# HotPaw Basic vs Z80CPM

The clearest difference is price: Z80CPM at Free against HotPaw Basic's $4.99. Z80CPM also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.9) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 5 months). HotPaw Basic's advantage is ratings volume (7 vs 2) and iOS requirement (12.3 vs 15.0). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Z80CPM is free to download; HotPaw Basic costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Z80CPM holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 2 respectively.

HotPaw Basic ships an update every 5 months, Z80CPM every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HotPaw Basic | Z80CPM |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.9 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hotpaw-basic/id295464266/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/z80cpm/id6756590871/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 52.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 1 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.3** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [HotPaw Productions](https://appshunter.io/developer/285074853) | [Aaron Wohl](https://appshunter.io/developer/1860336063) |

## What reviewers say

### HotPaw Basic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hotpaw-basic/id295464266)

Experience retro computing by typing and running Basic programs on your iPhone or iPad. This app functions as a programmable calculator and can display simple line graphics, Morse code audio, and perform FFT analysis.

**Highlights:** Retro text-mode Basic interpreter, Programmable calculator functionality, Simple line graphics display, Morse Code audio output, FFT analysis, GPS location support, MQTT and BTLE communications

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Z80CPM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/z80cpm/id6756590871)

Experience the classic CP/M operating system on your iOS or Mac device with a full Z80 processor emulator. Run authentic CP/M software, including operating systems, word processors, programming languages, and text adventures. Works offline with support for multiple disk images.

**Highlights:** Full Z80 emulation, VT100 terminal support, Multiple disk image mounting, Offline functionality, Native Mac support, Downloadable CP/M disk images

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HotPaw Basic free?

HotPaw Basic costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Z80CPM free?

Z80CPM is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, HotPaw Basic or Z80CPM?

Z80CPM is rated higher. HotPaw Basic averages 3.9 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Z80CPM averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do HotPaw Basic or Z80CPM have ads?

Neither HotPaw Basic nor Z80CPM shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HotPaw Basic or Z80CPM?

HotPaw Basic ships an update every 5 months, and Z80CPM every 10 days. Most recently, HotPaw Basic was updated on October 4, 2026 and Z80CPM on October 5, 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.*