# iAltair vs BASIC

The clearest difference is review sentiment: iAltair at 75% against BASIC's 25%. iAltair also leads on price (Free vs $2.99) and rating (4.8 vs 2.7). BASIC's advantage is update cadence (every 4 months vs every 11 months). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

iAltair is free to download; BASIC costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

iAltair holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 21 and 7 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of iAltair's written reviews are positive against 25% of BASIC's.

iAltair ships an update every 11 months, BASIC every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iAltair | BASIC |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ialtair/id291182085/reviews)** | [2.7 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-programming-language/id1114288994/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **21** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | **75.0% of reviews** | 25.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Every 4 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 10 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.4** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Peter Schorn](https://appshunter.io/developer/291182088) | [俊 姜](https://appshunter.io/developer/974809005) |

## What reviewers say

### iAltair

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ialtair/id291182085)

Experience vintage computing with a simulation of the MITS Altair 8800. Explore old software like CP/M 2 and run programs such as Eliza using built-in BASIC. This self-contained system offers a unique glimpse into early computing history.

**Highlights:** MITS Altair 8800 simulation, CP/M 2 operating system support, Built-in BASIC interpreter, Run Eliza program, Self-contained system

**In-app purchases:** none


### BASIC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-programming-language/id1114288994)

Learn and experiment with the classic BASIC programming language. This app provides a user-friendly environment to write, run, and understand BASIC code, complete with examples for various commands and functions. Ideal for beginners and those nostalgic for early computing.

**Highlights:** BASIC code interpreter, Interactive programming environment, Examples for PRINT, INPUT, IF/THEN, FOR/NEXT loops and GOTO/GOSUB, Graphics commands (TEXT, CIRCLE, RECT, LINE), Mathematical functions, SOUND and DELAY commands

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iAltair free?

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

### Is BASIC free?

BASIC costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, iAltair or BASIC?

iAltair is rated higher. iAltair averages 4.8 out of 5 from 21 ratings, while BASIC averages 2.7 from 7 ratings.

### Do iAltair or BASIC have ads?

Neither iAltair nor BASIC shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iAltair or BASIC?

iAltair ships an update every 11 months, and BASIC every 4 months. Most recently, iAltair was updated on September 27, 2026 and BASIC on October 13, 2026.

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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.*