# SSH Tunnel vs Code App

SSH Tunnel and Code App both sit at 4.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 64% of Code App's written reviews are positive against 46% of SSH Tunnel's. Code App also leads on price ($6.99 vs $9.99) and chart position (#8 vs #56). On rating, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

SSH Tunnel costs $9.99 and Code App $6.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.0 for SSH Tunnel against 4.0 for Code App. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 148 and 303 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 46% of SSH Tunnel's written reviews are positive against 64% of Code App's.

SSH Tunnel ships an update every 6 weeks, Code App monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SSH Tunnel | Code App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **$6.99** |
| Rating | [4.0 (148 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ssh-tunnel-vpn-and-socks5-proxy/id1260223542/reviews) | **[4.0 (303 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/code-app/id1512938504/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 148 | **303** |
| Positive reviews | 46.2% of reviews | **63.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #56 | **#8** |
| Size | 17 MB | 963 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mobibean, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1142567045) | [thebaselab Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1452525755) |

## What reviewers say

### SSH Tunnel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ssh-tunnel-vpn-and-socks5-proxy/id1260223542)

**Currently charting:** #56 Top Paid · Developer Tools (US App Store)

Securely manage SSH tunnels and port forwarding on your mobile device. Configure local SOCKS5 proxies and private tunnels to your own server, with support for various authentication methods and advanced traffic redirection rules.

**Highlights:** Local Port Forwarding, Dynamic Port Forwarding (SOCKS5 proxy), Password, Private Key, 2FA authentication, Multiple SSH Key support, Connection Export & Import, Proxy Auto-Configuration (PAC) file support

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✅ Works well for SSH tunneling when used as intended
- 🌐 Supports SOCKS5 dynamic forwarding
- 🔐 Supports multiple SSH key formats
- 📱 Useful built-in browser for tunnel access
- ⚙️ Proxy auto-configuration (PAC) support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🚫 Cannot maintain SSH tunnel in background (30-second limit)
- ⚠️ App disconnects when switched to other applications
- 💰 Expensive for limited functionality ($7.99-$10)
- 🔄 Lacks transparency about iOS limitations in description
- 🌐 In-app browser leaks user IP address

**Reported bugs**

- 2FA login not working despite being advertised
- In-app browser unable to access localhost or local IP addresses
- Private key parsing issues (requires proper line endings)
- Connection drops frequently (every 5 minutes in some cases)
- App crashes unexpectedly

**Requested features**

- Background app refresh capability
- VPN interface implementation for system-wide traffic routing
- Multiple simultaneous tunnels
- Tabs in built-in browser
- Remote port forwarding support


### Code App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/code-app/id1512938504)

**Currently charting:** #8 Top Paid · Developer Tools, #75 Top Grossing · Developer Tools (US App Store)

This app offers a desktop-class code editing experience on iPadOS. It includes built-in runtimes for popular languages like Node.js, Python, and Java, along with advanced features such as autocompletion and Git integration.

**Highlights:** Desktop-class code editor, Built-in Node.js, Python, C, C++, PHP, Java runtimes, Autocompletion and language features, Local file system support, SSH/FTP remote connection, Embedded terminal, Git version control

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SSH Tunnel free?

SSH Tunnel costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Code App free?

Code App costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SSH Tunnel or Code App?

Code App is rated higher. SSH Tunnel averages 4.0 out of 5 from 148 ratings, while Code App averages 4.0 from 303 ratings.

### Do SSH Tunnel or Code App have ads?

Neither SSH Tunnel nor Code App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SSH Tunnel or Code App?

SSH Tunnel ships an update every 6 weeks, and Code App monthly. Most recently, SSH Tunnel was updated on November 1, 2026 and Code App on October 29, 2026.

### Which is more popular, SSH Tunnel or Code App?

SSH Tunnel currently peaks at #56 in the App Store charts, and Code App at #8. 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.*