# Serial Control vs Terminal

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Terminal at 49% against Serial Control's 0%. Terminal also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 5 weeks). Serial Control's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Terminal sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Serial Control asks for nothing beyond the download.

Serial Control ships an update every 5 weeks, Terminal every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Serial Control | Terminal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.4 (110 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/terminal-sftp-and-ssh-client/id6503295365/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **110** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **48.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 6 MB | 52 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [StarTech.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/983360067) | [Soufiane Benabid](https://appshunter.io/developer/938808835) |

## What reviewers say

### Serial Control

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/serial-control/id1126359830)

Create custom interfaces for serial devices from your smartphone or tablet. Design control pages with buttons and sliders, build command libraries, and automate actions based on device responses. Seamlessly integrate with StarTech.com serial products.

**Highlights:** Customizable control interfaces, Command library builder, Event-based action automation, Automatic device detection, Integrated account control, HEX and ASCII command editor

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Terminal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/terminal-sftp-and-ssh-client/id6503295365)

This advanced client provides developers with a streamlined way to manage Linux, SSH, Telnet, and SFTP connections. It offers features like AI assistance for server building, multi-tab management, and integrated editors to enhance productivity and simplify remote access.

**Highlights:** SSH, Mosh, Telnet, Port Forwarding, SFTP support, AI chatbot for server building assistance, Personalized themes and fonts per connection, Multi-tab interface for simultaneous sessions, SFTP file manager with nano and vim editors, Connection history and saved snippets, Vaults, multi-team, groups, and tags organization

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Terminal - Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Terminal - Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| Terminal - Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Terminal - Yearly | $69.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy setup
- 👍 Helpful for SSH
- 💡 Works on Raspberry Pi

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Authentication issues after updates
- 🐛 Telnet not working as expected
- 🔒 Concerns about cloud storage of credentials

**Reported bugs**

- SSH unable to connect after v3.4 update
- Crashes when attempting to connect
- Backspace/delete key not working

**Requested features**

- Guest option more prominent
- iPad optimization
- Chinese language support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Serial Control free?

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

### Is Terminal free?

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

### Do Serial Control or Terminal have ads?

Neither Serial Control nor Terminal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Serial Control or Terminal?

Serial Control ships an update every 5 weeks, and Terminal every 9 days. Most recently, Serial Control was updated on October 3, 2026 and Terminal on October 8, 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.*