How to run Python on iPhone: a 2026 setup with Pythonista and Git

The simplest answer to how to run Python on iPhone is to install an app that bundles its own Python interpreter, because iOS has no built-in Python or terminal. Pythonista 3 is the best-known option at a one-time $9.99 on the US App Store (as of November 2026), and free or freemium alternatives exist. This guide covers setup, packages, Shortcuts, Git sync with Working Copy and a quick Android note.

You do not need to jailbreak your phone, and you do not need a Mac. Everything below runs inside normal App Store apps.

What you need before you start

The setup is light. Gather these before you begin:

• An iPhone or iPad on a reasonably recent iOS version. Check each app's App Store page for its minimum requirement.
• A Python app. This guide uses Pythonista 3, which is a paid app with no subscription.
• About 900 MB of free space. The Pythonista listing shows a download of 894.3 MB, mostly because it ships with scientific packages.
• Optional: Working Copy and a GitHub, GitLab or similar account if you want your scripts under version control.
• Optional: the free GitHub app for reading issues and reviewing pull requests on the go.

You can browse more coding and terminal apps in our Developer Tools category.

Why the official Python docs say it cannot be done

If you search around, you will find the official Python documentation for iOS. It explains that iOS has no console for running a python executable or REPL. That is true, but it describes developers embedding CPython inside their own app with Xcode.

It does not mean you cannot write and run scripts on your phone. Apps like Pythonista do exactly that embedding for you and add an editor and console on top.

Picking a Python app for iPhone

Pythonista is the editor's pick for this guide, mainly for its deep iOS integration and one-off price. It is not the only route, and it has aged, so compare before you buy.

App	Price model	Python version	Packages	Notes
Pythonista 3	One-time $9.99 (as of November 2026)	3.10	numpy, pandas, matplotlib, requests, Pillow and more; pure-Python extras via StaSh	Strong iOS modules, last updated April 2023
Juno	Free to edit; running code needs a one-time Pro purchase after a trial	3.13	More than 150 bundled; most pure-Python PyPI packages	Needs iOS 17 or later; Jupyter-style notebooks
Pyto	Freemium	3.10, per its listing	More than 100 bundled, per its listing	Listing mentions a C/C++ compiler; details unconfirmed for 2026
a-Shell	Free	Check the listing	Check the listing	A local Unix-style terminal that includes Python

The freshest guide ranking for this topic comes from Juno's developer, so read it knowing it promotes its own app. It does make a fair point: Juno runs a newer Python than Pythonista. If you need Python 3.11 or later features, Juno is the safer bet.

If you want offline scripts that touch your photos, clipboard or location, Pythonista is still very capable. Its App Store rating sits at 4.4 from about 1,500 ratings.

How to run Python on iPhone with Pythonista 3

These steps get you from install to a working script in a few minutes.

1. Buy and install Pythonista 3 from the App Store listing.
2. Open the app and let it finish setting up its bundled files.
3. Tap the plus button in the file browser to create a new file.
4. Choose an empty script and give it a name such as hello.py.
5. Type a line like print("hello from my phone").
6. Tap the Run button at the top of the editor.
7. Swipe or tap to open the console and read the output.

Try the interactive console

The console doubles as a REPL. You can type single lines, test a function, or inspect a variable after a script finishes.

This is the quickest way to check whether a module is available. Type import numpy, press return, and see if it errors.

Open the bundled examples

Pythonista ships with an Examples folder. It includes scripts for drawing, user interfaces, games and iOS features.

Run a few before writing your own. Reading them is the fastest way to learn the Pythonista-specific modules, since the built-in offline docs explain each one.

Adding packages and the limits you will hit

Pythonista includes a set of popular third-party packages out of the box, so many scripts just work. The included list covers requests, numpy, matplotlib, pandas and Pillow, among others.

Installing extra pure-Python packages

There is no official pip button. The community-made StaSh shell runs inside Pythonista and provides a pip command.

1. Visit the StaSh project page and follow its current install instructions.
2. Run the installer script inside Pythonista.
3. Launch StaSh from the file browser.
4. Type pip install followed by the package name.

This works for packages written purely in Python. Pythonista's own listing says it is not designed for modules written in C or C++, and those generally cannot be installed.

What will not run

Know these limits before you plan a project:

• No compiled packages beyond what ships with the app. Anything needing a C extension that is not bundled is out.
• No PyTorch, TensorFlow or JAX. Juno's guide notes these are not available on iOS at all, regardless of app.
• No real terminal and no long-running background servers. iOS suspends apps you leave.
• Python 3.10 only. Newer syntax and standard library features from 3.11 onwards will fail.

