# Vim vs Wallabag Reader

The clearest difference is rating: Wallabag Reader at 3.4 against Vim's 2.9. Wallabag Reader also leads on update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 9 months). Vim's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Wallabag Reader sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Vim asks for nothing beyond the download.

Wallabag Reader holds the better App Store score, 3.4 against 2.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 21 and 37 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 46% of Vim's written reviews are positive against 43% of Wallabag Reader's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Vim ships an update every 9 months, Wallabag Reader every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Vim | Wallabag Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.9 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vim/id492668168/reviews) | **[3.4 (37 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wallabag-reader/id1170800946/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 21 | **37** |
| Positive reviews | **46.2% of reviews** | 42.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 37 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Applidium](https://appshunter.io/developer/308674223) | [maxime marinel](https://appshunter.io/developer/595076846) |

## What reviewers say

### Vim

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vim/id492668168)

A highly configurable text editor with a long history, designed for efficient editing from both command lines and graphical interfaces. It offers extensive customization options for programmers and writers alike.

**Highlights:** Text editing, Command-line interface support, Graphical user interface support, Highly configurable, Free and open source

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✅ True Vim implementation with authentic commands and features
- ⌨️ Works well with external Bluetooth keyboards
- 🆓 Free application with no cost barrier
- 🔒 Includes encryption functionality for secure editing
- 📝 Supports .vimrc configuration files

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Escape key mapping to backslash is cumbersome and unintuitive
- 🐛 Space bar and other keys don't work with external keyboards
- 🐛 Font rendering is illegible on Retina displays and newer devices
- 🐛 Severe input lag and keystroke delay issues
- 🐛 Window focus problems in multitasking environments

**Reported bugs**

- Escape key not recognized on external keyboards
- Space bar non-functional with external keyboards
- Font illegible on Retina and newer displays
- Significant input lag between keystrokes and display
- Window focus not maintained in multitasking

**Requested features**

- Custom keyboard row with Esc, Tab, Ctrl, and common symbols
- Dropbox and cloud service integration
- iOS copy/paste and clipboard integration
- File browser and file management system
- Better font rendering and scaling options


### Wallabag Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wallabag-reader/id1170800946)

Save web pages for later reading with this self-hostable application. It offers a free and open-source solution for bookmarking content. Requires a separate wallabag instance to function.

**Highlights:** Save web pages, Self-hostable, Open source, Free (as in freedom), Offline reading

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Wallabag Plus | $2.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Tips | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Vim free?

Vim is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Wallabag Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Vim or Wallabag Reader?

Wallabag Reader is rated higher. Vim averages 2.9 out of 5 from 21 ratings, while Wallabag Reader averages 3.4 from 37 ratings.

### Do Vim or Wallabag Reader have ads?

Neither Vim nor Wallabag Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Vim or Wallabag Reader?

Vim ships an update every 9 months, and Wallabag Reader every 4 weeks. Most recently, Vim was updated on October 12, 2026 and Wallabag Reader on October 4, 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.*