# Vim vs VerbTeX LaTeX Editor

The clearest difference is rating: VerbTeX LaTeX Editor at 4.5 against Vim's 2.9. VerbTeX LaTeX Editor also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 9 months) and review sentiment (71% vs 46%). Vim's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 18.6). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. VerbTeX LaTeX Editor sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Vim asks for nothing beyond the download.

VerbTeX LaTeX Editor holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: VerbTeX LaTeX Editor has 168 ratings behind it against 21, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 46% of Vim's written reviews are positive against 71% of VerbTeX LaTeX Editor's.

Vim ships an update every 9 months, VerbTeX LaTeX Editor fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Vim | VerbTeX LaTeX Editor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.9 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vim/id492668168/reviews) | **[4.5 (168 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/verbtex-latex-editor/id560869163/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 21 | **168** |
| Positive reviews | 46.2% of reviews | **71.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 37 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Applidium](https://appshunter.io/developer/308674223) | [Verbosus.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/560869166) |

## 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


### VerbTeX LaTeX Editor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/verbtex-latex-editor/id560869163)

Create and manage LaTeX projects on your iOS device. Generate PDFs offline or online with support for various compilers and bibliography tools. Features include cloud synchronization, Git integration, and custom font support.

**Highlights:** Offline PDF compilation, Multiple LaTeX compilers (PdfLaTeX, XeLaTeX, LuaLaTeX), BibTeX/Biber support, Cloud synchronization (Verbosus), Dropbox/Box synchronization, Git integration, iCloud integration, Zotero/Mendeley integration

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade: Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Upgrade: Forever | $8.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient LaTeX editing
- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive interface
- ✅ Compiles LaTeX to PDF well
- 💡 Good for on-the-go writing
- 🌟 Free and functional

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⚠️ Requires internet connection for compilation
- 🚫 Limited offline compilation capabilities
- 📂 Poor file management and organization
- 🗂️ Lacks iCloud Drive and Files app integration
- 🖼️ Difficulty inserting images

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot clone git
- Does not work with subfiles package
- New version does not support adding files
- PDF generation fails with BibTeX log
- Cannot insert images

**Requested features**

- Autosave functionality
- Better external keyboard support (e.g., Command+G for search)
- Search and replace functionality
- PDF preview with jump-to-editor feature
- Display last edited passage in PDF preview


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Vim free?

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

### Is VerbTeX LaTeX Editor free?

VerbTeX LaTeX Editor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Vim or VerbTeX LaTeX Editor?

VerbTeX LaTeX Editor is rated higher. Vim averages 2.9 out of 5 from 21 ratings, while VerbTeX LaTeX Editor averages 4.5 from 168 ratings.

### Do Vim or VerbTeX LaTeX Editor have ads?

Neither Vim nor VerbTeX LaTeX Editor shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Vim or VerbTeX LaTeX Editor?

Vim ships an update every 9 months, and VerbTeX LaTeX Editor fortnightly. Most recently, Vim was updated on October 12, 2026 and VerbTeX LaTeX Editor on October 14, 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.*