Comparison

a vs CodeSolution

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

Head to head
About

a

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
Read full description

a-Shell is a complete local terminal emulator, allowing to run most Unix commands on your iOS device. You can transfer files using scp and curl, edit them with vim and ed, process them using grep, awk and sed. You can work with git repositories using lg2.  Most commands are compiled for iOS native Arm64 format, making them fast and well integrated with the BSD Unix that powers iOS/iPadOS. a-Shell includes Python, Lua, Perl, JavaScript, C, C++ for programming and TeX (texlive 2025, with Tikz and LuaTeX) for text processing. There are also multiple network utilities: nslookup, ping, whois, ifconfig... Type help for help, help -l to get the full list of commands. a-Shell can be controlled from Shortcuts: run commands in order, process files in a-Shell, get the results as text or files, transfer files to other apps... a-shell uses iOS 13+ “multiple windows” ability, so you can run multiple shells at the same time, with different commands, in different directories. You can edit a file in one window with vim and process it in the other with python. Compile your C or C++ programs to webAssembly using clang or clang++, and execute the resulting binary. A complete webAssembly SDK is included (WASI-libc). a-Shell is the complete version. If you need a smaller app, and you don't need a C compiler, a TeX engine, or numpy and matplotlib, there is a-Shell mini.

About

CodeSolution

Features
Read full description

Certainly! Here's an example of a description for your coding problem-solving application that allows users to write code on demand: CodeSolution is the ultimate coding tool for developers of all levels. Our app provides customized solutions for your coding problems in the most popular programming languages, including Java, VB.net, C#,C,C++,JAVASCRIPT,PYTHON,PHP,SQL and more. With CodeSolution, you'll no longer need to spend hours searching the internet or flipping through manuals to find the solutions you need. Our app offers a user-friendly interface that allows you to quickly and easily write code in the app itself. Whether you need to solve a specific problem or just want to improve your coding skills, CodeSolution has everything you need to get the job done. In addition to our powerful coding solutions, CodeSolution offers seamless integration with your other devices, so you can access your coding projects and progress from anywhere, at any time. Download CodeSolution today and experience the ultimate coding tool that will revolutionize the way you code. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting out, CodeSolution has everything you need to succeed.

Screenshots

a4 screens
CodeSolution4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: a at none against CodeSolution's 2. a also leads on chart position (#19 vs unranked). CodeSolution's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. CodeSolution sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. a asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

a ships an update monthly, CodeSolution every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
a versus CodeSolution: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteraCodeSolution
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (553 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews78.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings553 — better—
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaid—
Best chart rank#19 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1.9 GB17 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperNicolas HolzschuchAboubakar Sylla

Bugs and requests

a

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • 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

5 requests
  • 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

CodeSolution

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

a

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

CodeSolution

Subscriptions2
  • PREMIUM Monthly7 Days trial$1.997 Days
  • Premium Yearly$22.991 Year

Questions

Is a free?
a is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is CodeSolution free?
CodeSolution is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do a or CodeSolution have ads?
Neither a nor CodeSolution shows ads.
Which is updated more often, a or CodeSolution?
a ships an update monthly, and CodeSolution every 2 weeks. Most recently, a was updated on October 14, 2026 and CodeSolution on October 8, 2026.

Other comparisons