Comparison

SSH Client vs Pling

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SSH Client

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
Read full description

Lightning fast SSH terminal with remote file access. No other app fuses your SSH servers and iOS devices as well as Secure ShellFish. Tap Get and see for yourself. Terminal supports standard text editing gestures for selection, scrolling and copy/paste as well as custom gestures to send arrow keys and tabulator making shell entry and full screen editing with vim or emacs delightful. Bar above the keyboard makes it easy to type special keys and insert snippets. Select and drag filenames out of the terminal as actual files and drag files from other apps into the terminal to upload. Use built-in tmux support to persist terminal sessions if you lose Internet access, pick existing sessions with thumbnails and Handoff sessions between devices. Server file system is available in the Files app and recently accessed files and directories are cached to make them available when offline. Use apps like Textastic and iA Writer for a native editing experience working on your remote server files. Upload files or entire directories from the share sheet with minimal friction as the last destination directory for each kind of file is remembered or automate file transfers in the Shortcuts app. Connect to your Mac, Synology NAS and any other SSH server or create new Digital Ocean droplets right from the app. Secure ShellFish is useful as a free app and paying pro users can disable ads in the terminal, upload through the Files app and configure unlimited number of servers.

About

Pling

This app provides a powerful SSH client and push notification platform for managing servers on mobile devices. It offers a full terminal experience, AI command generation, server monitoring, and SFTP file management. Users can also triage notifications and check host status from their Apple Watch.

Highlights
  • Full SSH and Mosh terminal emulation
  • Push notifications for server events
  • AI-powered command generation
  • Real-time server monitoring
  • SFTP file manager
  • Customizable terminal themes
  • Split-pane terminals on iPad
Features
Read full description

Your servers, in your pocket. Pling is the most powerful SSH client and push notification platform for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. Spin up a terminal in seconds, or say what you want done and let Pling run the session. COMMAND AGENT Describe a task in plain English and Pling runs the SSH session for you: planning, dispatching, reading output, and adjusting as it goes. It asks on real decisions and stops before anything destructive. Launch it from the new Spotlight launcher or any terminal. SSH & TERMINAL A real terminal: full ANSI color, true emulation, and good-looking themes. Connect with SSH or Mosh. Mosh keeps sessions alive through subway tunnels and cellular handoffs. Jump hosts, SSH config import, and live port forwarding you can edit mid-session. Plus CRT mode, keyboard reordering, and saved snippets. REMOTE DESKTOP Stream and control a host's full graphical desktop in-app over hardware-accelerated H.264. Move the pointer, type on-screen, pinch to zoom, and push resolution, frame rate, and bitrate to your link's limit. PUSH NOTIFICATIONS Hook up servers, scripts, and CI with one HTTP request. Custom channels, low-to-critical priorities, and action URLs to a runbook. End-to-end encrypted, delivered even when Pling is closed. AI COMMANDS & VOICE Forget a flag? Generate commands with AI tuned to your setup, or speak them on-device with Whisper or Apple Speech. Add photos or files for context. SERVER MONITORING Watch CPU, memory, disk, network, and uptime live via our agent or over SSH. Set thresholds and get pushed the moment a box runs hot. SFTP FILE MANAGER Browse, upload, download, and edit remote files natively. Preview images, PDFs, and docs. Search the directory and multi-select for bulk delete or downloads. WAKE ON LAN Power on a sleeping machine remotely. Pling reads the MAC from an SSH session or takes yours, then sends the magic packet directly or via another host, with live status until it wakes. SESSIONS & HOSTS Every host card shows live reachability, plus a badge when the Pling agent is installed. Split-pane terminals on iPad, session recording, and live sharing to pair in real time. Tap a host with a tmux or zellij session running and Pling jumps back in instead of duplicating it. Save a Workspace; hosts plus their sessions; and restore it on any synced device. Batch commands and schedule recurring jobs 24/7. SECURITY Keys and credentials live in Keychain, behind Face ID or Touch ID, with auto-lock, host verification, and fingerprint management. Optionally sync SSH keys and passwords via your Pling Account, with an audit screen for what syncs and what stays local. YOUR PLING ACCOUNT Sign in with Apple or Google to your own account; link both or merge duplicates. Your hosts, keys, and settings sync across devices, and you can now use Pling on the web. APPLE WATCH, WIDGETS & SIRI Triage notifications, check status, and run commands from your wrist with iPhone nearby; complications show unread counts. Pin hosts to your Home Screen and ask Siri if prod is up. FREE FEATURES • 3 concurrent SSH sessions • 5 saved hosts • SSH and Mosh connections • SFTP file browsing • 8 terminal themes • Voice input • Local network discovery PLING PRO • 10 concurrent sessions • Unlimited saved hosts • Push notifications with custom channels • API token for integrations • Unlimited scheduled commands • Unlimited AI command generation and Command Agent • All premium themes and CRT effects • Session sharing • Server monitoring with agent and alerts • Docker container control • Email digests • Critical alerts and notification rules • Workspaces: save and restore host + session bundles • Pling Account sync for hosts, keys, snippets, and workspaces An SSH-accessible server is required for terminal features. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://plingpush.com/privacy.txt

Screenshots

SSH Client4 screens
Pling4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is chart position: SSH Client at #24 against Pling's unranked. On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. SSH Client sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Pling sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 10 level
SSH Client versus Pling: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSSH ClientPling
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (1.5K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews94.4% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.5K — better—
Update frequencyWeeklyWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFreemium
Best chart rank#24 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS17.417.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size117 MB89 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAnders BorumLayton Labs AB

Customer experience

SSH Client

All ratings1,509 ratings
Positive95.8%
Neutral1.3%
Negative3.0%
Written reviews622 reviews
Positive94.4%
Neutral1.8%
Negative3.9%

Pling

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

SSH Client

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Crashes when running certain commands
  • Issues with file transfer progress reporting

Requested features

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

Pling

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

SSH Client

Subscriptions2
  • ShellFish Monthly subscription14 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • ShellFish Annual subscription$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • ShellFish Lifetime Pro Unlock$29.99
3 purchases

Pling

Subscriptions2
  • Pling Pro - Monthly$1.991 Month
  • Pling Pro - Annual7 Days trial$17.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pling Pro - Lifetime$59.99

Questions

Is SSH Client free?
SSH Client is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Pling free?
Pling is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do SSH Client or Pling have ads?
Neither SSH Client nor Pling shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SSH Client or Pling?
SSH Client ships an update weekly, and Pling weekly. Most recently, SSH Client was updated on September 25, 2026 and Pling on September 10, 2026.

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