---
title: "Xcode 12 Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra"
description: "Is Xcode 12 the right App Building solution for you? Explore 46 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice."
source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/207197/Xcode-12/reviews/"
page_type: "reviews"
language: "en"
---

Xcode 12

4.5 (46)

[View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/207197/Xcode-12/alternatives/)

Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/)

* * *

Last updated September 17th, 2026

# Reviews of Xcode 12

Ease of use

4.2

Customer Service

4.0

## Pros and Cons in Reviews

AN

Alessio N

iOS DeveloperComputer Software, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years.

“Xcode is the best tool for developing iOS apps in Swift: it's very well integrated with the language, the compiler and the source control (Git).“

September 19, 2022

RS

Ryan S

Head of design and implementationSports, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years.

“Cons are that it is very code intensive and difficult to wrap your head around some trickier concepts to bring them to life.“

July 25, 2024

JH

Julian H

UX ConsultantDesign, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years.

“There are not exactly alternatives when building iOS software, and Xcode is ultimately good enough. Once you overcome the initial learning curve and various teething issues, it's pretty quick to deploy new builds to the App Store, for instance.“

January 4, 2023

Saad I

T24 Technical AnalystBanking, 501 - 1,000 employeesUsed the software for: Less than 6 months.

“The entire process of configuring XCODE 12 for the first time can be cumbersome for a newbie.“

July 14, 2021

Yash K

Software Development InternMarketing and Advertising, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months.

“Xcode 12 offers extensive features with the key addition of Swift 5.3 for IOS 14 users, a crucial aspect in development for the new IOS User Interface.“

February 21, 2021

BD

Binigya D

Game DeveloperComputer Games, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years.

“I really dislike the way debugging works on Xcode, it is a cumbersome process.“

March 16, 2021

Ananjaya T

System Integration AnalystFinancial Services, 10,001+ employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years.

“It's easy to use and modifying storyboards makes designing easier.“

October 8, 2021

## Showing most helpful reviews

Showing 1-25 of 46 Reviews

Sort by:

Most Helpful

Rating

Company Size

Reviewer's Role

Length of Use

Frequency of Use

Giuseppe N.  
Software engineer manager  
Information Technology and Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Great update"

April 27, 2022

5.0

Pros

I've been an iOS developer for 10 years and I can tell Apple has done a great job. The management of the devices on which to debug is excellent, and the creation of the builds for the deployment on the store is equally excellent.

Cons

sometimes there is some slowdown when viewing complex storyboards, but completely manageable.

Review Source

MTI

Md. Tohedul I.  
Software Engineer  
Computer Software  
Used the software for: 6-12 months

### "Best all in one programming tool"

April 27, 2021

5.0

I like the debugging and inspection feature. It's the all-in-one complete app, game, and software development software for me. It's recommended for ios apps and games also recommended for any other software development.

Pros

I like the most about this software: ease of use and all-in-one tool feature. So I can do all programming-related work in my Xcode 12. So I don't have to use multiple tools to complete my tasks like app development, software development, and other stuff. Also, like the auto-suggestion tooltips feature. I like to use this software to develop enterprise applications, android, and ios apps and games.

Cons

If I have to build an ios app or game then I must have to use Xcode, I don't like this thing. It shouldn't be bound.

Switched from

[Visual Studio Code](https://www.capterra.com/p/186634/Visual-Studio-Code/)

I make the switch to this software because it's very useful to do my software development and boost my development work. I just have to use a single software if I use this. So I switch to this all-in-one powerful software. So I switch to this.

