# Text Editor vs Subtext

The clearest difference is price: Subtext at Free against Text Editor's $1.99. Subtext also leads on review sentiment (83% vs 40%) and device support (4 vs 2). On rating, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Subtext is free to download; Text Editor costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Text Editor against 4.5 for Subtext. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 129 and 79 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 40% of Text Editor's written reviews are positive against 83% of Subtext's.

Text Editor ships an update every 2 weeks, Subtext every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Text Editor | Subtext |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.4 (129 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/text-editor-document-editor/id1565641091/reviews) | **[4.5 (79 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/subtext/id1606625287/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **129** | 79 |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | **83.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#81** | #91 |
| Size | 8 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **14.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Supagarn Pattananuchart](https://appshunter.io/developer/1488328374) | [Charcoal Design](https://appshunter.io/developer/325046949) |

## What reviewers say

### Text Editor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/text-editor-document-editor/id1565641091)

**Currently charting:** #81 Top Paid · Developer Tools (US App Store)

Edit texts, documents, and word files on your iOS device with a powerful and easy-to-use editor. Search and replace words, customize themes, and back up your files to the cloud.

**Highlights:** Edit texts and documents, Search and replace words, Customize themes (dark/light mode), Cloud backup for files, Font customization, Auto-correction

**In-app purchases:** none


### Subtext

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/subtext/id1606625287)

**Currently charting:** #91 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

A straightforward text editor for iPhone and iPad, allowing direct creation and editing of files within iCloud. It offers advanced controls for line endings and character encoding, ideal for on-the-go code or data file modifications.

**Highlights:** Direct iCloud file editing, No import/export required, Line ending control, Character set encoding control, Quick edits for code and data

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and efficient
- 🚀 Fast and lightweight
- 🆓 Free and no ads
- ✨ Clean and intuitive UI
- 📂 Seamless Files app integration

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Fails on network drives
- 🐛 Data corruption risk
- 🐛 Difficulty unselecting text
- 🐛 Buggy Chinese input method
- 🐛 Random capitalization issues

**Reported bugs**

- Fails to save work
- Jumps to top of document on blank lines
- Poor network behavior leading to data corruption
- Cannot open or create new text files
- Error when saving to network drive

**Requested features**

- Add 'Unselect all' option
- Add 'Replace all' function
- Add font size settings
- Add tab key
- Allow editing of non-text files


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Text Editor free?

Text Editor costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Subtext free?

Subtext is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Text Editor or Subtext?

Subtext is rated higher. Text Editor averages 4.4 out of 5 from 129 ratings, while Subtext averages 4.5 from 79 ratings.

### Do Text Editor or Subtext have ads?

Neither Text Editor nor Subtext shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Text Editor or Subtext?

Text Editor ships an update every 2 weeks, and Subtext every 3 weeks. Most recently, Text Editor was updated on September 21, 2026 and Subtext on September 22, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Text Editor or Subtext?

Text Editor currently peaks at #81 in the App Store charts, and Subtext at #91. 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.*