# Hand BASIC vs VirtualKim

The clearest difference is rating: VirtualKim at 4.8 against Hand BASIC's 4.4. VirtualKim also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 5 weeks). Hand BASIC's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

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

VirtualKim holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 45 and 29 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of Hand BASIC's written reviews are positive against 85% of VirtualKim's.

Hand BASIC ships an update every 5 weeks, VirtualKim weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 8, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hand BASIC | VirtualKim |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (45 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hand-basic-cbm-flavor/id394924289/reviews) | **[4.8 (29 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtualkim-6502-emulator/id1548356829/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **45** | 29 |
| Positive reviews | 83.3% of reviews | **84.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 2 MB | 72 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ahmad Hawwash](https://appshunter.io/developer/382404352) | [John Kennedy](https://appshunter.io/developer/284943103) |

## 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


### VirtualKim

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtualkim-6502-emulator/id1548356829)

Experience the 6502 microprocessor, the heart of 1970s home computers. This app emulates the 8-bit processor with an assembler and programming puzzles. Learn to code on a minimalist interface and discover how early computing was done.

**Highlights:** 6502 CPU emulation, Built-in assembler, Programming puzzles, Minimalist UI with LEDs and buttons, Monitor program for memory editing, Debug and run applications

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Buy Me a Coffee | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hand BASIC free?

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

### Is VirtualKim free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Hand BASIC or VirtualKim?

VirtualKim is rated higher. Hand BASIC averages 4.4 out of 5 from 45 ratings, while VirtualKim averages 4.8 from 29 ratings.

### Do Hand BASIC or VirtualKim have ads?

Neither Hand BASIC nor VirtualKim shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hand BASIC or VirtualKim?

Hand BASIC ships an update every 5 weeks, and VirtualKim weekly. Most recently, Hand BASIC was updated on September 8, 2026 and VirtualKim on September 9, 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.*