# Kodex vs iSH Shell

The clearest difference is rating: iSH Shell at 4.7 against Kodex's 4.2. iSH Shell also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (80% vs 63%). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Kodex sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. iSH Shell asks for nothing beyond the download.

iSH Shell holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iSH Shell has 1.3K ratings behind it against 209, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Kodex's written reviews are positive against 80% of iSH Shell's.

Kodex ships an update monthly, iSH Shell every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 11, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Kodex | iSH Shell |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (209 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kodex/id1038574481/reviews) | **[4.7 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ish-shell/id1436902243/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 209 | **1.3K** |
| Positive reviews | 63.1% of reviews | **80.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | #81 | **#25** |
| Size | 14 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.4 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Bruno Philipe Resende Silva](https://appshunter.io/developer/605892017) | [Theodore Dubois](https://appshunter.io/developer/1432356577) |

## What reviewers say

### Kodex

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kodex/id1038574481)

**Currently charting:** #81 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

An advanced code editor for iOS devices, offering desktop-class features like multi-caret editing, regex search, and syntax highlighting for over 150 languages. It integrates with the Files app and supports external keyboards for a seamless coding experience.

**Highlights:** Multi-caret editing, Regex search and replace, Minimap for navigation, Syntax highlighting (150+ languages), External keyboard support, Files app integration, Customizable themes and fonts

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tip | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful code editor
- 👍 Well-integrated with iPad features
- 🎨 Excellent syntax highlighting and theming
- 📁 Broad file format support
- 💡 Useful QuickEdit mode

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🔍 Lack of search and replace functionality
- 🔀 Difficulty navigating between files
- 🚫 No option to run/compile code
- 📏 Forced word wrapping with no toggle

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when opening certain file types
- Loses data after copy/paste and undo/redo
- Compatibility issues with latest iOS versions
- Overlapping UI elements in search/replace

**Requested features**

- Add search and replace feature
- Implement code execution/compilation
- Improve file management and navigation
- Provide option to disable word wrapping
- Introduce more keyboard shortcuts


### iSH Shell

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ish-shell/id1436902243)

**Currently charting:** #25 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

Experience a Linux-like command-line environment directly on your iOS device. This application allows you to perform common Linux operations such as editing, moving, and manipulating files using familiar commands.

**Highlights:** Linux-like shell environment, File editing with sed and cat, File manipulation, Command-line operations, Pocket Linux experience

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent Linux environment
- 👍 Great for SSH and network utilities
- 💡 Allows running Linux apps on iOS
- 🔒 Secure and sandboxed
- 👍 Customizable and flexible

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🔋 Battery intensive
- ⚠️ Limited functionality compared to full Linux
- ⚠️ Outdated packages and dependencies

**Reported bugs**

- Cursor focus issues
- Incompatibility with certain commands and packages
- Mounting issues with iOS file system

**Requested features**

- Add support for more Linux distributions
- Improve performance and stability
- Implement GUI support
- Add shortcuts and automation features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Kodex free?

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

### Is iSH Shell free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Kodex or iSH Shell?

iSH Shell is rated higher. Kodex averages 4.2 out of 5 from 209 ratings, while iSH Shell averages 4.7 from 1.3K ratings.

### Do Kodex or iSH Shell have ads?

Neither Kodex nor iSH Shell shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Kodex or iSH Shell?

Kodex ships an update monthly, and iSH Shell every 3 weeks. Most recently, Kodex was updated on November 11, 2026 and iSH Shell on November 11, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Kodex or iSH Shell?

Kodex currently peaks at #81 in the App Store charts, and iSH Shell at #25. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*