Comparison

Spectre VPN vs xTerminal

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

Head to head
About

Spectre VPN

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
Read full description

A multi-protocol VPN and proxy client for your own servers. Import subscriptions, control traffic with routing rules, and connect from your Home Screen. IMPORT ONCE, KEEP SERVERS TOGETHER Add a server by scanning its QR code, pasting a link, or entering the details yourself. Import subscriptions to manage multiple nodes in one place. Check server latency before choosing a connection. CHOOSE WHAT GOES THROUGH YOUR PROXY Use Global mode for proxy routing, or Rule mode to choose which traffic connects directly and which uses your proxy. Edit your own rules or import a rule list from a URL. CONNECT FROM YOUR HOME SCREEN See the active server and connection status in the widget, then use its switch to connect or disconnect. On iOS 18 and later, add Spectre VPN to Control Center for another quick way to control your connection. USE THE PROTOCOL YOUR SERVER NEEDS - Shadowsocks and Trojan - VMess and VLESS - Hysteria2 and TUIC - SOCKS and HTTP For advanced setups, use a complete custom sing-box JSON configuration. The app interface supports 14 languages. BRING YOUR OWN SERVER Spectre does not include VPN servers or sell VPN service subscriptions. A compatible server configuration or subscription link is required.

About

xTerminal

Manage servers remotely with a fast and secure SSH terminal client. Features include a powerful editor, multi-session management, file transfer, and advanced security options. Ideal for IT professionals and developers needing to control servers from anywhere.

Highlights
  • Interactive SSH terminal
  • Built-in vi/vim editor
  • Multi-session management
  • Command snippets
  • SFTP file management
  • Secure port knocking
  • Batch command execution
Features
Read full description

xTerminal - Your Ultimate SSH Terminal Shell xTerminal is your all-in-one SSH terminal client for managing servers with speed and security. Whether you're an IT professional or a developer, xTerminal gives you the tools to easily connect, control, and manage your servers from anywhere. Key Features: * Interactive SSH Terminal: A fast, reliable terminal for executing commands on your servers. Eg: Use top to monitor system status or follow logs with tail -f. * Powerful Editor: Edit documents with vi/vim just like on a desktop, with full support for CTRL and arrow keys, making your SSH terminal experience smooth. * Multi-Session Management: Manage multiple SSH connections at once. Add, remove, and switch between sessions with ease, boosting your productivity. * Snippets: Save and organize frequently used SSH commands. Quickly search by name, command, or label, making repeated tasks quicker and simpler. * Device Management: Add your SSH servers, group them by labels, and search by name, host, or labels. Connect via password or public key authentication. * Advanced SSH Options: Support for SSH jump hosts and SOCKS5 proxies for enhanced security and flexible connections. * SFTP for File Management: Upload, download, edit, move, and delete files using the built-in SFTP, allowing you to manage files on your servers directly from the terminal. * Keep Sessions Alive: Use “Keep Awake” and “Keep Alive” features to maintain persistent SSH connections without interruptions. * User-Friendly Interface: Simple navigation with pull-to-refresh, search highlights, sortable lists, and drag-and-drop to reorder devices or snippets. * Live Ping Monitoring: Check device connectivity in real-time with ping stats, including ms and TTL, helping you monitor the health of your network. * Discover Network Devices: Easily find and save neighboring network devices for quick access later. * Secure Port Knocking: Add an extra layer of protection by using port knocking to guard your servers from unauthorized access. * Enhanced Security: Use TouchID/FaceID to protect your SSH sessions, ensuring secure access to your terminal on app launch or resume. * iCloud Sync: Backup and restore your device and snippet lists across all iOS devices, ensuring seamless access to your settings anywhere. * Copy & Paste: Effortlessly run commands from the clipboard or copy terminal output, streamlining your workflow in the terminal. * Universal App: Optimized for both iPhone and iPad, giving you a consistent experience across devices. * Secure Data Storage: All credentials and data are stored securely on your device, so you can rest assured your information is safe. * Batch Execution: Execute commands on multiple servers at once and view all the outputs in one go. * Startup Snippets: Set up essential commands to run on app startup, giving you immediate access to critical tasks as soon as you connect. xTerminal is built for anyone needing a fast, reliable, and secure SSH terminal. It’s perfect for managing remote servers on various platforms, including macOS, Linux, OpenBSD, FreeBSD, NetBSD, Solaris, and OpenVMS. Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal. Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable. Terms of use https://septudio.com/terms-of-use and privacy policy https://septudio.com/privacy-policy

Screenshots

Spectre VPN4 screens
xTerminal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: xTerminal at 4.7 against Spectre VPN's 3.9. xTerminal also leads on ratings volume (1.9K vs 248) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). Spectre VPN's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and chart position there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. xTerminal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Spectre VPN asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

xTerminal holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: xTerminal has 1.9K ratings behind it against 248, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 68% and 69% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Spectre VPN ships an update every 2 weeks, xTerminal every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Spectre VPN versus xTerminal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpectre VPNxTerminal
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.9 (248 ratings)4.7 (1.9K ratings) — better
Positive reviews68.1% of reviews68.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2481.9K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#80#29 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size136 MB26 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPassion Only婉媚 邵

Customer experience

Spectre VPN

All ratings248 ratings
Positive72.2%
Neutral4.8%
Negative23.0%
Written reviews216 reviews
Positive68.1%
Neutral5.6%
Negative26.4%

xTerminal

All ratings1,919 ratings
Positive93.7%
Neutral1.4%
Negative5.0%
Written reviews172 reviews
Positive68.6%
Neutral2.3%
Negative29.1%

User reviews

Spectre VPN

From 248 App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

xTerminal

From 1.9K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast connections
  • 👍 Easy to navigate
  • 💡 Useful app
  • 👍 Great support team

Room to improve

  • 🔒 Security risks with storing credentials
  • 💰 Expensive subscription model
  • 🐛 Occasional bugs
  • 🔒 Lack of secure credential entry

Bugs and requests

Spectre VPN

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Crashes on iOS 12.5.5 and older
  • Incompatibility with certain devices and OS versions

Requested features

5 requests
  • 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

xTerminal

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Blank screen on connection
  • Incompatibility with older devices
  • Nano text editor issues

Requested features

3 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Import key functionality
  • Improved ANSI support

In-app purchases

None

Spectre VPN

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

xTerminal

Subscriptions2
  • xTerminal Pro Monthly$6.991 Month
  • xTerminal Pro7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • xTerminal Pro2 variants$59.99

Questions

Is Spectre VPN free?
Spectre VPN is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is xTerminal free?
xTerminal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Spectre VPN or xTerminal?
xTerminal is rated higher. Spectre VPN averages 3.9 out of 5 from 248 ratings, while xTerminal averages 4.7 from 1.9K ratings.
Do Spectre VPN or xTerminal have ads?
xTerminal shows ads; Spectre VPN does not.
Which is updated more often, Spectre VPN or xTerminal?
Spectre VPN ships an update every 2 weeks, and xTerminal every 3 weeks. Most recently, Spectre VPN was updated on September 24, 2026 and xTerminal on September 23, 2026.
Which is more popular, Spectre VPN or xTerminal?
Spectre VPN currently peaks at #80 in the App Store charts, and xTerminal at #29. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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