Comparison

Runestone Text Editor vs Code Editor

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Runestone Text Editor

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
Read full description

A plain text editor with syntax highlighting, line numbers, search and replace, page guide, and much more. It's like TextEdit but more powerful and optimised for iPhone and iPad. Runestone is made by a single person with a love for text editors and a vision of building the most lightweight text editor for iPhone and iPad that still has the core features for editing code. Features: - Syntax highlighting of many languages including HTML, JavaScript, JSON, Markdown, Swift, Python, PHP, YAML, and many more. - Select one of the twelve standard themes including popular themes like Tomorrow, Dracula, Solarized, and One Dark Pro. - Innovative find and replace for searching and modifying text while still viewing your file. - Choose font and font size, including support for custom fonts imported using another third-party app. - Show the line and column the cursor is located on. - Uses the standard document browser for an experience similar to the Files app. - Quickly navigate to a specific line. - Automatically close opening brackets and quotes. - Multiple windows on the iPad. - Format code using Prettier.js. Supported languages include CSS,HTML, JavaScript, JSON, PHP and more. - Choose text encoding between popular encodings like UTF-8, UTF-16, ISO Latin 1, and many more. - Enable or disable autocorrection, autocapitalization, and smart punctuation. - Set default file extension of new files. - Open files in Runestone from the Share Sheet. - Print documents. Premium features: - Choose between eight app icons. - Show line numbers. - Highlight the selected line. - Increase line height and letter spacing. - Disable line wrapping to allow horizontal scrolling. - Show tabs, spaces, and line breaks using a selected symbol. - Enable page guide at a specific column to easily tell when lines are getting too long. - Add vertical and horizontal overscroll. - Remember the selected language per file. - Save file extensions and filenames that should always be treated as plain text files. - Enable soft tabs and choose the width of the tab character. - Specify whether pressing the tab key should insert a tab or indent the line. - Adjust the scaling of Markdown headings and disable highlighting of code blocks in Markdown. Runestone was built on the open-source framework with the same name. Find more information on the Runestone framework at github.com/simonbs/runestone

About

Code Editor

This app is a powerful mobile code editor and compiler designed for programmers. It offers syntax highlighting for numerous languages, code assistance, and the ability to compile and run code directly on your device. Access files from cloud storage and version control systems, with customizable themes and extensive editing features.

Highlights
  • Syntax highlighting for 110+ languages
  • Online compiler for 30+ languages
  • Code assist and auto-completion
  • Multi-tab navigation
  • Unlimited undo/redo
  • Cloud file access (FTP, WebDAV, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive)
  • GitHub/GitLab integration
Features
Read full description

Code editor is optimized text editor focused on coding. It contains necessary features including syntax highlight, code assist, auto-complete, compile and execute, etc. Features: - Syntax highlighting for over 110 languages (C++, Java, JavaScript, HTML, Markdown, PHP, Perl, Python, Lua, Dart, etc). - Include online compiler, can compile and run over 30 common languages (Python, PHP, Java, JS/NodeJS, C/C++, Rust, Pascal, Haskell, Ruby, etc). - Code assist, folding and auto-completion. - Easily navigate between multiple tabs. - Undo and redo changes without limit. - Search and replace with regular expressions. - Show or hide line numbers. - Highlight matching parentheses. - Automatic indent and outdent. - Displays invisible characters. - Open files from recently opened file collections. - Preview HTML and Markdown files. - Includes Emmet support for web development. - Access files from FTP and WebDAV. - Evaluate JavaScript code with built-in JavaScript console. - Integrate and easy access to GitHub and GitLab. - Access files from Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive. - Dark and light themes and over 30 syntax highlighting styles. If you run into any issues or have any suggestions, please feel free to contact us: support@rhmsoft.com

Screenshots

Runestone Text Editor4 screens
Code Editor4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Runestone Text Editor at 4.7 against Code Editor's 3.2. Runestone Text Editor also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (76% vs 54%). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and chart position there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Runestone Text Editor sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Code Editor sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Runestone Text Editor holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Runestone Text Editor has 2K ratings behind it against 43, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of Runestone Text Editor's written reviews are positive against 54% of Code Editor's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Runestone Text Editor ships an update every 2 weeks, Code Editor every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Runestone Text Editor versus Code Editor: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRunestone Text EditorCode Editor
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (2K ratings) — better3.2 (43 ratings)
Positive reviews76.1% of reviews — better53.8% of reviews
Number of ratings2K — better43
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#40 — better#83
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Vision Pro — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size64 MB65 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSimon B. StøvringRhythm Software

Customer experience

Runestone Text Editor

All ratings1,962 ratings
Positive93.5%
Neutral2.3%
Negative4.1%
Written reviews351 reviews
Positive76.1%
Neutral9.7%
Negative14.2%

