# Spectre VPN vs a

The clearest difference is rating: a at 4.6 against Spectre VPN's 3.9. a also leads on review sentiment (78% vs 68%) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). Spectre VPN's advantage is monetization model (free vs paid). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

a holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 248 and 120 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of Spectre VPN's written reviews are positive against 78% of a's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Spectre VPN | a |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (248 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spectre-vpn/id1508712998/reviews) | **[4.6 (120 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-shell-mini/id1543537943/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **248** | 120 |
| Positive reviews | 68.1% of reviews | **77.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #91 | **#51** |
| Size | 136 MB | 373 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Passion Only](https://appshunter.io/developer/1508712997) | [Nicolas Holzschuch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1450994948) |

## What reviewers say

### Spectre VPN

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spectre-vpn/id1508712998)

**Currently charting:** #91 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

This app provides secure internet access using Shadowsocks and Trojan protocols. It offers strong encryption to protect your privacy from third parties and features an intuitive design for ease of use. It is available for free.

**Highlights:** Shadowsocks and Trojan protocol support, Strong encryption for privacy, Lightweight and efficient proxy, Intuitive and simple design, Free to use

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Reliable and efficient app
- 🚀 Smooth and fast performance
- 🔒 Secure and trustworthy
- 💡 Lightweight and easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Video loading issues
- 🐛 Connectivity problems after updates
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and timeouts
- 🔋 High battery consumption

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on iOS 12.5.5 and older
- Incompatibility with certain devices and OS versions

**Requested features**

- Support for more protocols (e.g., VMess, VLESS, SSTP)
- Server sorting by ping/latency
- Websocket connection support
- Manual server configuration
- Multiple server import from clipboard


### a

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-shell-mini/id1543537943)

**Currently charting:** #51 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

Run Unix commands locally on your iOS device with a powerful terminal emulator. Supports file transfer, editing, scripting with Python and Lua, and network utilities. Integrates with Shortcuts and supports multiple windows for multitasking.

**Highlights:** Local Unix terminal emulator, SSH client, File transfer (scp, curl), Text editing (vim, ed), Scripting (Python, Lua, JavaScript), Network utilities (nslookup, ping), Shortcuts integration, Multi-window support

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great app for shortcuts
- 🚀 Efficient and functional
- 💡 Useful for IT tasks
- ✨ Free and awesome
- 💻 Good for remote server connection

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Font size not adjustable
- 🐛 Keyboard icons too large
- 🐛 App deletes itself
- 🐛 Rotating screen scrambles display
- 🐛 Pasting text shows strange characters

**Reported bugs**

- Keyboard icons comically large
- App deletes itself
- Rotating iPhone/iPad scrambles display
- Pasting text results in strange characters
- App only uses half of the screen when editing files

**Requested features**

- Option to use old keyboard buttons
- Add openssl support
- Add libx265 codec for ffmpeg
- Support telnet command
- Add possibility to compile from source


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Spectre VPN free?

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

### Is a free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Spectre VPN or a?

a is rated higher. Spectre VPN averages 3.9 out of 5 from 248 ratings, while a averages 4.6 from 120 ratings.

### Do Spectre VPN or a have ads?

Neither Spectre VPN nor a shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Spectre VPN or a?

Spectre VPN ships an update every 2 weeks, and a every 2 weeks. Most recently, Spectre VPN was updated on October 16, 2026 and a on October 14, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Spectre VPN or a?

Spectre VPN currently peaks at #91 in the App Store charts, and a at #51. 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.*