Comparison

NiHao vs Pier Shell

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

NiHao

Features
Read full description

NiHao is not just another remote connection tool. It's a terminal built for vibe coding -- the state where your tools disappear and only the code remains. Designed for developers who spend their lives in the command line, NiHao brings the experience to your iPhone and iPad with the polish it deserves. Every animation, every color, every font choice exists for one reason: to keep you in the flow. "The best tools are the ones you forget you're using." --- Why NiHao --- β€’ STAY IN THE ZONE - Connect to your servers and start typing. Simple, fast, reliable. No clutter, no distractions. β€’ YOUR SECRETS, SAFE - Credentials stay on your device, protected by iOS. Everything you need, nothing you don't. β€’ PICK UP WHERE YOU LEFT - Multiple named connections per server. Your sessions, your names, your flow. β€’ EASY ON THE EYES - Thoughtful colors, clean layout, automatic dark mode for those late-night sessions. β€’ MADE YOUR WAY - Adjust text size, pick a font that sparks joy. Works in English and Chinese. β€’ NO ACCOUNT. NO TRACKING. NO ADS - Just a tool. A good one. --- For the ones who --- β€’ Live in the terminal and want that feeling on the go β€’ Believe great tools should feel great to use β€’ Need a quick connection from anywhere β€’ Think beauty and function belong together --- Note --- You'll need access to your own server to use this app. No sign-up required. No data leaves your device. Happy vibe coding

About

Pier Shell

Features
Read full description

No separate account required Pier works with your existing iCloud account to keep supported data synchronized across your Apple devices. There’s no Pier registration, username, or password to manage. Pier is a native SSH and SFTP client built for developers who want a simple, fast way to access their servers from iPhone and Mac. Add your hosts once and keep them synced privately through iCloud. Connect to production, staging, personal servers, Raspberry Pis, and more without rebuilding your setup on every device. Pier is designed to feel at home on Apple platforms, with a clean native interface, fast terminal performance, and secure key handling.

Screenshots

NiHao3 screens
Pier Shell4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: NiHao at 15.0 against Pier Shell's 26.5. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference Β· 5 level
NiHao versus Pier Shell: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNiHaoPier Shell
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 8 daysEvery 8 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS15.0 β€” better26.5
Further details β€” not scored
Size81 MB12 MB
Age rating+174+
Developerζ–‡ ι‚“Muhamad Nur Asyraaf

In-app purchases

None

NiHao

No in-app purchases

None

Pier Shell

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is NiHao free?
NiHao is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Pier Shell free?
Pier Shell is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do NiHao or Pier Shell have ads?
Neither NiHao nor Pier Shell shows ads.
Which is updated more often, NiHao or Pier Shell?
NiHao ships an update every 8 days, and Pier Shell every 8 days. Most recently, NiHao was updated on October 9, 2026 and Pier Shell on October 14, 2026.

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