# Secure Terminal vs Terminal Emulator app

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Secure Terminal at 86% against Terminal Emulator app's 0%. Secure Terminal also leads on rating (4.5 vs 1.0) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 11 months). Terminal Emulator app's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.4 vs 16.6). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Secure Terminal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Terminal Emulator app asks for nothing beyond the download.

Secure Terminal holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Secure Terminal has 63 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of Secure Terminal's written reviews are positive against 0% of Terminal Emulator app's.

Secure Terminal ships an update every 3 weeks, Terminal Emulator app every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Secure Terminal | Terminal Emulator app |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (63 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secure-terminal/id1463284695/reviews)** | [1.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/terminal-emulator-app/id1662103386/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **63** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **85.9% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 11 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 196 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **13.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Filippo Maguolo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1154554717) | [Leticia Vila](https://appshunter.io/developer/1609278510) |

## What reviewers say

### Secure Terminal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secure-terminal/id1463284695)

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.

**Highlights:** SSH & Telnet connection, Password & key authentication, SFTP file transfer, xterm-256color emulation, Key generation, Port forwarding, Customizable terminal

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PRO FEATURE | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 💰 Great value, one-time purchase
- 🆓 Free version is very capable
- 🚀 Fast and stable performance
- 💻 Works across multiple Apple devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 UI/UX could be better
- ❓ Lack of clear documentation
- 🐌 Some features are slow
- 🚫 Cannot log in without password
- 🖱️ UI elements not always intuitive

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- 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


### Terminal Emulator app

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/terminal-emulator-app/id1662103386)

This application provides a command-line interface for performing various developer tasks. It offers a web-based front-end for quick functions like conversions and calculations, along with full directory navigation capabilities.

**Highlights:** PTY connection to shell, Web front-end for quick functions, Common conversions and math, Full CD (change directory) support, JavaScript features

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Secure Terminal free?

Secure Terminal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Terminal Emulator app free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Secure Terminal or Terminal Emulator app?

Secure Terminal is rated higher. Secure Terminal averages 4.5 out of 5 from 63 ratings, while Terminal Emulator app averages 1.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Secure Terminal or Terminal Emulator app have ads?

Neither Secure Terminal nor Terminal Emulator app shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Secure Terminal or Terminal Emulator app?

Secure Terminal ships an update every 3 weeks, and Terminal Emulator app every 11 months. Most recently, Secure Terminal was updated on November 6, 2026 and Terminal Emulator app on November 3, 2026.

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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.*