Comparison

a vs NotifyBridge

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

Head to head
About

a

This app provides a local Unix terminal emulator for iOS devices, enabling users to run various Unix commands, transfer files, and edit them. It supports programming languages like Python and JavaScript, along with network utilities and image/video conversion tools.

Highlights
  • Local Unix terminal emulator
  • File transfer (scp, curl)
  • Text editing (vim, ed)
  • Programming languages (Python, Lua, JavaScript)
  • Network utilities (nslookup, ping)
  • Image and video conversion (ffmpeg)
  • Shortcuts integration
Features
Read full description

a-Shell mini is a complete local terminal emulator, allowing to run most Unix commands on you iOS device. You can transfer files using scp and curl, edit them with vim and ed, process them using grep, awk and sed. Work with git repositories using lg2. Most commands are compiled for iOS native Arm64 format, making them fast and well integrated with iOS underlying BSD Unix. a-Shell mini includes Python, Lua, JavaScript and webAssembly for programming and scripting. It also includes native ffmpeg and convert for fast image and video conversion. There are also multiple network utilities: nslookup, ping, whois, ifconfig... Type help for help, help -l to get the full list of commands. a-Shell mini can be controlled from Shortcuts: run commands in order, process files in a-Shell, get the results as text or files, transfer files to other apps... a-Shell mini uses iPadOS 13+ “multiple windows” ability, so you can run multiple shells at the same time, with different commands, in different directories. You can edit a file in one window with vim and process it in the other with python. a-Shell mini is a minimalist terminal, designed to have a very small footprint (less than 250 MB). If you need more commands, please consider a-Shell, which has more Python packages, more JavaScript modules, Perl, make, a C and C++ compiler and TeX.

About

NotifyBridge

Features
Read full description

NotifyBridge: Send push notifications from your ESP32, Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or custom IoT hardware straight to your phone. Simple REST API, instant alerts, zero complex setup. Whether you're building home automation, smart garden sensors, or monitoring custom electronics, NotifyBridge bridges the gap between your microcontrollers and your mobile devices. No Firebase, no heavy SDKs, and no server configuration - just a single HTTP POST request. Built for Makers & Hardware Hackers • Instant API Access: Create projects and generate API tokens in seconds. • Single HTTP POST: Trigger push notifications directly from your C++, MicroPython, or Python code. • QR & Claim Codes: Connect devices to your phone instantly using QR codes or simple keys. • Multi-Device Inbox: Organize and filter live telemetry, hardware status updates, and emergency alerts. • Flexible Scale: Keep separate API tokens for all your DIY projects or scale up to production setups. How It Works in 3 Steps Flash Your Board: Add a basic REST API request to your ESP32, Arduino, or Pi firmware. Link Your Device: Scan the generated QR code or enter your claim key in the NotifyBridge app. Get Instant Alerts: Your hardware sends an HTTP POST - your phone rings instantly. Popular Maker Projects & Use Cases • Home & Garden Automation: Water tank levels, soil moisture, solar array efficiency, and temperature alerts. • Security & Motion: PIR sensor triggers, door monitors, and security system status updates. • System Health: Battery levels, uptime pings, WiFi reconnect alerts, and diagnostic warnings. • Lab & Workshop: Equipment maintenance timers, 3D printer print-complete notifications, and server status. Simple, Transparent Pricing Get started with 3,000 free pushes every month. Need to scale up your setup? Purchase additional credit packs right inside the app with no subscription lock-ins. Download NotifyBridge today and give your hardware projects a voice!

Screenshots

a4 screens
NotifyBridge4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: a at Free against NotifyBridge's $0.99. a also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 weeks). On ads, chart position and device support 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

a is free to download; NotifyBridge costs $0.99 up front. NotifyBridge sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. a asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

a ships an update every 2 weeks, NotifyBridge every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 13, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
a versus NotifyBridge: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteraNotifyBridge
PriceFree — better$0.99
Rating4.6 (124 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews77.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings124 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
Best chart rank#36 — better#57
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size380 MB3 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperNicolas HolzschuchNicolae Gherasim

Bugs and requests

a

Reported bugs

12 issues
  • 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
Show 7 more
  • Command not found errors for all commands
  • App crashes on launch after update
  • Cannot get own absolute path
  • Cannot execute own programs
  • App messes up .txt file association
  • Trouble selecting characters to copy and paste
  • No module named requests in shortcuts

Requested features

8 requests
  • Option to use old keyboard buttons
  • Add openssl support
  • Add libx265 codec for ffmpeg
  • Support telnet command
  • Add possibility to compile from source
Show 3 more
  • Make Ubuntu default
  • Add expansion of keys (e.g., echo {a..z})
  • Adjustable font size

NotifyBridge

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

a

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

NotifyBridge

One-time3
  • 25,000 Push Credits$1.99
  • 100,000 Push Credits$3.99
  • 500,000 Push Credits$19.99

Questions

Is a free?
a is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is NotifyBridge free?
NotifyBridge costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Do a or NotifyBridge have ads?
Neither a nor NotifyBridge shows ads.
Which is updated more often, a or NotifyBridge?
a ships an update every 2 weeks, and NotifyBridge every 5 weeks. Most recently, a was updated on November 13, 2026 and NotifyBridge on November 5, 2026.
Which is more popular, a or NotifyBridge?
a currently peaks at #36 in the App Store charts, and NotifyBridge at #57. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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