# a vs SSHHIP

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: a at none against SSHHIP's 1. a also leads on ratings volume (553 vs 12) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). SSHHIP's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs monthly) and review sentiment (100% vs 79%). On price, ads, chart position and device support there is nothing between them.

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

SSHHIP holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: a has 553 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of a's written reviews are positive against 100% of SSHHIP's.

a ships an update monthly, SSHHIP every 4 days. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | a | SSHHIP |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (553 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-shell/id1473805438/reviews) | **[4.9 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sshhip-modern-ssh-client/id6785186457/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **553** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | 78.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#18** | #43 |
| Size | 1.9 GB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nicolas Holzschuch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1450994948) | [Kun Chen](https://appshunter.io/developer/943785843) |

## What reviewers say

### a

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-shell/id1473805438)

**Currently charting:** #18 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


### SSHHIP

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sshhip-modern-ssh-client/id6785186457)

**Currently charting:** #43 Top Grossing · Developer Tools (US App Store)

A focused terminal client for developers to connect to their remote machines and resume existing tmux or herdr sessions. It offers secure authentication, a CommandDial for quick commands, and image transfer capabilities, all with a local-first design.

**Highlights:** Connect to remote hosts via SSH, Attach to existing tmux/herdr sessions, CommandDial for saved commands and keys, Image transfer to host over SFTP, Secure authentication options, Local-first design with iCloud sync option

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SSHHIP Lifetime Unlock | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is a free?

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

### Is SSHHIP free?

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

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

SSHHIP is rated higher. a averages 4.6 out of 5 from 553 ratings, while SSHHIP averages 4.9 from 12 ratings.

### Do a or SSHHIP have ads?

Neither a nor SSHHIP shows ads.

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

a ships an update monthly, and SSHHIP every 4 days. Most recently, a was updated on September 23, 2026 and SSHHIP on September 23, 2026.

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

a currently peaks at #18 in the App Store charts, and SSHHIP at #43. 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.*