Create and publish your own applications directly on your iOS device using an extended BASIC programming language. Features include a rich interface, advanced graphics, sound capabilities, and hardware support.

**Highlights:** Create standalone apps for App Store, Rich user interface elements, Advanced graphics and animation, Comprehensive sound and music support, Hardware sensor integration, Networking and file management, Customizable IDE with documentation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Runestone Text Editor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runestone-text-editor/id1548193893)

**Currently charting:** #38 Top Grossing · Developer Tools, #49 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

A powerful plain text and code editor for iPhone and iPad. Offers syntax highlighting, line numbers, find and replace, and extensive customization options for developers and writers.

**Highlights:** Syntax highlighting for many languages, Customizable themes and fonts, Advanced find and replace, Line numbers and cursor location, Code formatting with Prettier.js, Multiple windows on iPad

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💎 Excellent text editor
- 🚀 Smooth and responsive
- 🎨 Customizable themes and appearance
- 🔒 Secure file storage and sync
- 👍 Clean and intuitive interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 🔍 Difficulty navigating files/folders
- 📝 Limited functionality without premium
- 🔌 Performance issues on older devices
- 🔒 Difficulty accessing files in cloud storage

**Reported bugs**

- Disappearing files
- Difficulty pasting text
- Scroll position not saved
- Hangs on startup
- Trouble opening large files

**Requested features**

- Markdown preview
- Code folding
- Syntax highlighting for more languages
- Ability to run/execute code
- Multiple file/window support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BASIC free?

BASIC costs $11.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Runestone Text Editor free?

Runestone Text Editor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, BASIC or Runestone Text Editor?

Runestone Text Editor is rated higher. BASIC averages 4.2 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while Runestone Text Editor averages 4.7 from 2K ratings.

### Do BASIC or Runestone Text Editor have ads?

Neither BASIC nor Runestone Text Editor shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BASIC or Runestone Text Editor?

BASIC ships an update every 2 months, and Runestone Text Editor every 2 weeks. Most recently, BASIC was updated on October 2, 2026 and Runestone Text Editor on October 5, 2026.

### Which is more popular, BASIC or Runestone Text Editor?

BASIC currently peaks at #109 in the App Store charts, and Runestone Text Editor at #38. 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.*