# iSH Shell vs a

The clearest difference is monetization model: iSH Shell at free against a's paid. iSH Shell also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 14.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for iSH Shell against 4.6 for a. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.2K and 553 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of iSH Shell's written reviews are positive against 79% of a's.

iSH Shell ships an update every 3 weeks, a monthly. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | iSH Shell | a |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ish-shell/id1436902243/reviews)** | [4.6 (553 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-shell/id1473805438/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.2K** | 553 |
| Positive reviews | **80.2% of reviews** | 78.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#17** | #19 |
| Size | 6 MB | 1.9 GB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Theodore Dubois](https://appshunter.io/developer/1432356577) | [Nicolas Holzschuch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1450994948) |

## What reviewers say

### iSH Shell

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ish-shell/id1436902243)

**Currently charting:** #17 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

Experience a Linux-like command-line environment directly on your iOS device. This application allows you to perform common Linux operations such as editing, moving, and manipulating files using familiar commands.

**Highlights:** Linux-like shell environment, File editing with sed and cat, File manipulation, Command-line operations, Pocket Linux experience

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent Linux environment
- 👍 Great for SSH and network utilities
- 💡 Allows running Linux apps on iOS
- 🔒 Secure and sandboxed
- 👍 Customizable and flexible

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🔋 Battery intensive
- ⚠️ Limited functionality compared to full Linux
- ⚠️ Outdated packages and dependencies

**Reported bugs**

- Cursor focus issues
- Incompatibility with certain commands and packages
- Mounting issues with iOS file system

**Requested features**

- Add support for more Linux distributions
- Improve performance and stability
- Implement GUI support
- Add shortcuts and automation features


### a

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-shell/id1473805438)

**Currently charting:** #19 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

Run a full Unix-like terminal environment on your iOS device. Execute a wide range of commands, edit files, and even program using included interpreters and compilers. Supports multitasking and integration with Shortcuts.

**Highlights:** Local Unix terminal emulator, SSH client, File transfer (scp, curl), Text editing (vim, ed), Scripting languages (Python, Lua, Perl, JS), C/C++ compiler, TeX distribution

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful terminal with Linux commands
- 👍 Useful for programming and development
- 🔒 Secure and reliable
- 💡 Impressive capabilities for an iOS app
- 👍 Helpful documentation and developer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Limited customization options
- 🔍 Missing some basic terminal features
- 🔍 Compatibility issues with certain packages

**Reported bugs**

- Toolbar buttons not accessible in portrait mode on some devices
- Pasting from clipboard can insert unexpected characters
- Sourcing certain script files causes crashes

**Requested features**

- Add support for package managers like Homebrew or APT
- Implement more advanced shell features like job control and better tab completion
- Integrate Git for version control
- Allow installing additional packages and libraries
- Improve clipboard and file management integration


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iSH Shell free?

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

### Is a free?

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

### Which has better reviews, iSH Shell or a?

iSH Shell is rated higher. iSH Shell averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while a averages 4.6 from 553 ratings.

### Do iSH Shell or a have ads?

Neither iSH Shell nor a shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iSH Shell or a?

iSH Shell ships an update every 3 weeks, and a monthly. Most recently, iSH Shell was updated on September 23, 2026 and a on September 23, 2026.

### Which is more popular, iSH Shell or a?

iSH Shell currently peaks at #17 in the App Store charts, and a at #19. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*