Review Source

EV

Edwin V.  
DEV Manager  
Financial Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Best Free IDE for Mac users"

July 29, 2026

5.0

My overall experience with Xcode 12 was positive. It provided a complete development environment for creating Apple applications and supported the full development lifecycle, from writing code and designing interfaces to testing and publishing apps. The combination of Swift, SwiftUI, debugging tools, simulators, and device testing made it a powerful platform for application development. I especially liked how Apple continued improving the developer experience with each update. Features like better autocomplete, smarter suggestions, improved previews, and enhanced debugging helped make daily coding tasks more efficient. The customization options were good, allowing developers to configure themes, shortcuts, build settings, and project workflows based on their preferences. For professional developers, Xcode 12 was a reliable tool for building production applications. For beginners, it required some time to learn, but Apple's documentation and examples helped with the learning process. The biggest limitation was that it lacked some of the advanced AI-powered coding assistance available in newer tools, but it still provided a solid and professional environment. Overall, Xcode 12 was a strong release that improved productivity and made Apple platform development more accessible.

Pros

Xcode 12 was a major improvement for Apple developers, especially because it brought better support for modern application development workflows. I liked the improved SwiftUI experience the most, as it made building user interfaces faster and easier to iterate on. Our Dev team need to build quick POC's. The previews feature was very useful because I could see UI changes immediately without constantly running the full application. The improved code completion and debugging tools also helped speed up development. Xcode 12 worked well with Swift Package Manager, making it easier to manage dependencies in larger projects. Another feature I appreciated was the improved support for Apple Silicon and the transition toward new hardware architectures. For developers building apps across iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS, the tools provided a more consistent experience. While Xcode 12 did not focus heavily on AI features, it benefited from intelligent developer assistance such as better code suggestions, autocomplete, and debugging insights that helped reduce development time. Overall, Xcode 12 provided strong value for money because it is included free with macOS and offers professional-level tools for application development.

Cons

The biggest issue with Xcode 12 was that it could still feel heavy and resource-intensive, especially when working on larger projects. Build times could become slow, and indexing sometimes affected productivity. Some developers also experienced stability issues, including occasional crashes or delays when using SwiftUI previews. The learning curve was another challenge for newer developers because there are many settings, project configurations, and Apple-specific development concepts to understand. Although the updates improved many areas, some features still felt incomplete. SwiftUI was improving quickly, but developers coming from UIKit sometimes had to adjust their approach. Code migration between different Xcode versions could also create issues, especially when updating projects that depended on older frameworks or packages. Customer support is mainly community-driven through Apple documentation and developer forums, so finding solutions sometimes required additional research. More advanced AI-assisted coding features that are common in newer development environments were not available at this stage, which meant developers still relied heavily on their own experience and external resources.

Review Source

HB

Hiren B.  
Technical lead  
Telecommunications  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Heavy tool which can lead to your system hang"

September 25, 2020

3.0

Overall it's good tool and updated feature compare to previous XCode. The only conern is the tool size and the memory it takes to run.

Pros

Xcode is good to develop iOS apps. New Xcode features Swift UI is much easier to use for creating UI for iOS apps. The code completion suggestion is very powerful

Cons

when you start opening multiple tabs, it will hit your computer memory very hard and you will face system crash or hang several times.

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
Software Engineer  
Information Technology and Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Best tool for IOS Application Development "

July 9, 2022

5.0

It is very good experience as it is only option to develop the mobile application for IOS. Sometimes I face the challenge related to the developer certificate and provisioning file but rest it is good. Good tool to develop mobile applications.

Pros

1\. Best tool for mobile and web application development. 2. Setting application metadata like media is very easy. 3. Code, test, deploy at one place only. 4. Setting up an team and developer certificate easily. 5. Build time is very fast. 6. Deployment feature is really intelligent as it will assist you till the app is getting deployed on the app store.

Cons

1\. Profile and developer certificate maintenance is one of the great challenge while deploying the application on the app store but once it is setup it is very easy to deploy. 2. Initial setup is requires some extra efforts. 3. It consumes a lot of memory and CPU and requires to wait sometime.

Reason for choosing Xcode 12

As there is no such option available known to me.

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
CTO  
Computer Software  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Best tool for iOS app developer "

February 3, 2022

4.0

Developed 20 applications, using Xcode.

