# a vs Proxyman

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: a at none against Proxyman's 5. a also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). Proxyman's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs monthly) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Proxyman sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. a asks for nothing beyond the download.

Proxyman holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 553 and 800 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of a's written reviews are positive against 81% of Proxyman's.

a ships an update monthly, Proxyman weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | a | Proxyman |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (553 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-shell/id1473805438/reviews) | **[4.8 (800 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/proxyman-capture-https/id1551292695/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 553 | **800** |
| Positive reviews | 78.6% of reviews | **80.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | #19 | **#8** |
| Size | 1.9 GB | 72 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nicolas Holzschuch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1450994948) | [Proxyman LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1677092874) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Proxyman

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/proxyman-capture-https/id1551292695)

**Currently charting:** #8 Top Grossing · Developer Tools, #60 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

This app acts as a web debugging proxy, allowing you to capture and inspect HTTP/HTTPS traffic directly from your iPhone or iPad. It decrypts requests and responses, offers advanced debugging tools, and ensures your sensitive data remains on your device.

**Highlights:** Capture & Inspect HTTP/HTTPS from iOS devices, Decrypt and view requests/responses, JSON syntax highlighting, Quick filtering by URL, header, body, Advanced debugging tools (SSL Proxying, Block List), Secure with FaceID/TouchID/Passcode

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly Subscription | $8.99 | per month |
| PROJECT PASS Quarterly Subscription | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| Premium Annual Subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| Proxyman Lifetime with Black Friday | $69.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Access | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Powerful networking tools
- 🔒 Secure and reliable
- 💡 Helpful for debugging and development
- 🤖 Great for reverse engineering APIs

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive premium version
- 🔋 High data usage reported by some users
- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 🤖 Confusing user experience for free version

**Reported bugs**

- Breakpoint functionality not working properly
- Losing session state when relaunching the app
- Incompatibility issues with certain apps and websites
- Crashes when trying to view large response bodies

**Requested features**

- Add support for Simplified Chinese
- Implement scripting capabilities like the desktop version
- Improve handling of WebSocket and MQTT traffic
- Allow grouping of related requests
- Add an option to change DNS settings within the app


## Frequently asked questions

### Is a free?

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

### Is Proxyman free?

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

### Which has better reviews, a or Proxyman?

Proxyman is rated higher. a averages 4.6 out of 5 from 553 ratings, while Proxyman averages 4.8 from 800 ratings.

### Do a or Proxyman have ads?

Neither a nor Proxyman shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, a or Proxyman?

a ships an update monthly, and Proxyman weekly. Most recently, a was updated on September 29, 2026 and Proxyman on September 27, 2026.

### Which is more popular, a or Proxyman?

a currently peaks at #19 in the App Store charts, and Proxyman at #8. 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.*