# Hand BASIC vs PockEmul

The clearest difference is monetization model: Hand BASIC at free with in-app purchases against PockEmul's subscription. Hand BASIC also leads on ratings volume (45 vs 11) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.6). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hand BASIC sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and PockEmul sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Hand BASIC against 4.3 for PockEmul. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 45 and 11 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 83% of Hand BASIC's written reviews are positive against 77% of PockEmul's.

Hand BASIC ships an update every 5 weeks, PockEmul monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 8, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hand BASIC | PockEmul |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (45 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hand-basic-cbm-flavor/id394924289/reviews)** | [4.3 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pockemul/id1550150838/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **45** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | **83.3% of reviews** | 76.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 2 MB | 104 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ahmad Hawwash](https://appshunter.io/developer/382404352) | [Myrio Conseils](https://appshunter.io/developer/1550150840) |

## 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


### PockEmul

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pockemul/id1550150838)

This app emulates vintage pocket computers and scientific calculators from the late 70s and 80s. It offers a wide range of fully emulated models, adapting to different screen sizes for use on iPhones and iPads. Access all functionalities and models with a single subscription fee.

**Highlights:** Emulates vintage pocket computers, Emulates scientific calculators, Supports iPhone and iPad, Wide range of emulated models, Adaptive screen size behavior, Subscription for full access

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $1.49 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subs. First year offer | $2.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $23.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hand BASIC free?

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

### Is PockEmul free?

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

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

Hand BASIC is rated higher. Hand BASIC averages 4.4 out of 5 from 45 ratings, while PockEmul averages 4.3 from 11 ratings.

### Do Hand BASIC or PockEmul have ads?

Neither Hand BASIC nor PockEmul shows ads.

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

Hand BASIC ships an update every 5 weeks, and PockEmul monthly. Most recently, Hand BASIC was updated on September 8, 2026 and PockEmul on September 11, 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.*