Pros

Ease of use, Speed, Performance. Graphical UI of designs, Auto correcting, Syntax support, Packages, Plugins

Cons

Keep crashing, consumes more memory, a lot of memory in the cache, derived data consumes whole mac space

Review Source

Princely O.  
CEO  
Information Technology and Services  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "An App Builder with a Superior Class"

December 8, 2022

5.0

Pros

When it comes to competition with other app builders, Xcode Apps displays a touch of seniority over others with a superior user interface, a robust system and user experience, and a multifaceted design layout.very unique in terms of features, functionalities, and deployment.After code assembly, you can upload your IPA apps directly to the Apple IOS store, with instant support from the Apple team and a massive community to gain insight from and learn from.

Cons

It takes a long time to load.Why does this only work for the deployment of an iOS app?I'll suggest making it a bit faster to load. Keeping up with all of the updates can be difficult due to unexpected emulator stoppages, builder interruptions, and stoppages. 

Review Source

Nirmal R.  
Software Developer  
Telecommunications  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Best iOS app Development tool"

July 29, 2021

5.0

It is good for iOS app development. till now not faced any issue.

Pros

OverAll Looks of IDE is very good. it is more user friendly by using their tabs and navigation system.

Cons

storyboard are always get conflict when more developers are working on same project.

Review Source

Nabin P.  
CEO  
Computer Software  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Must have tool for Apple developers"

July 15, 2021

5.0

It's a great IDE for the Apple ecosystem.

Pros

Xcode is the only IDE for developing apps for Apple devices. Supports Objective C and Swift programming languages. The excellent user interface, code auto-completion, great documentation, team collaboration features, and app store deployment, all in one single software.

Cons

Xcode requires macOS. Must have a credit card to deploy apps.

Review Source

Manthan P.  
Senior Software Engineer  
Computer Software  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Xcode 12 - With all New Design"

July 5, 2021

5.0

Now Apple has made mandatory to submit the application using iOS14 SDK only so that is only provided by Xcode 12 only.

Pros

It has all new design that certainly look great on macOS Big Sur. It has customisable font size for the navigator. It has the next swift update which means more features, resulting better, cleaner and safer. The new Swift UI App Life Cycle brings a new addition to the initial configuration.

Cons

Hardly any information found to solve problems.

Review Source

Fabiano A.  
Consulente IT  
Information Technology and Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Indispensabile per lo sviluppo su iOS"

February 1, 2023

5.0

Lo utilizzo quasi ogni giorno a lavoro poiché le app che sviluppiamo hanno sia il target Android che iOS. Indispensabile poiché non è possibile produrre build iOS in nessun altro modo.

Pros

Facilità di utilizzo. Ottimo IDE. Utilissimo la funzionalità ad alto livello che permette di collegare codice e UI.

Cons

Durante il debugging capita a volte di perdere il collegamento con il device.

Review Source

AC

Andrei C.  
iOS Software Engineer  
Information Technology and Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Your (only) go-to IDE for developing on Apple platforms"

May 25, 2021

5.0

It's a love and hate relationship, but mostly it's love!

Pros

\- It has tons of small features that can boost your productivity (ex. behaviors); - Has support for building apps for all Apple operating systems (ex. tvOS, watchOS, iOS, etc.); - PLAYGROUNDS; - Very fast and good simulator (compared to Android);

Cons

\- INDEXING... On large projects, the performance starts to drop drastically. Features like "jump to definition", "find call hierarchy" or other refactoring tools stop working; - It can be painful to work with SwiftUI due to Xcode bugs.

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
System Integration Analyst  
Financial Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Takes a lot of space"

October 8, 2021

5.0

Pros

It's easy to use and modifying storyboards makes designing easier.

Cons

It takes a lot of space. Even when I have a lot of memory on my laptop - the simulator just takes a lot of time to load + the app in itself is huge.

