Secure Terminal vs CraftOS
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Secure Terminal
This application provides secure remote access to servers via SSH and Telnet. It supports various authentication methods, terminal emulations, and file transfer protocols. Advanced features like SFTP and port forwarding are available through an in-app purchase.
- SSH & Telnet connection
- Password & key authentication
- SFTP file transfer
- xterm-256color emulation
- Key generation
- Port forwarding
- Customizable terminal
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SSH Terminal to access multiple SSH server, with full support of "xterm-256color" emulation. Base Features: • SSH connection with password or key authentication: DSA, RSA, ECDSA, Ed25519 (OpenSSH format & Putty PPK) • SSH Agent • Key generation (RSA, ECDSA, Ed25519) • Support for FIDO key (iPhone NFC only) • Secure Enclave Key • Support for Sixel, iTerm2 image, ZModem and Trzsz protocols • Connection params are safely stored on Keychain • Connection history & localization • Connection through SSH proxy • Connection with Telnet protocol • External keyboard support • Terminal colors customization • Multiple font size • Image background • User font choice (fixed width only) • Pointer/Mouse support PRO Features (require in-app purchase): • Upload/Download files through SFTP • Port forwarding • Local text editor • Store unlimited connections • Files plugin support • Shortcuts support • Commands snippet • Hosts Status Dashboard • SFTP Commander • XWindow (iPad only)
CraftOS
This app emulates a classic text-based computer environment, allowing you to write and run Lua programs. It's perfect for learning to code or exploring existing programs from a popular Minecraft mod, all within a retro terminal interface.
- Lua 5.2+ scripting environment
- 16-color text-based terminal
- Virtual filesystem
- Built-in shell
- Extensive APIs
- Compatibility with ComputerCraft programs
- Exclusive graphics mode
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CraftOS-PC is a fantasy terminal that allows you to write and run programs inside an ‘80s-style text console. CraftOS-PC emulates the popular Minecraft mod "ComputerCraft", which adds programmable computers to Minecraft using the Lua programming language. CraftOS-PC takes this experience outside Minecraft to allow you to run the same programs anywhere you go. CraftOS-PC provides a set of functions (called APIs) that make it super easy to do simple tasks such as write text to the screen, read files, and more. The simplicity of these functions makes CraftOS-PC great for new programmers, but their power makes it possible to write all sorts of complex programs with less code. If you aren’t ready to write programs yet, there’s already a large number of programs for ComputerCraft that will work in CraftOS-PC, ranging from simple games to whole graphical operating systems. These can be downloaded through the built-in Pastebin and GitHub Gist clients. • Full Lua 5.2+ scripting environment and command-line REPL • 16-color text-based terminal display • Expansive virtual filesystem for program and data storage • Built-in shell with syntax similar to most desktop shells • APIs to easily access terminal, filesystem, Internet, event queue, and more • Built-in programs make it easy to navigate & edit files without a single line of code • Plenty of help documents to assist programmers • Compatibility with thousands of existing ComputerCraft programs • Over 3x faster than Minecraft mod and comparable emulators • Emulation of all peripherals available in ComputerCraft • Easily access configuration from inside CraftOS • Exclusive graphics mode providing up to 256-color, pixel-based screen manipulation • Edit Lua scripts from CraftOS or other code editing apps • Open-source app makes it easy to suggest and contribute changes Documentation on all of the APIs that ComputerCraft provides are available at https://tweaked.cc, and CraftOS-PC’s unique APIs are described at https://www.craftos-pc.cc/docs/. Join the CraftOS-PC community at https://www.craftos-pc.cc/discord!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Secure Terminal at every 3 weeks against CraftOS's every 4 months. Secure Terminal also leads on ratings volume (62 vs 17). CraftOS's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Secure Terminal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and CraftOS sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
CraftOS holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 62 and 17 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of Secure Terminal's written reviews are positive against 88% of CraftOS's.
Secure Terminal ships an update every 3 weeks, CraftOS every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Secure Terminal | CraftOS |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (62 ratings) | 4.8 (17 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 85.9% of reviews | 88.2% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 62 — better | 17 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 195 MB | 11 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Filippo Maguolo | Jack Bruienne |
Customer experience
Secure Terminal
CraftOS
Bugs and requests
Secure Terminal
Reported bugs
14 issues- SFTP cannot be opened when using a proxy server to connect to SSH
- Backspace clears the entire line, hiding the current working directory
- App crashes during docker compose pull with ZSH and ohmyzsh
- FaceID authenticates only once per app execution
- File transfer adds single quotes to the beginning and end of filenames
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- Password input is case-insensitive, causing login failures
- Background mode loses connections within ~30 seconds
- Slide-up toolbar covers the bottom line of text when using an external keyboard
- Pro features not working after app was offloaded/reloaded
- App crashes frequently
- Cannot log in to remote servers without a password
- External keyboard shortcuts sometimes stop working
- Background color change not working
- Cannot insert copied password into Linux terminal
Requested features
19 requests- Allow adding more than one connection in free version
- Improve UI/UX for better intuitiveness
- Provide clear documentation for Port Forwarding
- Add ability to format/prettify command snippets in clipboard/saved commands
- Keep theme full dark and add plain simple b&w icon
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- Make password input case-sensitive
- Fix FaceID authentication to be more robust
- Allow login to servers without passwords
- Add option to place connection shortcuts on the main screen
- Support background mode for persistent connections
- Improve handling of symbolic links
- Add Agent SSH functionality
- Allow storage of multiple named keys
- Make app protected by FaceID/TouchID on launch
- Access iOS password manager for SSH keys
- Remove bottom keyboard bar
- Improve handling of external keyboard shortcuts
- Add a way to cancel connections more clearly
- Make the main screen less blank and improve 'connect' button placement for single-handed use
CraftOS
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Secure Terminal
- PRO FEATURE$4.99
CraftOS
- Plugin Collection 1$0.99
Questions
Is Secure Terminal free?
Is CraftOS free?
Which has better reviews, Secure Terminal or CraftOS?
Do Secure Terminal or CraftOS have ads?
Which is updated more often, Secure Terminal or CraftOS?
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