Comparison

DevBox vs Carets

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

DevBox

Features
Read full description

Run a React or Svelte dev server on your iPhone. Write Node, Python and PHP, and run it on the device. npm install and npm run dev work. React, Angular, Svelte and Vue build and run. Editor with syntax highlighting for JavaScript, TypeScript, Python and PHP, find and replace, and a key row for brackets and quotes. Terminal with command history and scrollback. Node, Python and PHP dev servers on a local port, with stdout and request logs. WebKit preview pointed at localhost. MariaDB on device, MySQL-compatible, phpMyAdmin included. npm, pip and composer. Git over HTTPS or SSH. GitHub, GitLab, self-hosted. Files app, iCloud Drive, FTP and SSH providers. Optional AI assistant. Works offline. Package installs, git remotes and the AI assistant need a connection. Runs on iPhone, iPad and Apple silicon Macs. Free to download. --- Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://devbox.porizm.com/privacy?lang=en

About

Carets

This app offers a dual-purpose experience as a capable code editor and a fast notes and lists application. It focuses on speed, minimalism, and a clean aesthetic for mobile devices, allowing you to edit real files from cloud storage or create internal notes.

Highlights
  • Syntax highlighting for common languages
  • Edit external files from cloud storage
  • Plain text and Markdown notes
  • Lists and checklists
  • Full-text search across notes
  • Generative art gallery
Features
Read full description

Carets is two great apps in one: a genuinely capable pocket code editor and a fast, beautiful notes and lists app. Built for speed, minimalism, and a monospace-clean aesthetic — reshaped for a phone. On the editor side, Carets opens and edits the real files on your device, in iCloud Drive, and in Google Drive. You get syntax highlighting across the common languages, line numbers, code-aware editing, find and replace with full regex, and a touch-reimagined command palette for jumping between files and actions. Edits save back to the file's original location, not a copy. Opening and editing external files is unlimited on the free tier. On the notes side, Carets keeps internal notes in a local SQLite store you own. Plain text or Markdown, with live preview when you want it. Lists and checklists with tap-to-toggle to-dos. Folders and tags for lightweight organization. Instant full-text search across everything you've written. No login required, no account, no cloud — until you ask for one. There's also a Gallery of generative-art sketches that run right on your phone. Open one and watch it draw — every run is unique. With Pro, open the code behind any piece, tweak it live, and make it your own. The bridge between the two halves is the editor surface itself: the same fast, monospace, distraction-free typing experience whether you're editing a config file from iCloud Drive or jotting a grocery list. The chrome fades while you type. The keyboard never jumps. The cursor stays where you left it. Features: - Syntax highlighting across common languages - Line numbers and code-aware editing - Find and replace, with regex - Command palette for fast navigation - Open and edit external files from the Files app, iCloud Drive, and Google Drive - Save changes back to the original file - Plain text and Markdown notes with live preview - Lists and checklists, auto-continued - Folders and tags - Instant full-text search across all notes - Gallery of live generative-art templates (Pro unlocks the code to edit and export) - Auto-save with cursor and scroll restore per document - Light and dark themes, including a deep, editor-style dark - Native sign-in only when you opt into paid cloud sync — no passwords ever - Delete-all-data button that means it Pricing: - Free — open and edit unlimited external files; create up to 30 internal notes - Carets Pro — 5.99 USD, one-time (no subscription) Carets Pro is a single one-time unlock: unlimited internal notes, cloud sync to your own iCloud, cross-device editing, the premium theme pack and custom fonts, the generative-art template code (open, edit, export), and export to Markdown / PDF / .txt. Pay once, keep it forever. Privacy: - Local-first. The app works fully offline with no account. - We collect no personal information by default. - Sign-in is only invoked if you turn on paid cloud sync. - Cloud sync goes to your own iCloud container — not a server we operate. - Tap "Delete all data" in settings, and the local database and the cloud copy are wiped. Privacy policy: https://carets.app/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://carets.app/terms

Screenshots

DevBox4 screens
Carets4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: DevBox at none against Carets's 1. DevBox also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 6 weeks) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Carets sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. DevBox asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

DevBox ships an update every 5 days, Carets every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
DevBox versus Carets: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDevBoxCarets
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 6 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size413 MB51 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperFiras MoussaEcho Persona LLC

In-app purchases

None

DevBox

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Carets

One-time1
  • Carets Pro$5.99

Questions

Is DevBox free?
DevBox is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Carets free?
Carets is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do DevBox or Carets have ads?
Neither DevBox nor Carets shows ads.
Which is updated more often, DevBox or Carets?
DevBox ships an update every 5 days, and Carets every 6 weeks. Most recently, DevBox was updated on October 3, 2026 and Carets on October 2, 2026.

Other comparisons