# Buffer Editor vs DraftCode for PHP IDE

The clearest difference is price: Buffer Editor at Free against DraftCode for PHP IDE's $4.99. Buffer Editor also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 months). DraftCode for PHP IDE's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 3.9) and chart position (#72 vs unranked). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Buffer Editor is free to download; DraftCode for PHP IDE costs $4.99 up front. Buffer Editor sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and DraftCode for PHP IDE sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

DraftCode for PHP IDE holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 157 and 88 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of Buffer Editor's written reviews are positive against 66% of DraftCode for PHP IDE's.

Buffer Editor ships an update every 4 days, DraftCode for PHP IDE every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Buffer Editor | DraftCode for PHP IDE |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $4.99 |
| Rating | [3.9 (157 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buffer-editor-code-editor/id502633252/reviews) | **[4.5 (88 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/draftcode-for-php-ide/id593757593/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **157** | 88 |
| Positive reviews | 56.1% of reviews | **65.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#72** |
| Size | 45 MB | 184 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Blakzero Oy](https://appshunter.io/developer/898876511) | [Solesignal Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/402984346) |

## 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


### DraftCode for PHP IDE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/draftcode-for-php-ide/id593757593)

**Currently charting:** #72 Top Paid · Developer Tools (US App Store)

Develop and run PHP, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS locally on your mobile device or Mac without an internet connection. Supports complex applications like WordPress and phpMyAdmin, with flexible workspace options and a comprehensive PHP stack.

**Highlights:** Offline PHP, JS, HTML, CSS execution, Run complex apps like WordPress, Custom workspace folder support, Session Inspector and error display, PHP and JS syntax coloring, Composer support for dependency management

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PHP 7.2 Runtime | Free | one-time |
| PHP 7.3 Runtime | Free | one-time |
| PHP 8.2 Runtime | Free | one-time |
| PHP 8.1 Runtime | Free | one-time |
| PHP 8.0.28 Runtime | Free | one-time |
| PHP 8.5 Runtime | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Full PHP runtime on iOS device
- 👍 Intuitive and simple user interface
- 💻 Ability to run WordPress locally on iPad
- 🔌 Works offline without internet connection
- 📱 Enables mobile web development workflow

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Scrolling snaps back to starting position
- 🐛 Undo function jumps arbitrary steps
- 🐛 Text editor lacks modern features
- ❌ Cannot access served content from Safari
- ❌ No FTP or cloud storage integration

**Reported bugs**

- Scrolling snaps back to original position
- Undo function deletes arbitrary number of steps
- App freezes after entering characters
- Crashes on iOS 9 and older versions
- JavaScript console viewer always empty

**Requested features**

- Search and find/replace functionality
- FTP and Dropbox integration
- Updated PHP versions
- Multiple syntax highlighting themes
- Git/GitHub integration


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Buffer Editor free?

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

### Is DraftCode for PHP IDE free?

DraftCode for PHP IDE costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Buffer Editor or DraftCode for PHP IDE?

DraftCode for PHP IDE is rated higher. Buffer Editor averages 3.9 out of 5 from 157 ratings, while DraftCode for PHP IDE averages 4.5 from 88 ratings.

### Do Buffer Editor or DraftCode for PHP IDE have ads?

Neither Buffer Editor nor DraftCode for PHP IDE shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Buffer Editor or DraftCode for PHP IDE?

Buffer Editor ships an update every 4 days, and DraftCode for PHP IDE every 3 months. Most recently, Buffer Editor was updated on September 24, 2026 and DraftCode for PHP IDE on September 20, 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.*