# Runestone Text Editor vs Replit

Runestone Text Editor and Replit both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 76% of Runestone Text Editor's written reviews are positive against 59% of Replit's. Replit's advantage is chart position (#1 vs #26) and ratings volume (21K vs 2K). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Runestone Text Editor sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Replit sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $20.00 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Runestone Text Editor against 4.7 for Replit. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Replit has 21K ratings behind it against 2K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 76% of Runestone Text Editor's written reviews are positive against 59% of Replit's.

Runestone Text Editor ships an update every 2 weeks, Replit fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Runestone Text Editor | Replit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runestone-text-editor/id1548193893/reviews) | [4.7 (21K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/replit-vibe-code-with-ai-fast/id1614022293/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2K | **21K** |
| Positive reviews | **76.2% of reviews** | 58.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #26 | **#1** |
| Size | 64 MB | 48 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Simon B. Støvring](https://appshunter.io/developer/423532907) | [Replit](https://appshunter.io/developer/1614022295) |

## What reviewers say

### Runestone Text Editor

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

**Currently charting:** #26 Top Grossing · Developer Tools, #44 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


### Replit

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/replit-vibe-code-with-ai-fast/id1614022293)

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Grossing · Developer Tools, #4 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

Build and deploy apps, websites, and games directly from your phone. Utilize AI to generate projects from natural language prompts, collaborate in real-time, and host your creations instantly with zero setup. Suitable for both beginners and experienced developers.

**Highlights:** Build apps with natural language AI, Instant zero-setup hosting, Real-time multiplayer collaboration, Create in any language/framework, Clone and remix millions of projects, Custom domain setup, Integrated authentication and databases

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Replit Core | $20.00 | per month |
| Replit Core (Hacker) | $20.00 | per month |
| Replit Core | $219.99 | per year |
| Replit Core (Hacker) | $219.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Quick & easy to use
- 🚀 Accelerates development
- 👍 Comprehensive mobile IDE
- 👍 Intuitive user interface
- 👍 Seamless integration

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy, crashes, and lags
- 🔋 High resource usage
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🔒 Concerns about privacy and data usage
- 👎 Lacks features compared to desktop version

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between apps
- Unreliable file management and saving
- Compatibility problems with certain devices and frameworks

**Requested features**

- Add iPad/tablet support
- Improve code editor functionality
- Provide more tutorials and learning resources
- Enhance collaboration and team features
- Add offline/local development capabilities


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Runestone Text Editor free?

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

### Is Replit free?

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

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

Runestone Text Editor and Replit are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2K and 21K ratings respectively.

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

Neither Runestone Text Editor nor Replit shows ads.

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

Runestone Text Editor ships an update every 2 weeks, and Replit fortnightly. Most recently, Runestone Text Editor was updated on September 30, 2026 and Replit on October 1, 2026.

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

Runestone Text Editor currently peaks at #26 in the App Store charts, and Replit at #1. 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.*
