# a vs CertsCheck

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: a at none against CertsCheck's 3. a also leads on ratings volume (553 vs 4) and chart position (#19 vs unranked). CertsCheck's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and review sentiment (100% vs 78%). On price, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. CertsCheck sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. a asks for nothing beyond the download.

CertsCheck holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: a has 553 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of a's written reviews are positive against 100% of CertsCheck's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | a | CertsCheck |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (553 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-shell/id1473805438/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/certscheck/id6469147491/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **553** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 78.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | Paid | **Freemium** |
| Best chart rank | **#19** | — |
| Size | 1.9 GB | 35 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nicolas Holzschuch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1450994948) | [Yuya Asamura](https://appshunter.io/developer/1184558977) |

## 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


### CertsCheck

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/certscheck/id6469147491)

Easily inspect the details of TLS/SSL certificates directly from your browser. This tool helps you understand certificate information, including those from Let's Encrypt, without needing to be a security expert.

**Highlights:** Check TLS/SSL certificate contents, Inspect certificate details via URL, Share Extension for browsers, Understand Let's Encrypt certificates, Premium subscription for advanced features

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium (Monthly) | $1.99 | per month |
| Premium (Yearly) | $19.99 | per year |
| Buy developer a coffee | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is a free?

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

### Is CertsCheck free?

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

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

CertsCheck is rated higher. a averages 4.6 out of 5 from 553 ratings, while CertsCheck averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do a or CertsCheck have ads?

Neither a nor CertsCheck shows ads.

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

a ships an update monthly, and CertsCheck monthly. Most recently, a was updated on October 12, 2026 and CertsCheck on October 6, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*