# Pythona vs ShelveApp

Pythona and ShelveApp are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Both are free to download. Pythona sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and ShelveApp sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Pythona ships an update every 6 days, ShelveApp weekly. Both last shipped on September 14, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pythona | ShelveApp |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pythona-python-3-ide/id6760310359/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **4** | — |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 532 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [志远 刘](https://appshunter.io/developer/1703944678) | [Refael Yerusalmi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1850130738) |

## What reviewers say

### Pythona

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pythona-python-3-ide/id6760310359)

Run Python 3.14 and large language models entirely on-device with a full-featured IDE. Supports Jupyter-style notebooks, scientific computing libraries, and local AI inference without API keys.

**Highlights:** Jupyter-style notebooks, On-device AI & machine learning, Preinstalled scientific computing libraries, Local Python 3.14 environment, Smart code completion, Markdown file preview

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pythona Pro | $9.99 | one-time |


### ShelveApp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shelveapp/id6761139980)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock 2+ Servers | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pythona free?

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

### Is ShelveApp free?

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

### Do Pythona or ShelveApp have ads?

Neither Pythona nor ShelveApp shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pythona or ShelveApp?

Pythona ships an update every 6 days, and ShelveApp weekly. Most recently, Pythona was updated on September 14, 2026 and ShelveApp on September 14, 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.*