Comparison

Carets vs TypeTab

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

Head to head
About

Carets

This app offers a dual-purpose experience as a capable code editor and a fast, minimalist notes app. It supports editing real files from cloud storage with syntax highlighting and provides local note-taking with Markdown support and live previews. Enjoy a distraction-free typing experience across both functions.

Highlights
  • Syntax highlighting for common languages
  • Edit external files from cloud storage
  • Plain text and Markdown notes with live preview
  • Command palette for fast navigation
  • Local-first note storage with no account required
  • Generative art gallery with editable code (Pro)
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, no account, no cloud copy — your notes stay on your phone. 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 - No sign-in, no account, no passwords - 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, 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. - No sign-in, ever. Notes are never uploaded or synced anywhere. - Tap "Delete all data" in settings, and the local database is wiped. Privacy policy: https://carets.app/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://carets.app/terms

About

TypeTab

This developer-focused keyboard for iPhone offers an eight-row layout with persistent letters, numbers, and programming symbols. It streamlines coding by allowing cursor control via drag gestures and supports custom snippets for common code structures. It works across various apps that support third-party keyboards.

Highlights
  • Eight-row layout with persistent symbol rows
  • Drag-to-cursor and drag-to-token navigation
  • Auto-paired brackets and quotes
  • Reusable built-in and custom code snippets
  • Adjustable key height and haptic feedback
  • Built-in Test Pad
Features
Read full description

TypeTab is the developer-first iPhone keyboard that keeps letters, numbers, and common programming symbols visible in one eight-row layout. Write and edit code without bouncing between keyboard modes. Drag across the keyboard to place the cursor character by character, or drag from the spacebar to move by token. Type a short trigger to expand reusable Swift, JavaScript, and Python structures, then jump through each editable field. TYPE WITH THE KEYS YOUR CODE NEEDS • Eight-row layout with persistent number and coding-symbol rows • Auto-paired parentheses, brackets, braces, and quotes • Tabs, 2 spaces, or 4 spaces for indentation • Reusable built-in and custom snippets • Adjustable palettes, key height, and haptic feedback • Built-in Test Pad and keyboard reference WORKS WHERE YOU WRITE Use TypeTab in editors, browsers, messages, notes, and other apps that support third-party keyboards. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Full Access is not required. The keyboard does not send or collect the code or text you type. TypeTab includes a complete free keyboard with cursor controls, built-in snippets, and customization. TypeTab Pro unlocks the complete built-in snippet library, unlimited custom snippets, every palette, and all keyboard heights. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://typetab.dev/privacy

Screenshots

Carets4 screens
TypeTab4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: TypeTab at weekly against Carets's every 2 months. Carets's advantage is ratings volume (3 vs 1). On price, rating, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Carets sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and TypeTab sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Carets against 5.0 for TypeTab. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Carets ships an update every 2 months, TypeTab weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Carets versus TypeTab: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCaretsTypeTab
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (3 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings3 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFreemium
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS16.4 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size46 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEcho Persona LLCAndreu Pifarre

Customer experience

Carets

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

TypeTab

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Carets

One-time1
  • Carets Pro$5.99
2 purchases

TypeTab

Subscriptions2
  • TypeTab Pro Monthly$2.991 Month
  • TypeTab Pro Annual7 Days trial$14.991 Year

Questions

Is Carets free?
Carets is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is TypeTab free?
TypeTab is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Carets or TypeTab?
Carets and TypeTab are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 3 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do Carets or TypeTab have ads?
Neither Carets nor TypeTab shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Carets or TypeTab?
Carets ships an update every 2 months, and TypeTab weekly. Most recently, Carets was updated on November 5, 2026 and TypeTab on October 31, 2026.

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