# a vs Tersa

The clearest difference is monetization model: Tersa at free against a's paid. Tersa also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 78%) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly). a's advantage is chart position (#18 vs unranked). 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, Tersa every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | a | Tersa |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#18** | — |
| Size | 1.9 GB | 122 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nicolas Holzschuch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1450994948) | [Denis Kosov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1563252853) |

## 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


### Tersa

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tersa-circuit-simulator/id6805903884)

Design and analyze analog, digital, and RF circuits directly on your iPhone or iPad. Explore circuit behavior with various simulations and visualize results on clear plots. Supports SPICE model import and local project exploration.

**Highlights:** Schematic building, DC operating point analysis, AC and transient analyses, S-parameter analysis, Smith chart visualization, SPICE model import, Local simulation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is a free?

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

### Is Tersa free?

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

### Do a or Tersa have ads?

Neither a nor Tersa shows ads.

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

a ships an update monthly, and Tersa every 2 weeks. Most recently, a was updated on October 17, 2026 and Tersa on October 15, 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.*