Review Source

NG

Nitesh G.  
AI Engineer  
Computer Software  
Used the software for: 6-12 months

### "Review of Xcode"

January 23, 2021

4.0

It is very good and most useful for making apple applications.

Pros

Xcode is well designed and easy to use. It has very good code completion. It has very good community and proper documentation.

Cons

Xcode is only useful for Apple development. Itwould have been great if it could support other platforms.

Review Source

M(C

Marc (pro) C.  
Formateur Réseau  
Professional Training & Coaching  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "Swift SwiftUI"

April 8, 2021

5.0

Pros

avec une formation video sur SWIFT. C'est un logiciel pratique pour développer .

Cons

ne fonctionne que sur macOs le système d'exploitation d'Apple.

Review Source

AR

Aysan R.  
Big Data Engineer  
Computer Software  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Super Fast and Intuitive IDE"

September 25, 2020

5.0

Pros

I learned mobile programing in XCode. It is very clean and easy for debugging and troubleshooting. The simulators are also very easy to be used.

Cons

The migration from one iOS to another iOS version will cause lots of code change an its automation sometimes make things worse.

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
IT engineer  
Information Technology and Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Un IDE fondamentale ma pieno di bug e lento"

March 16, 2023

3.0

Non si può prescindere da Xcode se si vuole programmare per dispositivi iOS ma l'IDE presenta numerosi difetti che rendono difficile e lenta la programmazione.

Pros

Xcode è un scelta obbligata per chi si accinge allo sviluppo di applicazioni iOS e macOS. Ho trovato l' interfaccia utente abbastanza intuitiva anche se può all'inizio disorientare un nuovo utente ma a mio avviso l'unico vero pregio di questo IDE è l'emulatore integrato che permette di debuggare le applicazioni anche senza avere un dispositivo apple fisico (permettendo di risparmiare parecchio)

Cons

I difetti purtroppo superano i pregi. Innanzitutto per utilizzare Xcode è necessario avere un Mac (molto oneroso) ma il problema principale è che l'IDE soprattutto nelle ultime versioni presenta numerosi bug. inoltre è molto lento in fase di compilazione e di segnalazione degli errori. Infine scaricare xcode e gli sdk necessari alla programmazione di app mobile occupa molto spazio sull'hardisk

Review Source

PP

Phanit P.  
iOS Developer  
Financial Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Standard IDE for iOS Development"

September 8, 2021

5.0

I've been using Xcode for a while (over 10 years). Xcode 12 adds a lot of features to existing features to include a lot of support for SwiftUI. Overall, it's a must-have tool for Apple Development.

Pros

The autocompletion feature is nice for Swift and Objective-C. Xcode 12 can be used to submit the app directly into the app store. Xcode 12 has a lot of great documentation since it has been the standard tool for iOS development for a while. The simulator can be used to simulate different devices with different Operating Systems.

Cons

Xcode provides a lot of advanced options in their User Interface, but a lot of options can be overwhelming. Storyboard merges can be nearly impossible to resolve. Sometimes, an error message can be difficult to debug. Frequent updates. Requires 40GB of free space to update on the latest versions.

Reason for choosing Xcode 12

There was no alternative option since Xcode was the standard IDE for Apple

Review Source

BD

Binigya D.  
Game Developer  
Computer Games  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "The only option for iOS development"

March 16, 2021

4.0

It is the only option for iOS app development, so you are stuck with it if you want to make any iOS apps or games. I did have a good experience using it, as it does have a slick UI and some nifty features going for it, but I found my experience to also be mildly frustrating at times.

Pros

As with any Apple product, I love the Slick UI and the UX of XCode. It is a daunting and a complex beast of an IDE, but it does look good and you can access stuff you want easily. It also has such an easy connection for releasing TestFlight apps and making archives for the App store, which does compensate for some of its frustrations and quirks. I also loved the emulators, which are pretty light on the system and do work so smoothly to test out your apps.

