DraftCode for PHP IDE vs CodeMaster
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
DraftCode for PHP IDE
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.
- 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
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Develop and run PHP, JavaScript, HTML, CSS locally on your iPad or iPhone (or an Apple Silicon Mac), without requiring an internet connection. Run Apps as complex as WordPress or phpMyAdmin right on your device. Freely choose your workspace location on your device, either inside DraftCode, or in the folder of a Git Client like WorkingCopy, on iCloud or other services that offer selectable folder locations. Access your PHP Web App from other Apps on your iPad while in Split Screen mode, for example Mobile Safari or Brave. DraftCode includes the standard PHP stack including PHP extensions typically available on a server: MySQL, SQLite, PDO, Curl, OpenSSL, FTP, XML, JSON, SOAP, GD and more. DraftCode can run different versions of PHP and you can switch between them: - Includes PHP 7.3, PHP 8.0, PHP 8.1 and PHP 8.2 - Available (via in-App Purchase): PHP 8.5 DraftCode Features: - Execute PHP/JS/HTML/CSS without requiring an internet connection - Run Apps as complex as WordPress on your device for offline development - Support for selecting a custom workspace folder in supported other Apps (like Git clients) or iCloud - Includes a Session Inspector showing state of current session variables - Shows PHP errors - PHP and JavaScript syntax colouring - Internal keyboard support with coding accessory - External keyboard support with additional keyboard shortcuts - Multitasking and split-screen support on iPad - Includes PHP packages: WordPress, phpMyAdmin, Composer and more - File workspace including support to zip, unzip, copy, move or duplicate files or folders - Code import/export from iCloud Drive, other Apps or iTunes file sharing - Kiosk mode that runs you PHP code fullscreen - Script mode to run PHP scripts without a web context or timeout INCLUDED PHP PACKAGES WORDPRESS 6.8 With just one tap you can run WordPress offline (using the included WordPress SQLite plugin) and develop themes and plugins for the popular platform. PHPMYADMIN Connect to EXTERNAL MySQL databases (MySQL is NOT included). PHPLITEADMIN Work with local SQLite databases. COMPOSER Use Composer v.2.1.12 to efficiently manage your dependencies. The package also includes an example project. For more information and answers to frequently asked questions please visit DraftCode's website. (Please follow the "Developer Website" link below.) Please note: - Included packages might not yet support all PHP versions available (check their website) - DraftCode's runtime currently does not support re-write rules - A MySQL database is NOT included. (We recommend using SQLite when working completely offline.) - A phpinfo() output of the current available runtime configurations is available on the DraftCode website, please follow the "Developer Website" link below. - In-App purchase pricing can be reviewed on this App Store page under "Information" by tapping the triangle next to 'In-App Purchases"
CodeMaster
A professional mobile code editor and development tool for iOS. It offers comprehensive code browsing, editing, and management features, along with integrated tools for remote connections, database design, and GitHub integration.
- File management and browser
- VS Code core Monaco editor
- GitHub integration
- Code snippet management
- Database design tool
- SSH client and SFTP
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CodeMaster - Mobile Coding IDE CodeMaster is a professional code browsing and development tool for iOS platforms, specifically designed for developers. It integrates multiple practical tools, supports multiple programming languages, and provides complete mobile code browsing, editing, management, and auxiliary development capabilities. Built-in local AI LLM delivers smart Q&A and code assistance even offline, turning your phone into a portable computing hub. Features: - File Management and Browser: Supports WiFi and WebDAV file transfer between devices, quick access to code files on mobile, supports cross-screen programming, and allows access to files on mobile via URL for code editing; intuitive directory management interface, supports preview of multiple file formats, and simultaneously supports viewing, editing, decompression, and compression of various documents. - Code Editor: Integrates the VS Code core Monaco editor, delivering a desktop-level editing experience. Supports multi-language syntax highlighting, intelligent code completion and suggestions, and allows customization of multiple editor themes to suit usage habits. - GitHub Integration: Search for open-source projects and specific code snippets, browse trending projects on the platform; supports browsing personal profiles and repositories, and enables direct editing of project code on mobile devices, seamlessly connecting to open-source development. - Code Tools: Store and manage frequently used code snippets for quick