# a vs ActivitySmith

The clearest difference is monetization model: ActivitySmith at free against a's paid. ActivitySmith also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 78%) and update cadence (weekly vs monthly). a's advantage is chart position (#19 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

a ships an update monthly, ActivitySmith weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | a | ActivitySmith |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (553 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-shell/id1473805438/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **553** | — |
| Positive reviews | 78.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#19** | — |
| Size | 1.9 GB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nicolas Holzschuch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1450994948) | [Adam Bardon](https://appshunter.io/developer/972754219) |

## 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


### ActivitySmith

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/activitysmith-push-and-widgets/id6752254835)

Stream real-time progress and outcomes of long-running tasks to your iOS device's Lock Screen and Dynamic Island. Receive high-signal alerts for critical events via push notifications. Integrates with various backend services and development tools.

**Highlights:** Live Activities for Lock Screen and Dynamic Island, Push Notifications for alerts, Update via HTTP requests, Track CI/CD, jobs, and events, Pair devices and create API keys, Widgets for lock screen metrics

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is a free?

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

### Is ActivitySmith free?

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

### Do a or ActivitySmith have ads?

Neither a nor ActivitySmith shows ads.

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

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