# ShellBean vs CareServer

The clearest difference is rating: CareServer at 4.7 against ShellBean's 4.1. ShellBean's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ShellBean sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and CareServer sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

CareServer holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15 and 26 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 86% of ShellBean's written reviews are positive against 83% of CareServer's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

ShellBean ships an update every 6 days, CareServer every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ShellBean | CareServer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shellbean-ai-ssh-client/id1504613231/reviews) | **[4.7 (26 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/careserver/id6474921250/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 15 | **26** |
| Positive reviews | **86.2% of reviews** | 83.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 157 MB | 82 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [北京如电科技有限公司](https://appshunter.io/developer/1432455619) | [Nanjing Jump Leyou Information Technology Co. LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1676025905) |

## What reviewers say

### ShellBean

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shellbean-ai-ssh-client/id1504613231)

A powerful SSH and SFTP client with integrated monitoring and scripting automation for efficient Linux server management. Offers advanced terminal features, file editing, and secure data synchronization.

**Highlights:** AI-enhanced SSH/SFTP client, Server monitoring tools, Scripting automation, Built-in text editor, Multi-level jump server login, SFTP file management, iCloud data synchronization

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $7.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription | $9.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $19.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $24.99 | one-time |


### CareServer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/careserver/id6474921250)

Manage Linux servers and containers with SSH, SFTP, and terminal access. Monitor resource usage, network status, and processes. Offers robust file management and port forwarding capabilities.

**Highlights:** SSH, SFTP, and Terminal access, Linux server monitoring (CPU, memory, disk), Container management (Docker, Podman), Port forwarding, Proxy features, File management, Customizable interface

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $4.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $17.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ShellBean free?

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

### Is CareServer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ShellBean or CareServer?

CareServer is rated higher. ShellBean averages 4.1 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while CareServer averages 4.7 from 26 ratings.

### Do ShellBean or CareServer have ads?

Neither ShellBean nor CareServer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ShellBean or CareServer?

ShellBean ships an update every 6 days, and CareServer every 3 weeks. Most recently, ShellBean was updated on September 22, 2026 and CareServer on September 24, 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.*