Comparison

Carets vs JavaScript Editor

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 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

About

JavaScript Editor

Features
Read full description

Write JavaScript, TypeScript and React on your iPhone or iPad. A real code editor with a console, a live React preview, npm packages, multi-file projects, and one tap to put your work on the web. JavaScript Editor is a pocket JavaScript playground for web developers, students and anyone preparing for a coding interview. Your code runs on your device the moment you tap Run. WHAT YOU CAN DO • Run JavaScript and read logs, warnings and errors in the console • Write React components with JSX and watch them render in a live preview • Write TypeScript and TSX; types are stripped before your code runs • Import npm packages with a normal import statement • Split a project across files and folders and import between them • Publish a project to a link that opens in any browser • Open .js and .jsx files, and save your work, with the Files app REACT PREVIEW Tap Run and your component mounts in a preview pane below the editor. Edit its CSS in one tap, or go fullscreen to see the result on the whole screen. TYPESCRIPT Turn on TypeScript and use interfaces, generics and typed props. Your code runs straight away, with no build step. NPM PACKAGES Import a package by name and it resolves when you run. No terminal, no install, no config file. PUBLISH TO THE WEB Turn a project into a link and send it to anyone. Imports, npm packages and TypeScript all work exactly as they do in the app. Publish again and the same link shows the new version. Take a page down whenever you like. A CODE EDITOR BUILT FOR A SMALL SCREEN Syntax highlighting, a symbols bar for the punctuation you would otherwise hunt for, a React hooks bar, find and replace, word wrap, undo history, adjustable font size and a set of editor themes. CONSOLE AND DEBUGGING Colour-coded log, info, warn and error lines with timestamps. Runtime errors show up in the console so you can find the line that broke. EXAMPLES More than 40 JavaScript and React examples: arrays, async and await, closures, classes, fetch, hooks, state, forms, lists and visual effects. WHO IT IS FOR • Web developers sketching a component away from their laptop • Students learning JavaScript, TypeScript, React or the DOM • Interview candidates practising algorithms in real JavaScript • Self-taught coders following a tutorial on the go FREE, WITH AN OPTIONAL PRO UPGRADE The editor, console, React preview and examples are free. Pro removes ads and unlocks multi-file projects, TypeScript, publishing, editor themes, custom snippets, find and replace and one-tap formatting. No account or sign-in needed. Available in 16 languages. SUBSCRIPTION AND PRICING • JavaScript Editor Pro Lifetime — $19.99, one payment • JavaScript Editor Pro Monthly — $1.99 per month, renews automatically • Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase • A subscription renews unless it is cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period • Manage or cancel anytime in your Apple Account settings Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://cosmovex.web.app/apps/jsvedit/privacy-policy

Screenshots

Carets4 screens
JavaScript Editor4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Carets at none against JavaScript Editor's shown. JavaScript Editor's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 6 weeks) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, in-app purchases 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 and JavaScript Editor sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Carets ships an update every 6 weeks, JavaScript Editor weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
Carets versus JavaScript Editor: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCaretsJavaScript Editor
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.415.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size51 MB51 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperEcho Persona LLCSahana A S

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Carets

One-time1
  • Carets Pro$5.99
2 purchases

JavaScript Editor

Subscriptions1
  • JavaScript Editor Pro Monthly$1.991 Month
One-time1
  • JavaScript Editor Pro Lifetime$19.99

Questions

Is Carets free?
Carets is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is JavaScript Editor free?
JavaScript Editor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Carets or JavaScript Editor have ads?
JavaScript Editor shows ads; Carets does not.
Which is updated more often, Carets or JavaScript Editor?
Carets ships an update every 6 weeks, and JavaScript Editor weekly. Most recently, Carets was updated on October 2, 2026 and JavaScript Editor on October 4, 2026.

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