# Shellby: SSH Client & Terminal — SFTP, tunnels & server monitor > Native SSH client for Apple devices with AI command generation and Mosh support. (iPhone/iPad app by 荟 马.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shellby-ssh-client-and-terminal/id6786177565 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [荟 马](https://appshunter.io/developer/1859998670) - Category: Developer Tools, Utilities - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 17.0 · 15 MB - Languages: American English, Chinese (Traditional, Taiwan), Chinese (Simplified, China) - Released: 2026-07-06 - Data updated: 2026-08-30 - Monetization: freemium - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shellby-ssh-client-and-terminal/id6786177565/reviews.md ## What is Shellby? Shellby is a modern, native SSH client for iPhone, iPad, and Mac — one app, one experience across all your Apple devices. It does more than connect: a built-in AI agent turns plain-language ops tasks into commands and asks for your approval before running each one, and Mosh-compatible transport keeps your session alive across network changes. Built for developers, sysadmins, and anyone who manages remote servers. No account, no tracking. AI ASSISTANT & AGENT (BRING YOUR OWN KEY) • Describe an ops task in plain language — the agent plans and runs commands step by step • Every command passes an approval gate; destructive actions require explicit confirmation — nothing runs behind your back • Customizable command allow/deny lists; approve & allowlist in one tap • Connects via standard chat-completion APIs to the service you choose — e.g. DeepSeek, Kimi, GLM, Qwen, or a local Ollama model • Off by default; you supply your own API key and endpoint — the app ships with no AI service built in MOSH-COMPATIBLE CONNECTIONS • Switch from Wi-Fi to cellular, roam between networks, ride through a tunnel — your session survives and resumes instantly • Typing stays responsive even on slow, high-latency links • Connection test detects a missing mosh-server and offers install instructions for your distro TERMINAL • Fast, standards-compliant terminal (xterm-256color) • Password and SSH key authentication (Ed25519 / RSA / OpenSSH) • On-screen key bar: Esc, Tab, Ctrl combos, arrows, common symbols • Full hardware-keyboard mapping on iPad and Mac • Terminal themes and adjustable font size • Scrollback buffer up to 50,000 lines SNIPPETS & COMMAND TOOLBAR • Save the commands you use every day; run, insert, or copy them from a toolbar right above the terminal • Shell syntax highlighting and line numbers; review a snippet before you run it DESKTOP-CLASS ON MAC & iPAD • Three-column layout: hosts, sessions, and content each in their place • Multiple windows and session tabs; session cards with live terminal previews • Split view — several sessions side by side • Command broadcast — type once, send to many sessions • Native menu bar, keyboard shortcuts, and window toolbar on Mac FILES (SFTP) • Browse, upload, download, rename, move, delete, create folders • One transfer queue for uploads and downloads — progress, resume, and a choice of download destination • Drag & drop on Mac; system notification when background transfers finish • Integrates with the Files app PORT FORWARDING & TUNNELS • Local (-L), remote (-R), and dynamic SOCKS5 (-D) forwarding • Jump hosts / ProxyJump (-J) with multi-hop chains • Standalone tunnels that stay up and auto-reconnect, with live bandwidth • For reaching services inside your own server network (databases, internal dashboards) — not for bypassing network restrictions SERVER MONITOR • Live CPU, memory, swap, disk, load average, and top processes SYNC — YOUR DATA, YOUR STORAGE • Optional iCloud sync of hosts, groups, and rules (CloudKit); passwords and keys travel only through the end-to-end-encrypted iCloud Keychain • Or bring your own storage: sync hosts, keys, snippets, and AI settings & chats via any WebDAV or S3-compatible service you control • Pair a new device by scanning a QR code — nothing to retype SECURITY & PRIVACY • Credentials stored only in the device Keychain — never in plaintext • Host fingerprint verification (TOFU), with a strong warning if a fingerprint ever changes • Face ID / Touch ID app lock • No account, no tracking, no data collection You bring your own SSH servers; Shellby connects only to machines you own or are authorized to access. Languages: English, 简体中文, 繁體中文. Privacy Policy: https://shellby.app.mahui.me/privacy/ Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ ## Key features - AI-powered command generation - Mosh-compatible sessions - SFTP file transfer - Port forwarding and tunnels - Server monitoring (CPU, memory) - On-screen key bar ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **Subscriptions** | Subscription | Price | Period | | --- | --- | --- | | Pro Monthly | $1.99 | per month | | Pro Yearly | $9.99 | per year | **One-time purchases** | Purchase | Price | Type | | --- | --- | --- | | Pro Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time | ## Recent user reviews (1 of 1) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shellby-ssh-client-and-terminal/id6786177565/reviews.md ### 5/5 — useful and powerful *2026-08-07* the ops agent is the most powerful tools that I have used ## Frequently asked questions about Shellby ### What is Shellby? Shellby is a native SSH client for iPhone, iPad, and Mac that provides SFTP, tunnels, and server monitoring. It aims to offer a seamless experience across all Apple devices. ### Does Shellby have ads? No, Shellby does not contain advertisements. The app is free to download and use, with optional subscription plans for advanced features. ### What are the subscription options for Shellby? Shellby offers 'Pro Monthly' for $1.99 and 'Pro Yearly' for $9.99, which includes a 7-day free trial. These subscriptions unlock advanced features beyond the free tier. ### How does Shellby's AI assistant work? The AI assistant in Shellby translates plain-language operational tasks into commands. Each command requires your approval before execution, with explicit confirmation for destructive actions. ### What makes Shellby's connections Mosh-compatible? Mosh-compatible transport ensures your SSH session remains alive and resumes instantly even when switching networks (Wi-Fi to cellular) or experiencing brief disconnections. Typing remains responsive on high-latency links. ### What devices does Shellby support? Shellby is