Automating scripts with Shortcuts and Siri

Pythonista's real strength is how it reaches into iOS. Scripts can read sensor and location data, photos, contacts, reminders and the clipboard.

It also adds a share sheet extension, so you can send text or a file from another app into a script. The PyKeys keyboard, added in version 3.3, lets scripts run from a system-wide keyboard.

Run a script from Shortcuts

Version 3.4 added custom Shortcuts actions for running scripts and accessing library files.

1. Open the Shortcuts app and create a new shortcut.
2. Search the actions list for Pythonista.
3. Add the action that runs a script and pick your file.
4. Name the shortcut so you can trigger it by voice with Siri.
5. Optionally, add it to a personal automation for a time of day.

Use the URL scheme instead

Older guides launch scripts with a URL such as pythonista://script.py?action=run. That approach still helps when another app can open URLs but has no Shortcuts action. Test it on your setup, since those guides are several years old.

Syncing scripts with Git through Working Copy

No ranking guide we found walks through this, and Working Copy's own manual does not mention Pythonista. The workflow relies on two features: Working Copy exposes cloned repositories to the Files app, and Pythonista 3.3 added opening external folders through the system file picker.

Set up the repository

1. Install Working Copy, which is free with in-app purchases.
2. Sign in to your Git host inside Working Copy.
3. Tap to clone the repository that holds your scripts.

Open the folder in Pythonista

1. In Pythonista's file browser, choose the option to open an external folder.
2. In the file picker, go to Working Copy in the locations list.
3. Select your repository folder.
4. Edit and run scripts directly from that folder.

Commit and push

1. Switch back to Working Copy and open the repository.
2. Review the changed files.
3. Write a commit message and commit.
4. Push to your remote.

Pushing needs the Pro unlock. The free version also caps you at five repositories. A 10-day trial lets you test the whole loop first.

The licence works differently from most apps. You keep the features you paid for, but features added more than 12 months after purchase need a renewed unlock. Working Copy also has Shortcuts actions for most operations, so you can chain a pull, a Pythonista run and a commit.

The GitHub app fits beside this rather than replacing it. It handles notifications, issues and pull request reviews, but it does not clone repositories or run code.

Common problems and fixes

• ModuleNotFoundError for a package. Check whether it is pure Python. If so, install it with StaSh's pip. If it needs C code, look for a bundled alternative or move the job off the phone.
• Syntax errors on code that works on your laptop. Your laptop probably runs a newer Python. Avoid features introduced after 3.10, such as the newer exception group syntax.
• Script stops when you switch apps. iOS suspends background apps. Keep Pythonista in the foreground, or split the job into short runs triggered from Shortcuts.
• The Working Copy folder does not appear in the picker. Open Working Copy once so its Files location registers, then try again.
• Push fails in Working Copy. You likely need Pro, or the trial has ended.
• A Shortcut cannot find the script. Re-pick the file in the action after renaming or moving it.

Running Python on Android with Termux

Android is more open, so you get a real terminal. Termux is a free Linux command line with its own package manager and no root needed.

1. Install Termux from the source the Termux project currently recommends.
2. Open it and run pkg update.
3. Run pkg install python.
4. Type python to start the interpreter, or pip install to add packages.

Because Termux is a full environment, you can use git, run scripts from the command line and use many packages that Pythonista cannot.

Other routes when the phone is not enough

Sometimes the right answer is to run the code elsewhere and use the phone as a window.

• Cloud notebooks. Google Colab runs in Safari and gives you a full Python with heavy libraries, as long as you are online.
• SSH to a real machine. Termius connects to a server, desktop or Raspberry Pi, where any Python version and package works.
• Build an actual app. BeeWare's Briefcase packages Python code as a native iOS app. That path needs Xcode on a Mac.

Apps that make it easier

• Pythonista 3: the main tool for on-device scripts with deep iOS hooks. Accept that it is frozen at Python 3.10.
• Working Copy: the Git client that makes version control possible on iPhone. Budget for Pro if you push.
• GitHub: handy for triaging issues and reviewing pull requests between coding sessions.
• Termius: the fallback when you need more power than iOS allows.
• Termux: the Android equivalent, with a real shell.

If you are still learning the language, structured courses in our Education category, such as Brilliant, can sit alongside your phone practice. Once your first scripts run, you know how to run Python on iPhone well enough to start automating everyday tasks.