# a vs LocalDevVPN

The clearest difference is update cadence: LocalDevVPN at every 2 days against a's monthly. LocalDevVPN also leads on review sentiment (91% vs 79%) and chart position (#4 vs #19). a's advantage is ratings volume (553 vs 87). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for a against 4.7 for LocalDevVPN. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: a has 553 ratings behind it against 87, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 79% of a's written reviews are positive against 91% of LocalDevVPN's.

a ships an update monthly, LocalDevVPN every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | a | LocalDevVPN |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (553 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-shell/id1473805438/reviews) | **[4.7 (87 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/localdevvpn/id6755608044/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **553** | 87 |
| Positive reviews | 78.6% of reviews | **90.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #19 | **#4** |
| Size | 1.9 GB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nicolas Holzschuch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1450994948) | [Coxson Engineering LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1854876572) |

## 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


### LocalDevVPN

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/localdevvpn/id6755608044)

**Currently charting:** #4 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

Create and manage secure, isolated local network tunnels on iOS. Test and debug applications without sending traffic to external servers, offering precise control over your network environment.

**Highlights:** Local network tunneling, Custom network configuration, One-touch connection, Auto-connect option, Connection monitoring, Comprehensive logging

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is a free?

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

### Is LocalDevVPN free?

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

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

LocalDevVPN is rated higher. a averages 4.6 out of 5 from 553 ratings, while LocalDevVPN averages 4.7 from 87 ratings.

### Do a or LocalDevVPN have ads?

Neither a nor LocalDevVPN shows ads.

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

a ships an update monthly, and LocalDevVPN every 2 days. Most recently, a was updated on September 26, 2026 and LocalDevVPN on September 27, 2026.

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

a currently peaks at #19 in the App Store charts, and LocalDevVPN at #4. 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.*