Code Editor

All ratings43 ratings
Positive48.8%
Neutral16.3%
Negative34.9%
Written reviews156 reviews
Positive53.8%
Neutral13.5%
Negative32.7%

User reviews

Runestone Text Editor

From 2K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Code Editor

From 43 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great for coding on the go
  • 👍 Supports many languages
  • 👍 Easy to use interface
  • 👍 Good for learning and quick edits
  • 👍 Minimal ads (for some users)

Room to improve

  • 😠 Unskippable, full-screen ads
  • 😠 Ads after every file operation
  • 😠 Ads interrupt workflow
  • 😠 Frequent and intrusive ads
  • 😠 Paid version still has ads

Bugs and requests

Runestone Text Editor

Reported bugs

6 issues
  • Disappearing files
  • Difficulty pasting text
  • Scroll position not saved
  • Hangs on startup
  • Trouble opening large files
Show 1 more
  • Issues after iOS updates

Requested features

6 requests
  • Markdown preview
  • Code folding
  • Syntax highlighting for more languages
  • Ability to run/execute code
  • Multiple file/window support
Show 1 more
  • Improved undo/redo functionality

Code Editor

Reported bugs

46 issues
  • Uninterruptible ads
  • Cannot create new files
  • Cannot copy files
  • Sidebar cannot be reopened after closing
  • Cannot save files
Show 41 more
  • Settings screen does not open
  • No option to open a file
  • App crashes frequently
  • File shown as empty, needs reopening
  • No magnifying preview when selecting text
  • Cannot use as target for 'open with...'
  • Cannot input user data
  • Cannot execute more than one file
  • Image not appearing in browser
  • Links not functioning
  • Typing cursor moves to the beginning of the file
  • Content reloads via iCloud Drive, losing data
  • HTML files not running in the included browser
  • C++ user input (cin >>) not working
  • Save button disabled
  • Cannot print files
  • Bug when project runs
  • Cannot save Typst files
  • Cannot save Webdav files
  • Cannot name files
  • C/C++ compilers don't allow argument changes
  • Editing .js files prevents saving/closing without discarding changes
  • App crashes on opening on iPad Pro
  • Error loading file content due to unsupported encoding
  • Chinese input causes misalignment
  • Landscape mode bug on iPhone
  • FTP folder display is blank
  • Code not running properly for complex operations
  • Extend Script not supported
  • Toolbar content overlaps and becomes unresponsive after switching apps
  • Python input not executing
  • File content deleted after saving
  • Error when loading file content
  • Landscape mode not working on iPhone
  • Cannot compile sum of user input numbers in C
  • Auto-completion not working well
  • App closes instantly when clicking live server link
  • Cannot compile C++ code with user input
  • Cannot save edits
  • Cannot save files on mobile
  • Broken number generator due to ASCII issues

Requested features

26 requests
  • SFTP protocol connection
  • Add a run button
  • Error indicator during typing
  • Custom keyboard with coding symbols
  • Ability to edit visual styles/syntax coloring
Show 21 more
  • Add tab closing functionality
  • Improve console window size
  • Support for trackpad/mouse scrolling
  • Add automatic save feature
  • Support opening files from other apps via share sheet
  • Add Bitbucket support
  • Add SFTP/SSH support
  • Add a terminal for installing external libraries
  • Support for mouse wheel scrolling
  • Allow multiple file execution at once
  • Add code recording/deletion function
  • Support system theme switching
  • Add telemetry toggle button
  • Improve Git integration (manage repos, branches, etc.)
  • Add i/o redirection for console programs
  • Support for specific libraries (e.g., pandas, Kivy)
  • Make execution button available
  • Support for mouse scroll on iPad
  • Open source the app
  • Add landscape mode support on iPhone
  • Add ability to create files from scratch

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Runestone Text Editor

One-time1
  • Premium$9.99
1 purchases

Code Editor

One-time1
  • Remove Ads (Forever)$3.99

Questions

Is Runestone Text Editor free?
Runestone Text Editor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Code Editor free?
Code Editor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Runestone Text Editor or Code Editor?
Runestone Text Editor is rated higher. Runestone Text Editor averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2K ratings, while Code Editor averages 3.2 from 43 ratings.
Do Runestone Text Editor or Code Editor have ads?
Code Editor shows ads; Runestone Text Editor does not.
Which is updated more often, Runestone Text Editor or Code Editor?
Runestone Text Editor ships an update every 2 weeks, and Code Editor every 5 weeks. Most recently, Runestone Text Editor was updated on September 23, 2026 and Code Editor on September 23, 2026.
Which is more popular, Runestone Text Editor or Code Editor?
Runestone Text Editor currently peaks at #40 in the App Store charts, and Code Editor at #83. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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