# ShaderMania vs yxcode

The clearest difference is update cadence: yxcode at every 8 days against ShaderMania's every 16 months. 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 yxcode sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ShaderMania ships an update every 16 months, yxcode every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ShaderMania | yxcode |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 16 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 24 MB | 138 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **16.6** |
| Devices | iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Markus Moenig](https://appshunter.io/developer/1448432881) | [理想 姜](https://appshunter.io/developer/6806294728) |

## 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 |


### yxcode

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/yxcode/id6810990515)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Plus Yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| Core Lifetime | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ShaderMania free?

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

### Is yxcode free?

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

### Do ShaderMania or yxcode have ads?

Neither ShaderMania nor yxcode shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ShaderMania or yxcode?

ShaderMania ships an update every 16 months, and yxcode every 8 days. Most recently, ShaderMania was updated on October 2, 2026 and yxcode on September 29, 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.*