insertion, built-in code comparison tool to contrast version differences, provide multi-language code execution environment and hundreds of code template libraries for various languages, enhancing development efficiency. - Database Design: Built-in database design tool supporting MySQL and other types of database design; graphical display of data content, equipped with SQL editor, can directly write and execute MySQL statements, convenient database management. - Remote Connection: Built-in SSH client to connect to remote servers, supports secure SFTP file transfer, allows direct management of remote server files from mobile devices, enabling remote operations anytime, anywhere. ►Unlimited Access Membership Subscription - With this subscription, you can access all features in the application without restrictions. - Subscription charges depend specifically on the selected subscription plan. - When you confirm the purchase, your iTunes account will be charged. - You can turn off auto-renewal 24 hours before the current subscription ends, otherwise it will auto-renew. - The subscription fee will be deducted from your account 24 hours before the current subscription ends, depending on the package you choose. Privacy Policy: http://www.dazhuogroup.com/codemaster/privacy_statement_en.php Terms of Use: http://www.dazhuogroup.com/codemaster/terms_of_use_en.php If you have any questions or concerns, please visit http://www.dazhuogroup.com/codemaster/ and use our customer support email for feedback
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: CodeMaster at Free against DraftCode for PHP IDE's $4.99. CodeMaster also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). DraftCode for PHP IDE's advantage is review sentiment (66% vs 44%) and chart position (#68 vs unranked). On rating, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
CodeMaster is free to download; DraftCode for PHP IDE costs $4.99 up front. DraftCode for PHP IDE sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and CodeMaster sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for DraftCode for PHP IDE against 4.6 for CodeMaster. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 88 and 140 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 66% of DraftCode for PHP IDE's written reviews are positive against 44% of CodeMaster's.
DraftCode for PHP IDE ships an update every 3 months, CodeMaster monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | DraftCode for PHP IDE | CodeMaster |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.5 (88 ratings) | 4.6 (140 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 65.8% of reviews — better | 44.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 88 | 140 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | #68 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 16 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 184 MB | 1.5 GB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Solesignal Limited | Shanghai Dazhuo Information Technology Co., Ltd. |
Customer experience
DraftCode for PHP IDE
CodeMaster
Bugs and requests
DraftCode for PHP IDE
Reported bugs
15 issues- 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
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- Cannot navigate to specific lines efficiently
- Scroll position jumps when switching files
- File deletion is buggy when deleting multiple files
- Dropbox conflicted copy files created by autosave
- iCloud file sync not automatic
- Keyboard layout makes coding difficult
- App loses work after tapping run
- Address bar shows 'about:blank' and 'Not Found'
- Cannot paste projects from Dropbox (helper app error)
- Syntax highlighting slow on large files
Requested features
20 requests- Search and find/replace functionality
- FTP and Dropbox integration
- Updated PHP versions
- Multiple syntax highlighting themes
- Git/GitHub integration
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- Ability to access localhost from external browsers
- Font size adjustment controls
- Code completion and snippets
- Multi-project support
- Drupal and CraftCMS support
- MySQL full support
- SSH/SFTP access
- Swipe gestures throughout UI
- Light theme option
- Extended keyboard with more shortcuts
- Undo/redo improvements
- Split-screen multitasking support
- phpMyAdmin updates
- Manual save option instead of autosave
- GD library support
CodeMaster
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
DraftCode for PHP IDE
- PHP 7.2 RuntimeFree
- PHP 7.3 RuntimeFree
- PHP 8.2 RuntimeFree
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- PHP 8.1 RuntimeFree
- PHP 8.0.28 RuntimeFree
- PHP 8.5 Runtime$4.99
CodeMaster
- Weekly Membership3 Days trial$1.997 Days
- Monthly subscription3 Days trial$3.991 Month
- Annual Subscription3 Days trial$20.991 Year
Questions
Is DraftCode for PHP IDE free?
Is CodeMaster free?
Which has better reviews, DraftCode for PHP IDE or CodeMaster?
Do DraftCode for PHP IDE or CodeMaster have ads?
Which is updated more often, DraftCode for PHP IDE or CodeMaster?
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