# ShaderMania vs Love2D Studio

The clearest difference is update cadence: Love2D Studio at every 2 weeks against ShaderMania's every 16 months. Love2D Studio also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). ShaderMania's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and review sentiment (100% vs 90%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ShaderMania sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Love2D Studio sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ShaderMania ships an update every 16 months, Love2D Studio every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on June 5, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ShaderMania | Love2D Studio |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.6 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/love2d-studio/id6474188075/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **20** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 90.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 16 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 24 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPad, Mac | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Markus Moenig](https://appshunter.io/developer/1448432881) | [淑敏 孙](https://appshunter.io/developer/991297584) |

## What reviewers say

### ShaderMania

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadermania/id1541065830)

Create, edit, and share Metal shaders with a live coding environment and real-time preview. Explore a database of public and tutorial shaders, connect nodes to build complex effects, and export your creations. A physical keyboard is recommended for optimal use.

**Highlights:** Live coding of Metal fragment shaders, Real-time preview and playback, Node-based shader creation, Public shader database, Tutorial shaders with video links, Export shader output to PNG, Syntax checking and error display

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $9.99 | one-time |


### Love2D Studio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/love2d-studio/id6474188075)

This tool allows you to code, debug, and run Love2D games directly on your mobile device. It features a simple editor with automatic saving and code highlighting, a powerful runner to test your code instantly, and Git integration for seamless code synchronization.

**Highlights:** Simple and friendly editor, Automatic change saving, Code highlighting, Powerful app runner, Code sync with Git

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade to Pro Edition | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ShaderMania free?

ShaderMania is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Love2D Studio free?

Love2D Studio is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do ShaderMania or Love2D Studio have ads?

Neither ShaderMania nor Love2D Studio shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ShaderMania or Love2D Studio?

ShaderMania ships an update every 16 months, and Love2D Studio every 2 weeks. Most recently, ShaderMania was updated on June 5, 2026 and Love2D Studio on September 23, 2026.

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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.*