# Developer Laboratory vs Blink Shell, Build & Code

The clearest difference is price: Blink Shell, Build & Code at Free against Developer Laboratory's $0.99. Blink Shell, Build & Code also leads on ratings volume (418 vs 6) and chart position (#11 vs unranked). Developer Laboratory's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 3.1) and review sentiment (60% vs 37%). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Blink Shell, Build & Code is free to download; Developer Laboratory costs $0.99 up front. Developer Laboratory sells 8 one-off in-app purchases and Blink Shell, Build & Code sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Developer Laboratory holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Blink Shell, Build & Code has 418 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of Developer Laboratory's written reviews are positive against 37% of Blink Shell, Build & Code's.

Developer Laboratory ships an update monthly, Blink Shell, Build & Code every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Developer Laboratory | Blink Shell, Build & Code |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/developer-laboratory/id1568656582/reviews)** | [3.1 (418 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blink-shell-build-and-code/id1594898306/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **418** |
| Positive reviews | **60.0% of reviews** | 36.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#11** |
| Size | 9 MB | 211 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [恒盛 程](https://appshunter.io/developer/1533201832) | [Blink Shell, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1526795995) |

## What reviewers say

### Developer Laboratory

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/developer-laboratory/id1568656582)

This app provides a collection of example code and UI components for iOS developers. It demonstrates various functionalities like app icon creation, image viewing, web page loading, and custom controls. Access the source code to learn implementation details.

**Highlights:** APP icon creation, Imitation of WeChat Moments, Web page loading, Custom UI components, QR code scanning, Facial tracking, Database operations

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 0 ice cola | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1 ice cola | $0.99 | one-time |
| A sip of iced cola | $0.99 | one-time |
| 一元商品 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 2 ice cola | $1.99 | one-time |
| 3 ice cola | $2.99 | one-time |
| 4.16 ice cola | $3.99 | one-time |
| 16.5 ice cola | $14.99 | one-time |


### Blink Shell, Build & Code

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blink-shell-build-and-code/id1594898306)

**Currently charting:** #11 Top Grossing · Developer Tools, #71 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

Transform your iOS device into a powerful terminal for coding and development. Leverage Mosh and SSH for stable, fast connections. Integrate with VS Code and manage your entire development workflow from your pocket.

**Highlights:** Mosh and SSH connections, VS Code integration (Blink Code), Remote runtime creation (Blink Build), Full SSH toolset, Hardware keyboard support, External display support, SFTP transfers

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Build Basic - 50 credits/month | $7.99 | per month |
| Blink+Build Basic | $9.99 | per month |
| Blink Plus | $19.99 | per year |
| Blink+ | $19.99 | per year |
| Blink Shell Classic | Free | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Developer Laboratory free?

Developer Laboratory costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Blink Shell, Build & Code free?

Blink Shell, Build & Code is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Developer Laboratory or Blink Shell, Build & Code?

Developer Laboratory is rated higher. Developer Laboratory averages 4.7 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Blink Shell, Build & Code averages 3.1 from 418 ratings.

### Do Developer Laboratory or Blink Shell, Build & Code have ads?

Neither Developer Laboratory nor Blink Shell, Build & Code shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Developer Laboratory or Blink Shell, Build & Code?

Developer Laboratory ships an update monthly, and Blink Shell, Build & Code every 3 weeks. Most recently, Developer Laboratory was updated on September 10, 2026 and Blink Shell, Build & Code on September 24, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*