# SSH Client vs OpenAssistant

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: OpenAssistant at none against SSH Client's 3. OpenAssistant also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8). SSH Client's advantage is ratings volume (1.5K vs 2) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SSH Client sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. OpenAssistant asks for nothing beyond the download.

OpenAssistant holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SSH Client has 1.5K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

SSH Client ships an update weekly, OpenAssistant every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SSH Client | OpenAssistant |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ssh-client-secure-shellfish/id1336634154/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openassistant/id6692613772/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.5K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 94.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#29** | — |
| Size | 128 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.4 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Anders Borum](https://appshunter.io/developer/343532883) | [Gunnar Hostetler](https://appshunter.io/developer/1768599987) |

## What reviewers say

### SSH Client

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ssh-client-secure-shellfish/id1336634154)

**Currently charting:** #29 Top Grossing · Developer Tools, #154 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

This app provides a fast SSH terminal and remote file access, seamlessly integrating your SSH servers with your iOS device. It offers advanced text editing gestures, drag-and-drop file management, and built-in tmux support for persistent sessions. Access your server's file system directly within the Files app and automate transfers via Shortcuts.

**Highlights:** Lightning fast SSH terminal, Remote file access and management, Standard and custom text editing gestures, Drag-and-drop file transfer, Built-in tmux support for session persistence, Files app integration for server file system, Shortcuts app integration for automation

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ShellFish Monthly subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| ShellFish Annual subscription | $14.99 | per year |
| ShellFish Lifetime Pro Unlock | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Turns iPad into productivity machine
- 🚀 Seamless SSH experience
- 👍 Excellent integration with Files app
- 👍 Robust key management and syncing
- 👍 Powerful terminal with great features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezes
- 🐛 Inconsistent behavior with some commands
- 🔒 Concerns about data privacy and security

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when running certain commands
- Issues with file transfer progress reporting

**Requested features**

- Improved documentation and tutorials
- Support for additional authentication methods
- Customizable keyboard shortcuts and layouts
- Tabbed terminal interface


### OpenAssistant

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openassistant/id6692613772)

This app allows users to create and manage custom AI assistants for quick answers about files. It integrates with vector stores for efficient semantic search and supports natural conversations with uploaded documents.

**Highlights:** Create and customize AI assistants, Manage multiple assistants, Integrate with vector stores, Upload and search multiple file types, Natural language conversations with documents, Choose ChatGPT models

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SSH Client free?

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

### Is OpenAssistant free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SSH Client or OpenAssistant?

OpenAssistant is rated higher. SSH Client averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while OpenAssistant averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do SSH Client or OpenAssistant have ads?

Neither SSH Client nor OpenAssistant shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SSH Client or OpenAssistant?

SSH Client ships an update weekly, and OpenAssistant every 3 weeks. Most recently, SSH Client was updated on October 5, 2026 and OpenAssistant on September 23, 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.*