# Codea vs Paraphrase Tool

The clearest difference is rating: Paraphrase Tool at 4.7 against Codea's 4.5. Paraphrase Tool also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.6). Codea's advantage is review sentiment (90% vs 80%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Codea sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Paraphrase Tool sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Paraphrase Tool holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 126 and 231 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 90% of Codea's written reviews are positive against 80% of Paraphrase Tool's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Codea ships an update every 2 weeks, Paraphrase Tool every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Codea | Paraphrase Tool |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (126 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/codea/id439571171/reviews) | **[4.7 (231 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paraphrase-tool/id6476902526/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 126 | **231** |
| Positive reviews | **89.6% of reviews** | 79.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 217 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Two Lives Left](https://appshunter.io/developer/335953314) | [Patrik Racskai](https://appshunter.io/developer/1728193737) |

## What reviewers say

### Codea

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/codea/id439571171)

Create interactive games and visual ideas using a touch-friendly code editor. Build projects with 2D/3D rendering, physics, and export them to create real apps. Supports Lua and GLSL.

**Highlights:** 2D and 3D renderer, Touch-based visual editors, Lua programming language, Export to Xcode, Physics engines, GLSL shader editor, Import assets from Dropbox

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Codea Pro (Monthly) | $4.99 | per month |
| Codea Pro (Yearly) | $29.99 | per year |
| Codea Pro Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great for making games
- 👍 Lets me code when I feel the itch
- 💡 Powerful, Playful Development Environment
- 👍 Fantastic prototyping tool
- 👍 One of the best programming apps on iPad

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Assets don't work
- 🐛 Need Pencil scrolling slider. TOO MUCH ACCIDENTAL WRITING
- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🐛 Bugs with keyboard and cursor issues

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when switching between documents
- Xcode export not working with latest version of Xcode
- Keyboard and cursor issues when using Bluetooth keyboard

**Requested features**

- Add ability to import sounds and 3D models
- Improve documentation and provide more tutorials
- Add support for more programming languages beyond Lua


### Paraphrase Tool

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paraphrase-tool/id6476902526)

This AI-powered tool helps you rewrite sentences and correct grammar to improve your writing. It can adjust the tone and enhance clarity in various languages, making it ideal for professionals, students, and creative individuals seeking to express their ideas perfectly.

**Highlights:** AI-powered paraphrasing, Grammar correction, Sentence rewriting, Tone adjustment, Multi-language support, Clarity enhancement

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Access | $3.99 | per month |
| Pro Access | $29.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Access | Free | one-time |
| Lifetime | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Multiple paraphrasing tone options
- 👍 User-friendly and simple interface
- 🎯 Effective for writing emails, essays, and speeches
- ⚡ Quick and efficient paraphrasing
- 💰 Lifetime subscription option available

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💳 Misleading lifetime subscription billing practices
- 🔄 Subscription not syncing across devices
- 📱 Limited to portrait mode on iPad
- 🔔 Excessive review request notifications
- 🐛 Restore purchase feature not working

**Reported bugs**

- Lifetime subscription requires repayment on different devices
- Restore purchase fails repeatedly
- Subscription status not displaying correctly after AppAdvice promotion
- App repeatedly asks for payment despite active subscription
- Free lifetime option advertised but not available in purchase flow

**Requested features**

- Landscape mode support for iPad
- Multi-language support
- Reduce in-app review request frequency


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Codea free?

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

### Is Paraphrase Tool free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Codea or Paraphrase Tool?

Paraphrase Tool is rated higher. Codea averages 4.5 out of 5 from 126 ratings, while Paraphrase Tool averages 4.7 from 231 ratings.

### Do Codea or Paraphrase Tool have ads?

Neither Codea nor Paraphrase Tool shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Codea or Paraphrase Tool?

Codea ships an update every 2 weeks, and Paraphrase Tool every 3 weeks. Most recently, Codea was updated on October 2, 2026 and Paraphrase Tool on September 22, 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.*