# Hand BASIC vs BASIC Programming Compiler

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Hand BASIC at 83% against BASIC Programming Compiler's 0%. Hand BASIC also leads on rating (4.4 vs 3.1) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hand BASIC sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and BASIC Programming Compiler sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Hand BASIC holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hand BASIC has 45 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of Hand BASIC's written reviews are positive against 0% of BASIC Programming Compiler's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 8, 2026 and August 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hand BASIC | BASIC Programming Compiler |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (45 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hand-basic-cbm-flavor/id394924289/reviews)** | [3.1 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-programming-compiler/id1468883065/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **45** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | **83.3% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 2 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ahmad Hawwash](https://appshunter.io/developer/382404352) | [Ketan Appa](https://appshunter.io/developer/576435759) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### BASIC Programming Compiler

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-programming-compiler/id1468883065)

Learn and test code snippets in BASIC on your iOS device. This app features a source code editor with syntax highlighting, a custom keyboard for easy input, and the ability to compile and run your programs. It utilizes the FreeBASIC compiler for a powerful coding experience.

**Highlights:** Compile and run BASIC programs, View program output and errors, Select and run code chunks, Custom keyboard for easy input, Advanced source code editor, Open, save, import, and share files, Language reference included

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hand BASIC free?

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

### Is BASIC Programming Compiler free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Hand BASIC or BASIC Programming Compiler?

Hand BASIC is rated higher. Hand BASIC averages 4.4 out of 5 from 45 ratings, while BASIC Programming Compiler averages 3.1 from 7 ratings.

### Do Hand BASIC or BASIC Programming Compiler have ads?

BASIC Programming Compiler shows ads; Hand BASIC does not.

### Which is updated more often, Hand BASIC or BASIC Programming Compiler?

Hand BASIC ships an update every 5 weeks, and BASIC Programming Compiler every 5 weeks. Most recently, Hand BASIC was updated on September 8, 2026 and BASIC Programming Compiler on August 16, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*