# DraftCode for PHP IDE vs CodeMaster

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | DraftCode for PHP IDE | CodeMaster |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.5 (88 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/draftcode-for-php-ide/id593757593/reviews) | **[4.6 (140 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/codemaster-mobile-coding-ide/id1514942957/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 88 | **140** |
| Positive reviews | **65.8% of reviews** | 44.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | **#68** | — |
| Size | 184 MB | 1.5 GB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **16** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Solesignal Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/402984346) | [Shanghai Dazhuo Information Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1470341377) |

## What reviewers say

### DraftCode for PHP IDE

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

**Currently charting:** #68 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


### CodeMaster

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/codemaster-mobile-coding-ide/id1514942957)

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.

**Highlights:** File management and browser, VS Code core Monaco editor, GitHub integration, Code snippet management, Database design tool, SSH client and SFTP

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Membership | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $20.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DraftCode for PHP IDE free?

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

### Is CodeMaster free?

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

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

CodeMaster is rated higher. DraftCode for PHP IDE averages 4.5 out of 5 from 88 ratings, while CodeMaster averages 4.6 from 140 ratings.

### Do DraftCode for PHP IDE or CodeMaster have ads?

Neither DraftCode for PHP IDE nor CodeMaster shows ads.

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

DraftCode for PHP IDE ships an update every 3 months, and CodeMaster monthly. Most recently, DraftCode for PHP IDE was updated on September 30, 2026 and CodeMaster on September 28, 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.*