# Buffer Editor vs Lua IDE

The clearest difference is monetization model: Lua IDE at freemium against Buffer Editor's subscription. Lua IDE also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.0). Buffer Editor's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 6 weeks) and rating (3.9 vs 3.5). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Buffer Editor sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Lua IDE sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Buffer Editor holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Buffer Editor has 157 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of Buffer Editor's written reviews are positive against 50% of Lua IDE's.

Buffer Editor ships an update every 4 days, Lua IDE every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Buffer Editor | Lua IDE |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.9 (157 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buffer-editor-code-editor/id502633252/reviews)** | [3.5 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lua-ide-learn-lua-coding/id638219114/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **157** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | **56.1% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Freemium** |
| Best chart rank | **#131** | — |
| Size | 45 MB | 95 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Blakzero Oy](https://appshunter.io/developer/898876511) | [盼军 崔](https://appshunter.io/developer/567286451) |

## What reviewers say

### Buffer Editor

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

**Currently charting:** #131 Top Grossing · Developer Tools (US App Store)

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


### Lua IDE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lua-ide-learn-lua-coding/id638219114)

This app provides a comprehensive environment for learning and coding in Lua. It features a code editor, file manager, and an integrated interpreter for testing and running scripts.

**Highlights:** Standalone Lua interpreter, Feature-rich code editor, Intuitive file manager, Interactive learning environment, Multi-file project support, Terminal integration, ANSI escape code support

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Pro Yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| Buy me a coffee | $2.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Pro | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Buffer Editor free?

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

### Is Lua IDE free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Buffer Editor or Lua IDE?

Buffer Editor is rated higher. Buffer Editor averages 3.9 out of 5 from 157 ratings, while Lua IDE averages 3.5 from 11 ratings.

### Do Buffer Editor or Lua IDE have ads?

Neither Buffer Editor nor Lua IDE shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Buffer Editor or Lua IDE?

Buffer Editor ships an update every 4 days, and Lua IDE every 6 weeks. Most recently, Buffer Editor was updated on October 8, 2026 and Lua IDE on October 3, 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.*