# 3D Plotter XL vs Hand BASIC

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Hand BASIC at 83% against 3D Plotter XL's 0%. Hand BASIC also leads on price (Free vs $1.99) and rating (4.4 vs 1.0). 3D Plotter XL's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On ads there is nothing between them.

Hand BASIC is free to download; 3D Plotter XL costs $1.99 up front. Hand BASIC sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. 3D Plotter XL asks for nothing beyond the download.

Hand BASIC holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hand BASIC has 47 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of 3D Plotter XL's written reviews are positive against 83% of Hand BASIC's.

3D Plotter XL ships an update every 12 months, Hand BASIC every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 3D Plotter XL | Hand BASIC |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/3d-plotter-xl/id368176437/reviews) | **[4.4 (47 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hand-basic-cbm-flavor/id394924289/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **47** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **83.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 1 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Piet Jonas](https://appshunter.io/developer/288060167) | [Ahmad Hawwash](https://appshunter.io/developer/382404352) |

## What reviewers say

### 3D Plotter XL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/3d-plotter-xl/id368176437)

Visualize 2D functions in a 3D space by entering formulas and defining plot ranges. Customize the display with grid toggles and color themes, and control rendering quality. Save your formulas for future use.

**Highlights:** Plot 2D functions in 3D, Customizable grid display, Multiple color themes, Adjustable rendering quality, Save formulas for later

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Hand BASIC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hand-basic-cbm-flavor/id394924289)

Learn and program in BASIC language on your mobile device. This app offers a compatible version of Commodore's BASIC, ideal for students, scientists, and productivity workers. It includes a text editor, file management, and optional graphics extensions.

**Highlights:** Commodore 64 BASIC V2 compatible, Full-speed execution on device, Load/save files with directory creation, Full-featured iPhone text editor, Optional graphics extension with GML, In-app help and sample code

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Graphics Extension | $9.99 | one-time |
| Graphics Extension for iPad | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Faithful C64 BASIC implementation
- 🎮 Nostalgic and fun retro experience
- 📚 Comprehensive documentation and help resources
- ⚡ Fast execution compared to original hardware
- 💾 Save and load functionality works reliably

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Infinite loops cause app to hang with no break mechanism
- ⌨️ On-screen keyboard difficult to use on iPad
- 📋 No copy/paste functionality in older versions
- 🔧 Missing PEEK and POKE commands
- ❌ Cannot delete unwanted programs

**Reported bugs**

- Infinite loops freeze the app with no way to stop execution
- Graphics mode (SCREEN 1) pops up briefly then disappears
- On-screen keyboard functions dance around screen on iPad with external keyboard
- Low Power Mode cuts program speed in half on iPhone
- Program runs original version instead of edited version

**Requested features**

- Run/Stop button to break out of infinite loops
- Bluetooth keyboard support
- Changeable font options
- Copy/paste functionality
- PEEK and POKE command support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 3D Plotter XL free?

3D Plotter XL costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Hand BASIC free?

Hand BASIC is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, 3D Plotter XL or Hand BASIC?

Hand BASIC is rated higher. 3D Plotter XL averages 1.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Hand BASIC averages 4.4 from 47 ratings.

### Do 3D Plotter XL or Hand BASIC have ads?

Neither 3D Plotter XL nor Hand BASIC shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, 3D Plotter XL or Hand BASIC?

3D Plotter XL ships an update every 12 months, and Hand BASIC every 5 weeks. Most recently, 3D Plotter XL was updated on October 20, 2026 and Hand BASIC on October 23, 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.*