Cons

I really dislike the way debugging works on Xcode, it is a cumbersome process. Also, while exporting archives and app packages, it raises errors after a substantial amount of time instead of warning about it earlier on. And, the permission settings are pretty confusing and the countless amounts of errors I have gotten due it is a painful experience to have. Finally, it is really slow at times. I've used it on a Mac mini and a Macbook pro and the plodding performance has always been an issue for me.

Review Source

VT

Viktor T.  
Software engineer in test  
Information Technology and Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Xcode user as QA"

February 22, 2023

4.0

It is a usable development environment with many great features, at the same time a sometimes less user friendly user interface

Pros

Xcode is essentially the only tool with which it is relatively convenient to develop applications on Apple devices. It has a lot of features, but from the QA positions I like the source code debugger the most, it's top quality

Cons

Unfortunately, Xcode has several bugs, the app often crashes when it is committed to other branches. The application does not compile, but the exact error is not reported. It has less user friendly user interface.

Review Source

TB

Tim B.  
Senior iOS Developer  
Financial Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "The only real tool for Swift development for iOS"

April 6, 2022

4.0

Pros

XCode is packed with development features for iPhones and iPads. Ranging from the best code auto-completion tools in the industry (in my opinion) to its very accurate and fast simulators it is simply the best place to start with native iOS app development.

Cons

Theres constantly bugs in the software - particularly around a major release. These bugs tend to be removed or fade over the next year before a whole new set of bugs get introduced again. Some confounding bugs recently were released in XCode 13.2 in which the Mac App store version of the app didn't work and required a fresh install. Quality control isn't always there.

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
Chief Architect  
Computer Software  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "A user friendly IDE for iOS developers"

October 28, 2023

5.0

Pros

Many of the build tools are automated, such as code correction, debugging, and deployment. This feature saves the developer time in building app.

Cons

You need Apple Mac in order to use this tool. Apple devices are necessary for building an app.

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
Software Engineer  
Computer Software  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "Excellent for Swift Development"

March 23, 2021

5.0

Working on iOS App development, XCode has really upped the game for an IDE using the native languages. Compared to Android Development with Android Studio, or even something like React-Native, XCode was miles ahead in terms of features, ease of use and reliability.

Pros

This product is THE way to handle Swift development for macOS and iOS. I've never had it crash on me, the built-in compiler is top notch and it is incredibly easy to send an application over to your mobile device

Cons

This software CAN be used for things like C++ development. Don't use it for that, there are better options out there. Its handling of anything NOT native Apple-developed Swift is very hit or miss for usability.

Review Source

RA

Rishad A.  
IT Manager  
Information Technology and Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "One and only IDE for developing mobile/desktop application for MacOS, iOS, iPadOS, WatchOS and TVOS"

June 12, 2023

5.0

From developing to deployment, XCode is a single suite to do all of, which is super easy. Also for developing any App for Apple devices, XCode is mandatory. You can build an app without it. Even with Flutter

Pros

Apple creates XCode for developing apps for various Apple devices. It has all the required tools for developing & deploying an app. No additional tool is required for deployment. We can do it directly from Apple XCode

Cons

XCode itself is good. We need to pay 99$ per annum for a developer account, which is very expensive compared to Google PlayStore. We can use XCode without purchasing a developer account, but that limits many options such as sharing a test app with friends.

Review Source

AN

Alessio N.  
iOS Developer  
Computer Software  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Best IDE for developing iOS apps"

September 19, 2022

4.0

Pros

Xcode is the best tool for developing iOS apps in Swift: it's very well integrated with the language, the compiler and the source control (Git). You can easily start developing your first mobile app for iPhone or you can use it for huge and professional products.

Cons

It’s not rare that the program crashes or is unresponsive, especially with big projects. The issue is easily fixed restarting the program.

Review Source

Similar Products

Featured