# a vs SSHive

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: a at none against SSHive's 1. a also leads on ratings volume (553 vs 1) and chart position (#19 vs unranked). SSHive's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and review sentiment (100% vs 78%). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SSHive sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. a asks for nothing beyond the download.

SSHive 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 1, 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 SSHive's.

a ships an update monthly, SSHive every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | a | SSHive |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (553 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-shell/id1473805438/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sshive-ssh-sftp-and-terminal/id6760705487/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **553** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 78.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Freemium** |
| Best chart rank | **#19** | — |
| Size | 1.9 GB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nicolas Holzschuch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1450994948) | [NetMeSafe](https://appshunter.io/developer/1885828603) |

## 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


### SSHive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sshive-ssh-sftp-and-terminal/id6760705487)

This app provides comprehensive remote access to servers and desktops, supporting SSH, SFTP, RDP, VNC, and VPN. Manage files, open terminals, and control remote machines securely from your iPhone or iPad.

**Highlights:** SSH terminal access, SFTP file management, RDP and VNC remote desktop, Built-in VPN, Secure credential management, iCloud sync, Face ID/Touch ID protection

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SSHive Pro | $8.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is a free?

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

### Is SSHive free?

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

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

SSHive is rated higher. a averages 4.6 out of 5 from 553 ratings, while SSHive averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do a or SSHive have ads?

Neither a nor SSHive shows ads.

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

a ships an update monthly, and SSHive every 3 weeks. Most recently, a was updated on October 12, 2026 and SSHive on September 30, 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.*