Comparison

iAltair vs Touch Lua +

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

Head to head
About

iAltair

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
Read full description

iAltair pretends to be a MITS Altair 8800 computer. It allows you to get the feeling of really old software such as the CP/M 2 operating system. The system is fully self contained and does not allow you to remotely add any code but you can try out Basic to run Eliza.

About

Touch Lua +

Learn and practice programming with Lua, a powerful yet lightweight scripting language. This app offers a robust editor, built-in tutorials, and support for graphics, audio, and databases through optional libraries.

Highlights
  • Lua programming environment
  • Built-in help and tutorials
  • Powerful editor with syntax highlighting
  • Support for graphics and audio libraries
  • Multi-program functionality
  • Sample programs included
Features
Read full description

Program with Lua, a simple and modern programming language. Lua’s syntax is simple as BASIC but Lua is faster and more powerful. Which make it just perfect for iPhone platform. *** This is the iPad version of TouchLua Free App *** What is Lua? Lua is a powerful, fast, lightweight, embeddable scripting language. Touch Lua + Features: + Two modes: program/console (command line) + Built in help: Tutorials (hands on), Wiki, Reference + Multi program + Powerful editor + Syntax highlighting + Support graphics, audio, and database through Extension Libraries (paid and free) + Sample programs provided Use Touch Lua +: + Learn programming + Learn modern scripting + Apply your programming skills + Rapid prototyping + Use it as advanced calculator Available through In-App Purchase: Draw Library: Empowers you to create complex graphics from simple graphic objects Features: + Draw simple graphic objects: lines, rectangles, circles, text, ... + Draw at the super speed of your device + Make animations + Define your colors with alpha channel (32bit color with transparency) + Select your drawn text font face and size + Enables you to run included Graphic Sample Programs Audio Library: enables to play music and sound effects. Features: + Play one music track at once + Play multiple sound effects synchronously + Create and play your own sounds and save them as files Turtle Library Logo like graphic commands designed to encourage logical thinking Examples are provided for absolute Beginners TouchLua+ includes other free libraries + Lua File System + Lua Database + Lua Matrix To start learning Lua choose Console from main menu then select Tutorials (first aid kit icon). Now read & apply and you will learn Lua basic’s in no time! Kindly Note: Touch Lua uses Lua 5.2 standard, so if you hit into undefined function see the alternative for it from the reference. some examples: unpack() now is table.unpack(), loadstring() is now load() Make sure to take a look at the free App’s from Hawwash-Soft

Screenshots

iAltair4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: iAltair at 4.8 against Touch Lua +'s 3.7. iAltair also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ratings volume (22 vs 3). Touch Lua +'s advantage is update cadence (every 5 months vs every 11 months) and iOS requirement (7.0 vs 15.4). On price, 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. Touch Lua + sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. iAltair asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

iAltair holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iAltair has 22 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 75% and 75% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iAltair ships an update every 11 months, Touch Lua + every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
iAltair versus Touch Lua +: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriAltairTouch Lua +
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (22 ratings) — better3.7 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews75.0% of reviews
Number of ratings22 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 11 monthsEvery 5 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPad
Requires iOS15.47.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB14 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPeter SchornAhmad Hawwash

Customer experience

iAltair

All ratings22 ratings
Positive95.5%
Neutral4.5%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral16.7%
Negative8.3%

Touch Lua +

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews20 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative5.0%

In-app purchases

None

iAltair

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Touch Lua +

One-time3
  • Audio Library$0.99
  • Turtle Library$0.99
  • Draw Library$4.99

Questions

Is iAltair free?
iAltair is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Touch Lua + free?
Touch Lua + is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, iAltair or Touch Lua +?
iAltair is rated higher. iAltair averages 4.8 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while Touch Lua + averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.
Do iAltair or Touch Lua + have ads?
Neither iAltair nor Touch Lua + shows ads.
Which is updated more often, iAltair or Touch Lua +?
iAltair ships an update every 11 months, and Touch Lua + every 5 months. Most recently, iAltair was updated on October 29, 2026 and Touch Lua + on October 26, 2026.

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