php$ vs Lua IDE
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
php$
Learn, run, and share PHP scripts with this iOS application. It offers code autocompletion, syntax highlighting, and a built-in browser for learning resources. Customize your coding environment and share your work via email or social media.
- Autocompletion and auto-indent
- Code coloring and font customization
- Built-in browser for learning materials
- Save, modify, and delete code files
- Support for various file types
- Customizable interface and background
- Generate QR codes for sharing
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This is an ios php app,you can learn,run,share php script. Features : Autocomplate. Auto Indent. Code color. In(the built-in browser or the txt editor),Select the text to run. Horizontal screen development. Code templates,the contents of the new file is copy from contents of the template file. *You can enter php code by keyboard, and then you can execut the php code,support the input and raw_input function. *You can adjust the code color and font size , and support to move the cursor left and right and up and down , easy to read and write. *You can find learning materials by the built-in browser . *You can save php code and learning materials, and can be modified to the save file and delete the save file . *You can use the file system to support txt, pdf, chm, mp3,m4v,zip, gif, png, html, py ,doc... files. *You can control the background image and color, and execution voice , background animation, text color and shadow, switch interface animation , the number and the order of the main interface of the tab bar to create your learning software. *You can Learn php knowledge , the system provides some basic learning materials . *You can use php code or learning materials to generate two-dimensional code , for easy sharing . *You can share code by Email,Weibo,Twitter,Facebook. *You can use the counter,light in the Setting tab.
Lua IDE
A mobile integrated development environment for writing and running Lua code. It offers syntax highlighting, module support, and an offline reference manual. Cloud storage integration is also available.
- Syntax highlighting
- Module support
- Offline reference manual
- Works offline
- Cloud storage support
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• Lua IDE with syntax highlighting • Support requiring modules • Reference manual • Works completely offline • Cloud storage support, including iCloud
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Lua IDE at Free against php$'s $2.99. php$'s advantage is rating (4.8 vs 3.4) and review sentiment (88% vs 59%). On ratings volume, update cadence, 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
Lua IDE is free to download; php$ costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
php$ holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 22 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of php$'s written reviews are positive against 59% of Lua IDE's.
php$ ships an update every 5 months, Lua IDE every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | php$ | Lua IDE |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.8 (9 ratings) — better | 3.4 (22 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 87.5% of reviews — better | 59.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 9 | 22 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months — better | Every 7 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #136 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 89 MB | 2 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 小文 黄 | Wenhuan Li |
Customer experience
php$
Lua IDE
In-app purchases
php$
No in-app purchases
Lua IDE
No in-app purchases