available on Mac, iPhone, and iPad, offering a consistent experience across these Apple platforms. ### How often is Shellby updated? The latest version of Shellby is 1.1.1, last updated on August 5, 2026. Updates typically occur frequently to introduce new features and improve stability. ### Can I use my own AI models with Shellby? Yes, Shellby allows you to connect to your chosen chat-completion APIs, such as DeepSeek, Kimi, GLM, Qwen, or a local Ollama model. You supply your own API key and endpoint, as the app does not include a built-in AI service. ## Version history (last 4 releases) ### 1.1.1 — 2026-08-05 A round of stability and polish fixes. Keys & credentials • RSA private key import completed: classic PKCS#1 supported, public keys derived from the private key for real • Private keys are now always stored as OpenSSH PEM, fixing binary keys being corrupted by sync • New "re-push credentials to iCloud Keychain" in Settings, for when another device is missing them • Credentials carried over from older versions are normalised automatically — nothing for you to do Terminal • Fixed terminals filling only a corner of the window after reconnecting (vim, htop and other full-screen programs) • iPhone & iPad: you can now scroll back through history during continuous output such as tail -f • Steadier Mosh-compatible connections: fixed stalls caused by out-of-order packets being discarded as replays, and spurious "link interrupted" warnings on a perfectly healthy link • Mosh-compatible sessions keep no scrollback (a protocol limitation) — the first time you scroll up we explain why and what to use instead AI agent • Replies render as Markdown instead of showing raw ** and backticks • Approval cards stay fully readable: long commands and rationales scroll inside the card, and destructive commands get a "view full command" link — no more approving what you couldn't finish reading • Adding a follow-up task in the same conversation now regenerates the plan iPhone UI • The terminal's top bar now follows your terminal theme's light/dark, with the status bar and keyboard matching • SSH / Mosh-compatible badges on tabs are far easier to read Sync • Fixed duplicate host rows reappearing after being removed, via iCloud Keep the feedback coming! ### 1.1.0 — 2026-07-25 Shellby 1.1.0 is our biggest update yet. Mosh-compatible connections • New Mosh-compatible transport: switch from Wi-Fi to 5G, ride an elevator, go through a tunnel — your session stays alive and picks up where it left off • Typing stays smooth even on slow, high-latency links • No mosh-server on the box? The connection test detects it and offers install instructions for your distro Third-party sync — your data, your storage • Sync hosts, keys, snippets, AI settings and chats across devices via your own WebDAV or S3-compatible storage — your data never touches anyone else's server • Effortless pairing: scan a QR code or pick an image on iPhone, import the image on Mac • Sync is now a top-level settings section — manage iCloud and third-party sync in one place Refreshed navigation & UI • Brand-new three-column layout on Mac and iPad • Native tab bar on iPhone; session cards show a live terminal preview • Files, monitor and AI now slide in from the right inside a session • Mac gains a full native menu bar, keyboard shortcuts and window toolbar Snippets & terminal • New command toolbar above the terminal: run, insert or copy your snippets in one tap • Snippet library redesigned: shell syntax highlighting, line numbers, review before you run • Tunnels can now be edited and deleted; ⌘K clears the terminal locally SFTP • Downloads join the transfer queue with a choice of destination; more reliable resume • Drag & drop upload on Mac; system notification when background transfers finish AI agent (bring your own key) • Custom command allow/deny lists; approve & allowlist in one tap • sudo password prompts supported; the agent suspends on disconnect and resumes when you're back online Plus plenty of stability fixes: a rare crash, a keychain edge case that could lose saved passwords, iCloud sync being silently switched off — and a strong warning when a host's key fingerprint changes. Keep the feedback coming! ### 1.0.5 — 2026-07-14 Every improvement in this update comes from feedback by @break on V2EX — thank you: • AI panel: message text is now selectable, with a one-tap copy button on every reply • AI panel: command output is shown in full, no more truncation • AI panel: resizable width (drag the panel's left edge on Mac, the divider on iPad) • New "Copy on Select" for the terminal: selected text goes straight to the clipboard, just like iTerm (Mac, Settings ▸ Terminal) • File-write diff previews can now expand to show all changes • Fixed: the host-fingerprint prompt could appear behind the New Host form or the Tunnels panel Also in this update: • iPhone & iPad: fixed the garbled display when searching and scrolling in vim and other full-screen programs • Mac: hold a letter key to repeat it — press-and-hold now scrolls continuously in vim, less and friends • Sturdier AI agent, SSH and terminal sessions, with fewer hiccups on flaky connections • Refreshed Mac app icon, localization and polish throughout Keep the feedback coming! ### 1.0.3 — 2026-07-10 No release notes. ## Apps similar to Shellby | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Yado: Claude Code & Codex](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/yado-claude-code-and-codex/id6757281931) | — | Free | Developer Tools | | [AI Coding Focus - Vibez](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ai-coding-focus-vibez/id6775433780) | 5.0 (1) | Free | Developer Tools | | [Simple JavaScript](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-javascript/id6782952012) | — | Free | Developer Tools | | [KKCode](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kkcode/id6780920001) | 5.0 (1) | Free | Developer Tools | | [MuxAgent: Remote Coding](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/muxagent-remote-coding/id6761751534) | — | Free | Developer Tools | | [Agentmux](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/agentmux/id6766158521) | — | Free | Developer Tools | ## More apps by 荟 马 - [Flick - Swipe Photo Cleaner](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flick-swipe-photo-cleaner/id6775711311) All apps by 荟 马: https://appshunter.io/developer/1859998670 --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-30.*