# Buffer Editor vs phpwin

The clearest difference is monetization model: phpwin at free with in-app purchases against Buffer Editor's subscription. phpwin also leads on rating (4.4 vs 3.9) and review sentiment (75% vs 56%). Buffer Editor's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 6 weeks). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Buffer Editor sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and phpwin sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

phpwin holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 157 and 37 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of Buffer Editor's written reviews are positive against 75% of phpwin's.

Buffer Editor ships an update every 4 days, phpwin every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Buffer Editor | phpwin |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (157 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buffer-editor-code-editor/id502633252/reviews) | **[4.4 (37 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phpwin/id1157634089/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **157** | 37 |
| Positive reviews | 56.1% of reviews | **75.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 45 MB | 172 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Blakzero Oy](https://appshunter.io/developer/898876511) | [Firas Moussa](https://appshunter.io/developer/547104847) |

## What reviewers say

### Buffer Editor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buffer-editor-code-editor/id502633252)

A powerful code and text editor for on-the-go development. Connect to various cloud services and Git repositories, with built-in terminal and extensive syntax highlighting. Offers advanced editing features for enhanced productivity.

**Highlights:** Connect to cloud services and Git, Git operations and visual merge tool, Built-in SSH terminal, Extensive syntax highlighting, Live remote file editing, Code autocompletion and snippets

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $34.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great mobile development platform
- 👍 Functional and good editor
- 🚀 Responsive and performant
- 👍 Supports Vim keybindings
- 👍 Customizable themes and fonts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Git integration issues
- 🐛 Buggy SSH/SFTP/FTP connections
- 🐛 Undo/redo functionality problems
- 🐛 Laggy navigation through directories

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when switching between apps
- Losing work due to save issues
- Incorrect parameter errors when editing files
- Broken Bitbucket/GitHub authentication

**Requested features**

- Integrated terminal/Linux shell
- GitHub/GitLab workflow integration
- Ability to run/compile code
- Better file management options
- More keyboard shortcuts and customization


### phpwin

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phpwin/id1157634089)

Develop and debug PHP files offline with a built-in web server and Git client. This app provides a comprehensive environment for managing PHP projects, including code editing, file management, and support for popular frameworks.

**Highlights:** PHP 8 with extensions, Offline web server, Git client, Code editor with auto-complete, File manager, Standalone web app support

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock all features | $4.99 | one-time |
| Standalone Web Application | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Buffer Editor free?

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

### Is phpwin free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Buffer Editor or phpwin?

phpwin is rated higher. Buffer Editor averages 3.9 out of 5 from 157 ratings, while phpwin averages 4.4 from 37 ratings.

### Do Buffer Editor or phpwin have ads?

phpwin shows ads; Buffer Editor does not.

### Which is updated more often, Buffer Editor or phpwin?

Buffer Editor ships an update every 4 days, and phpwin every 6 weeks. Most recently, Buffer Editor was updated on September 24, 2026 and phpwin on September 21, 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.*