# SSH Tunnel vs ValetFS

The clearest difference is price: ValetFS at Free against SSH Tunnel's $9.99. ValetFS also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 6 weeks) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). SSH Tunnel's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and chart position (#10 vs unranked). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

ValetFS is free to download; SSH Tunnel costs $9.99 up front. ValetFS sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SSH Tunnel asks for nothing beyond the download.

SSH Tunnel ships an update every 6 weeks, ValetFS every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SSH Tunnel | ValetFS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.0 (148 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ssh-tunnel-vpn-and-socks5-proxy/id1260223542/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **148** | — |
| Positive reviews | 46.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Best chart rank | **#10** | — |
| Size | 17 MB | 33 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mobibean, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1142567045) | [Youngjune Kwon](https://appshunter.io/developer/401877953) |

## What reviewers say

### SSH Tunnel

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

**Currently charting:** #10 Top Paid · Developer Tools, #92 Top Grossing · 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


### ValetFS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/valetfs/id6804526734)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ValetFS Pro | $8.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SSH Tunnel free?

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

### Is ValetFS free?

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

### Do SSH Tunnel or ValetFS have ads?

Neither SSH Tunnel nor ValetFS shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SSH Tunnel or ValetFS?

SSH Tunnel ships an update every 6 weeks, and ValetFS every 4 days. Most recently, SSH Tunnel was updated on November 2, 2026 and ValetFS on October 29, 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.*