# FTA vs CodeBrew

The clearest difference is rating: FTA at 5.0 against CodeBrew's 3.8. FTA also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (100% vs 69%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

FTA holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 9 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of FTA's written reviews are positive against 69% of CodeBrew's.

FTA ships an update every 2 months, CodeBrew every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and July 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FTA | CodeBrew |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fta-notepad/id973382797/reviews)** | [3.8 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/codebrew-ide-for-java/id6475267297/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **10** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 68.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 15 MB | 379 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kerry DenHerder](https://appshunter.io/developer/968241895) | [Julius Naeumann](https://appshunter.io/developer/1402019766) |

## What reviewers say

### FTA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fta-notepad/id973382797)

This app is designed exclusively for authorized FIRST Robotics Competition Field Technical Advisors (FTAs) to streamline field operations during robotics events. It requires a specific access code to function, ensuring it's only used by designated personnel to enhance team support at competitions.

**Highlights:** Field operations management, Team support enhancement, Competition event management, Requires access code, Exclusive FTA use

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### CodeBrew

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/codebrew-ide-for-java/id6475267297)

This mobile application provides a full Java Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for iOS devices. It features intelligent code completion, live issue highlighting, and includes the Java 21 JDK for offline use. Users can also explore game development with a custom graphics framework and learn from example projects.

**Highlights:** Java 21 JDK included, Offline coding support, Intelligent code completion, Live issue highlighting, Custom graphics framework for games, Example projects library

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CodeBrew Pro | $17.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FTA free?

FTA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is CodeBrew free?

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

### Which has better reviews, FTA or CodeBrew?

FTA is rated higher. FTA averages 5.0 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while CodeBrew averages 3.8 from 9 ratings.

### Do FTA or CodeBrew have ads?

Neither FTA nor CodeBrew shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, FTA or CodeBrew?

FTA ships an update every 2 months, and CodeBrew every 3 months. Most recently, FTA was updated on September 9, 2026 and CodeBrew on July 6, 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.*