# a vs LocalDevVPN

The clearest difference is update cadence: LocalDevVPN at every 2 days against a's every 2 weeks. LocalDevVPN also leads on review sentiment (91% vs 78%) and chart position (#4 vs #56). On price, rating, ratings volume 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.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for a against 4.7 for LocalDevVPN. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 120 and 87 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 78% of a's written reviews are positive against 91% of LocalDevVPN's.

a ships an update every 2 weeks, LocalDevVPN every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | a | LocalDevVPN |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (120 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-shell-mini/id1543537943/reviews) | **[4.7 (87 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/localdevvpn/id6755608044/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **120** | 87 |
| Positive reviews | 77.8% of reviews | **90.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #56 | **#4** |
| Size | 373 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nicolas Holzschuch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1450994948) | [Coxson Engineering LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1854876572) |

## What reviewers say

### a

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

**Currently charting:** #56 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


### LocalDevVPN

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/localdevvpn/id6755608044)

**Currently charting:** #4 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

Create and manage secure, isolated local network tunnels on iOS. Test and debug applications without sending traffic to external servers, offering precise control over your network environment.

**Highlights:** Local network tunneling, Custom network configuration, One-touch connection, Auto-connect option, Connection monitoring, Comprehensive logging

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is a free?

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

### Is LocalDevVPN free?

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

### Which has better reviews, a or LocalDevVPN?

LocalDevVPN is rated higher. a averages 4.6 out of 5 from 120 ratings, while LocalDevVPN averages 4.7 from 87 ratings.

### Do a or LocalDevVPN have ads?

Neither a nor LocalDevVPN shows ads.

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

a ships an update every 2 weeks, and LocalDevVPN every 2 days. Most recently, a was updated on September 25, 2026 and LocalDevVPN on September 27, 2026.

### Which is more popular, a or LocalDevVPN?

a currently peaks at #56 in the App Store charts, and LocalDevVPN at #4. 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.*