Comparison

Tester vs Subtext

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

Head to head
About

Tester

This app empowers developers to manage API requests and code tasks on the go. It supports various protocols, offers a powerful GraphQL editor, and includes tools for WebSocket testing and request management. Integrations with Shortcuts and Widgets enhance its utility.

Highlights
  • Handles REST, GraphQL, WebSocket, SOAP, and other API protocols
  • Powerful GraphQL editor with query, mutation, and subscription support
  • WebSocket testing tool for WS and WSS connections
  • API calls with various data encoding and transfer types
  • Import requests from curl, links, or files (Swagger, OpenAPI, Postman)
  • Apple Watch app for sending API requests from your wrist
  • Integrations with Shortcuts and Widgets
Features
Read full description

The first mobile app to handle any developer task on the go. Main features: - REST, GraphQL, WebSocket, SOAP, JSON RPC, XML, HTTP, HTTPS, etc. - All types of HTTP requests: GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS, COPY, LINK, UNLINK, PURGE, LOCK, UNLOCK, PROPFIND, VIEW. - Powerful GraphQL editor with full-scale experience: body editor with Queries, Mutations, Subscriptions and syntax support; variables editor; documentation explorer; request settings and metadata. - WebSocket testing tool. Handles connection and message exchange via WS or WSS. - API calls with any kind of request data encoding and transfer type (query params, URLEncoded params, FormData, raw data, send files from device storage, cloud, remote server). - Settings. TLS can be skipped, redirects can be disabled, timeouts are adjustable. Weak SSL verification can be enabled and replaced with self-signed certificate. - Import request or collection by curl, link or file from your device. And naturally, there is any type of collection for you: Swagger, OpenAPI, Postman, YAML. - Need to share request in seconds? Deep link and cURL command supported. - Apple Watch app. Allows to send API requests directly from your wrist. - Integrations: Shortcuts, Widgets. Additional little things: - Autocomplete for most common headers keys. - Syntax highlighting; Auto formatting. - Optimized for viewing on any device screen. - Cookies. Collect, edit, create. - Request metrics. Measure request duration, response size, status code changing. - History of all request calls. - Request authorisation. Basic Auth with password and username. OAuth with header or query access token. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://tester.io/privacy-policy

About

Subtext

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

Highlights
  • Direct file creation and editing
  • iCloud integration
  • Line ending control
  • Character set encoding control
  • No import/export needed
  • Minimalist design
Read full description

Subtext is a simple, no-frills text editor for iPhone and iPad. Create or edit files directly on your device or in iCloud, with no need to import or export. Includes advanced features such as line ending and character set encoding control. Perfect for making quick edits to code or data files on the go!

Screenshots

Tester4 screens
Subtext4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Subtext at none against Tester's 8. Subtext also leads on chart position (#122 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (14.4 vs 18.7). Tester's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 weeks) and ratings volume (605 vs 89). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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. Tester sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Subtext asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Tester holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tester has 605 ratings behind it against 89, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 90% of Tester's written reviews are positive against 82% of Subtext's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tester ships an update every 2 days, Subtext every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 14, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Tester versus Subtext: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTesterSubtext
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (605 ratings) — better4.5 (89 ratings)
Positive reviews89.9% of reviews — better82.2% of reviews
Number of ratings605 — better89
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank—#122 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod, Vision Pro — better
Requires iOS18.714.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size77 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFJEDICharcoal Design

Customer experience

Tester

All ratings601 ratings
Positive91.8%
Neutral3.2%
Negative5.0%
Written reviews327 reviews
Positive89.9%
Neutral4.0%
Negative6.1%

Subtext

All ratings89 ratings
Positive84.3%
Neutral9.0%
Negative6.7%
Written reviews101 reviews
Positive82.2%
Neutral9.9%
Negative7.9%

User reviews

Tester

From 605 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 User-friendly and modern UI
  • 🚀 Comprehensive and intuitive
  • 🔓 No in-app purchases
  • 🛠️ All-in-one dev tool
  • 💡 Shortcuts integration

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and data loss after updates
  • 🔍 Lack of cloud backup/sync
  • 🔧 Difficult to manage requests/collections
  • 🖱️ Editing issues with long keys
  • 🌐 No IPv6 support

Subtext

From 89 App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Bugs and requests

Tester

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Deleting all saved requests after updates
  • App launching to a black screen
  • Shortcuts integration not working as expected

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add support for environment variables
  • Implement folders/collections management
  • Allow exporting/importing data as JSON
  • Provide more Shortcuts actions
  • Add ability to change app icon

Subtext

Reported bugs

11 issues
  • 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
Show 6 more
  • Cannot edit .tex files without renaming
  • Chinese input method errors
  • Random capitalization after paste
  • Large text files cause errors
  • File saving issues, creates extra copies
  • Bug when using Chinese input method with delete key

Requested features

20 requests
  • Add 'Unselect all' option
  • Add 'Replace all' function
  • Add font size settings
  • Add tab key
  • Allow editing of non-text files
Show 15 more
  • Improve network drive handling
  • Option to disable auto-save
  • Add highlighter
  • Add character count
  • Add JetBrains Mono font
  • Add 'reopen last file' option
  • Add widget support
  • Add highlighting
  • Add font and background color settings
  • Add distraction-free mode
  • Add swipe to close gesture
  • Option to release focus for collapsing skb
  • Fix Chinese input method bugs
  • Allow editing of files with arbitrary extensions
  • Add Chinese input method bug fixes

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Tester

Subscriptions7
  • Tester Go Weekly$0.997 Days
  • Tester Go Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Tester Plus Monthly$7.991 Month
Show 4 more
  • Tester Pro Monthly$19.991 Month
  • Tester Go Yearly$35.991 Year
  • Tester Plus Yearly$79.991 Year
  • Tester Pro Yearly$200.001 Year
One-time1
  • Tester Plus Lifetime$89.99
None

Subtext

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Tester free?
Tester is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Subtext free?
Subtext is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Tester or Subtext?
Tester is rated higher. Tester averages 4.7 out of 5 from 605 ratings, while Subtext averages 4.5 from 89 ratings.
Do Tester or Subtext have ads?
Neither Tester nor Subtext shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tester or Subtext?
Tester ships an update every 2 days, and Subtext every 3 weeks. Most recently, Tester was updated on November 14, 2026 and Subtext on November 14, 2026.

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