Comparison

iSH Shell vs xTerminal

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

Head to head
About

iSH Shell

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
Read full description

A Linux-like shell on iOS. You can edit files with sed and cat, move them around, and more! https://github.com/ish-app/ish/

About

xTerminal

Manage servers remotely with a fast and secure SSH terminal client. Features include a powerful editor, multi-session management, file transfer, and advanced security options. Ideal for IT professionals and developers needing to control servers from anywhere.

Highlights
  • Interactive SSH terminal
  • Built-in vi/vim editor
  • Multi-session management
  • Command snippets
  • SFTP file management
  • Secure port knocking
  • Batch command execution
Features
Read full description

xTerminal - Your Ultimate SSH Terminal Shell xTerminal is your all-in-one SSH terminal client for managing servers with speed and security. Whether you're an IT professional or a developer, xTerminal gives you the tools to easily connect, control, and manage your servers from anywhere. Key Features: * Interactive SSH Terminal: A fast, reliable terminal for executing commands on your servers. Eg: Use top to monitor system status or follow logs with tail -f. * Powerful Editor: Edit documents with vi/vim just like on a desktop, with full support for CTRL and arrow keys, making your SSH terminal experience smooth. * Multi-Session Management: Manage multiple SSH connections at once. Add, remove, and switch between sessions with ease, boosting your productivity. * Snippets: Save and organize frequently used SSH commands. Quickly search by name, command, or label, making repeated tasks quicker and simpler. * Device Management: Add your SSH servers, group them by labels, and search by name, host, or labels. Connect via password or public key authentication. * Advanced SSH Options: Support for SSH jump hosts and SOCKS5 proxies for enhanced security and flexible connections. * SFTP for File Management: Upload, download, edit, move, and delete files using the built-in SFTP, allowing you to manage files on your servers directly from the terminal. * Keep Sessions Alive: Use “Keep Awake” and “Keep Alive” features to maintain persistent SSH connections without interruptions. * User-Friendly Interface: Simple navigation with pull-to-refresh, search highlights, sortable lists, and drag-and-drop to reorder devices or snippets. * Live Ping Monitoring: Check device connectivity in real-time with ping stats, including ms and TTL, helping you monitor the health of your network. * Discover Network Devices: Easily find and save neighboring network devices for quick access later. * Secure Port Knocking: Add an extra layer of protection by using port knocking to guard your servers from unauthorized access. * Enhanced Security: Use TouchID/FaceID to protect your SSH sessions, ensuring secure access to your terminal on app launch or resume. * iCloud Sync: Backup and restore your device and snippet lists across all iOS devices, ensuring seamless access to your settings anywhere. * Copy & Paste: Effortlessly run commands from the clipboard or copy terminal output, streamlining your workflow in the terminal. * Universal App: Optimized for both iPhone and iPad, giving you a consistent experience across devices. * Secure Data Storage: All credentials and data are stored securely on your device, so you can rest assured your information is safe. * Batch Execution: Execute commands on multiple servers at once and view all the outputs in one go. * Startup Snippets: Set up essential commands to run on app startup, giving you immediate access to critical tasks as soon as you connect. xTerminal is built for anyone needing a fast, reliable, and secure SSH terminal. It’s perfect for managing remote servers on various platforms, including macOS, Linux, OpenBSD, FreeBSD, NetBSD, Solaris, and OpenVMS. Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal. Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable. Terms of use https://septudio.com/terms-of-use and privacy policy https://septudio.com/privacy-policy

Screenshots

iSH Shell1 screens
xTerminal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: iSH Shell at none against xTerminal's 4. iSH Shell also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (80% vs 69%). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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. xTerminal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. iSH Shell asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for iSH Shell against 4.7 for xTerminal. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.2K and 1.9K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of iSH Shell's written reviews are positive against 69% of xTerminal's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
iSH Shell versus xTerminal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriSH ShellxTerminal
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (1.2K ratings)4.7 (1.9K ratings)
Positive reviews80.2% of reviews — better68.6% of reviews
Number of ratings1.2K1.9K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#17 — better#28
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB26 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperTheodore Dubois婉媚 邵

Customer experience

iSH Shell

All ratings1,230 ratings
Positive92.8%
Neutral2.6%
Negative4.6%
Written reviews398 reviews
Positive80.2%
Neutral8.3%
Negative11.6%

xTerminal

All ratings1,919 ratings
Positive93.7%
Neutral1.4%
Negative5.0%
Written reviews172 reviews
Positive68.6%
Neutral2.3%
Negative29.1%

User reviews

iSH Shell

From 1.2K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

xTerminal

From 1.9K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast connections
  • 👍 Easy to navigate
  • 💡 Useful app
  • 👍 Great support team

Room to improve

  • 🔒 Security risks with storing credentials
  • 💰 Expensive subscription model
  • 🐛 Occasional bugs
  • 🔒 Lack of secure credential entry

Bugs and requests

iSH Shell

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add support for more Linux distributions
  • Improve performance and stability
  • Implement GUI support
  • Add shortcuts and automation features

xTerminal

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Blank screen on connection
  • Incompatibility with older devices
  • Nano text editor issues

Requested features

3 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Import key functionality
  • Improved ANSI support

In-app purchases

None

iSH Shell

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

xTerminal

Subscriptions2
  • xTerminal Pro Monthly$6.991 Month
  • xTerminal Pro7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • xTerminal Pro2 variants$59.99

Questions

Is iSH Shell free?
iSH Shell is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is xTerminal free?
xTerminal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, iSH Shell or xTerminal?
iSH Shell and xTerminal are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1.2K and 1.9K ratings respectively.
Do iSH Shell or xTerminal have ads?
xTerminal shows ads; iSH Shell does not.
Which is updated more often, iSH Shell or xTerminal?
iSH Shell ships an update every 3 weeks, and xTerminal every 3 weeks. Most recently, iSH Shell was updated on September 23, 2026 and xTerminal on September 23, 2026.
Which is more popular, iSH Shell or xTerminal?
iSH Shell currently peaks at #17 in the App Store charts, and xTerminal at #28. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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