# Core Shell vs Hacker Read

The clearest difference is rating: Hacker Read at 5.0 against Core Shell's 4.0. Hacker Read also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Core Shell sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Hacker Read sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Hacker Read holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Core Shell | Hacker Read |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/core-shell/id1354319581/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacker-read/id6479697844/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 38.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 49 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Codinn Technologies](https://appshunter.io/developer/597333552) | [Garglet LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1736935411) |

## What reviewers say

### Core Shell

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/core-shell/id1354319581)

This app provides a powerful terminal emulator and SSH client for efficient host management. It offers robust features like OpenSSH compatibility, automatic reconnection, and customizable themes. Premium features include unlimited connections and cross-device profile syncing.

**Highlights:** Full-featured terminal emulator, OpenSSH compatible, Keychain integration, Advanced options editor, Automatic reconnection, Theming and color schemes, Unlimited connections (premium)

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium (1-Year) | $14.99 | one-time |
| Premium (4-Year) | $44.99 | one-time |


### Hacker Read

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hacker-read/id6479697844)

An alternative reader for Hackernews that leverages AI and LLMs for advanced search capabilities. Discover similar comments, stories, and users through text-based similarity searches with positive and negative queries. Sort comments by user karma for a refined reading experience.

**Highlights:** AI-powered similarity search, Find similar comments, Find similar stories, Find similar users, Sort comments by karma, Positive and negative query search

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Core Shell free?

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

### Is Hacker Read free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Core Shell or Hacker Read?

Hacker Read is rated higher. Core Shell averages 4.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Hacker Read averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Core Shell or Hacker Read have ads?

Neither Core Shell nor Hacker Read shows ads.

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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.*