Comparison

Core Shell vs SSH Terminator

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

Head to head
About

Core Shell

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)
Read full description

A full featured terminal with built-in OpenSSH support, it’s focused on managing and login to hosts efficiently. Don't waste your time; be productive. ## Features Full-featured Terminal • Compatible with Terminal.app, iTerm and xterm. • Supports ANSI 16 and 256 color palettes, as well as 24bit true color. • Passed cases of *vttest* – a strict VT100/VT220/VT420 terminal functionality test suite. OpenSSH Compatible • Everything in OpenSSH, certificates, proxy jump, etc. Keychain Integration • Tightly integrated with Keychain, don't have to enter passwords or passphrases repeatedly. • It's totally optionally, you can opt-in or opt-out at any time. Advanced Options Editor • A handy way to tune per-host advanced options. • For every ssh directives, there is a contextual help provides immediate information, no more googling. Automatic Reconnect • Always tries to restore your connections after network failure or waking up from background. Theming • Eight built-in color schemes: Basic, Dracula, Grass, Homebrew, Man Page, Novel, Ocean, Red Sands • Our color optimization ensure that colorful text always clearly visible. Premium Features (free for a limited time) • Unlimited number of connections • Sync profiles between all of your Mac computers and iOS devices • Prioritized customer support ------- We'd love to answer your questions or just hear what you think about Core Shell. Our Community: https://community.codinn.com/c/core-shell Use the community to request support or report bug. Discuss and explore Core Shell’s future with us by joining the community.

About

SSH Terminator

Features
Read full description

SSH. Nothing more. Nothing less. Stop fighting with cluttered interfaces when you just need to talk to your server. Terminal is a stripped-back, high-performance SSH client designed for those who value aesthetics as much as utility. We removed the noise so you can focus on the code. The Vibe: Ultra-Minimal Design: A clean "Void" aesthetic that looks great on OLED screens. Deep Customization: Fine-tune your environment with hex-code color support, font-size sliders, and instant theme switching. Presets Built for Devs: Includes pre-loaded themes like Dracula, Monokai, Matrix, Ocean, and Void. The Utility: Session History: Review your logs, errors, and previous connections instantly. Saved Commands: Write once, run often. Save your most used snippets (like ls, docker ps, or update scripts) for one-tap execution. Smart Connection: Seamlessly manage multiple servers (IP, Port, User) with a zero-friction login flow. Loading Aesthetics: Enjoy custom ASCII visualizations while you wait for the handshake. No ads. No tracking. Just the terminal you’ve been looking for.

Screenshots

Core Shell4 screens
SSH Terminator4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SSH Terminator at none against Core Shell's 4. SSH Terminator also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, ads and device support 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. Core Shell sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. SSH Terminator asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Core Shell versus SSH Terminator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCore ShellSSH Terminator
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews38.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequency—Weekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS17.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size49 MB35 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCodinn TechnologiesMonarc Systems, Inc

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Core Shell

One-time2
  • Premium (1-Year)3 variants$14.99
  • Premium (4-Year)$44.99
None

SSH Terminator

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Core Shell free?
Core Shell is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is SSH Terminator free?
SSH Terminator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Core Shell or SSH Terminator have ads?
Neither Core Shell nor SSH Terminator shows ads.

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