# Stream vs a

The clearest difference is rating: a at 4.6 against Stream's 4.1. a also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2). Stream's advantage is iOS requirement (9 vs 14.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Stream sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. a asks for nothing beyond the download.

a holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 133 and 120 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 79% of Stream's written reviews are positive against 78% of a's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Stream ships an update every 3 weeks, a every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Stream | a |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (133 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stream-network-debug-tool/id1312141691/reviews) | **[4.6 (120 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-shell-mini/id1543537943/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **133** | 120 |
| Positive reviews | **78.9% of reviews** | 77.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#33** | #58 |
| Size | 33 MB | 373 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Stream Lab Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1499306893) | [Nicolas Holzschuch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1450994948) |

## What reviewers say

### Stream

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stream-network-debug-tool/id1312141691)

**Currently charting:** #33 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

This tool allows developers to inspect HTTP and HTTPS network traffic on iOS devices. It enables capturing requests, replaying them, and managing host configurations for testing different environments. Essential for debugging network issues and understanding application behavior.

**Highlights:** Sniff HTTP & HTTPS requests, Capture and preview request/response bodies, Compose and replay HTTP requests, Configure hosts for environment switching, Import and replay HAR files, Compatible with iPhone X and iPad multitasking

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Coke | $0.99 | one-time |
| Coffee | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Free and powerful HTTP packet sniffer tool
- 👍 Simple and intuitive user interface
- 🔧 Useful for network debugging and troubleshooting
- 💡 Built-in JSON viewer and utilities (RSA, Base64 encryption/decryption)
- ✏️ Ability to edit and resend requests

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Certificate installation fails on iOS 18.x versions
- 🐛 Gacha history recording not working properly
- 🐛 'Code 0' error when generating JSON links
- 🐛 VPN profile conflicts requiring app reinstallation
- ⚠️ Requires installing system certificates (security concern)

**Reported bugs**

- Certificate installation fails on iOS 18.1 and 18.2
- Gacha/wish history not being captured correctly
- Code 0 error when retrieving JSON links
- VPN profiles becoming non-functional after app use
- Server connection issues (192.168.0.2:8081 unreachable)

**Requested features**

- Select all requests button for bulk export
- Ability to delete individual capture sessions/records
- Gzip response content decompression
- Breakpoint setting for request modification
- Media file saving capability


### a

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-shell-mini/id1543537943)

**Currently charting:** #58 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

Run Unix commands locally on your iOS device with a powerful terminal emulator. Supports file transfer, editing, scripting with Python and Lua, and network utilities. Integrates with Shortcuts and supports multiple windows for multitasking.

**Highlights:** Local Unix terminal emulator, SSH client, File transfer (scp, curl), Text editing (vim, ed), Scripting (Python, Lua, JavaScript), Network utilities (nslookup, ping), Shortcuts integration, Multi-window support

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great app for shortcuts
- 🚀 Efficient and functional
- 💡 Useful for IT tasks
- ✨ Free and awesome
- 💻 Good for remote server connection

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Font size not adjustable
- 🐛 Keyboard icons too large
- 🐛 App deletes itself
- 🐛 Rotating screen scrambles display
- 🐛 Pasting text shows strange characters

**Reported bugs**

- Keyboard icons comically large
- App deletes itself
- Rotating iPhone/iPad scrambles display
- Pasting text results in strange characters
- App only uses half of the screen when editing files

**Requested features**

- Option to use old keyboard buttons
- Add openssl support
- Add libx265 codec for ffmpeg
- Support telnet command
- Add possibility to compile from source


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Stream free?

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

### Is a free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Stream or a?

a is rated higher. Stream averages 4.1 out of 5 from 133 ratings, while a averages 4.6 from 120 ratings.

### Do Stream or a have ads?

Neither Stream nor a shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Stream or a?

Stream ships an update every 3 weeks, and a every 2 weeks. Most recently, Stream was updated on October 1, 2026 and a on September 29, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Stream or a?

Stream currently peaks at #33 in the App Store charts, and a at #58. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*