# Vim vs iEditor

The clearest difference is rating: iEditor at 4.1 against Vim's 2.9. iEditor also leads on ratings volume (189 vs 21) and review sentiment (56% vs 46%). Vim's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

iEditor holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iEditor has 189 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 56% of iEditor's.

Vim ships an update every 9 months, iEditor every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Vim | iEditor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.9 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vim/id492668168/reviews) | **[4.1 (189 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ieditor-text-code-editor/id562162723/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 21 | **189** |
| Positive reviews | 46.2% of reviews | **56.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 7 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 37 MB | 57 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Applidium](https://appshunter.io/developer/308674223) | [ComcSoft Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/413971334) |

## 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


### iEditor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ieditor-text-code-editor/id562162723)

A fast and simple text and source code editor for iPhone and iPad. It allows users to create, import, edit, and manage various file types with features like syntax highlighting, search/replace, and export options.

**Highlights:** Create and import text/source code files, Syntax highlighting for C, Java, HTML, Search and replace functionality, Export files to PDF or JPEG, File management (add, delete, rename, sort), View multiple file formats

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 💡 Ability to convert text to PDF
- 🚀 Quick file opening and editing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and data loss issues
- 🔍 Confusing UI and navigation
- 💰 Aggressive upselling for paid version
- 🔍 Limited formatting options

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to save edited files
- Text disappearing during editing
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Autosave functionality
- Support for more file formats
- Syntax highlighting for code
- Cloud/iCloud integration


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Vim free?

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

### Is iEditor free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Vim or iEditor?

iEditor is rated higher. Vim averages 2.9 out of 5 from 21 ratings, while iEditor averages 4.1 from 189 ratings.

### Do Vim or iEditor have ads?

iEditor shows ads; Vim does not.

### Which is updated more often, Vim or iEditor?

Vim ships an update every 9 months, and iEditor every 7 months. Most recently, Vim was updated on October 12, 2026 and iEditor on October 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.*