Comparison

a vs Braid Code

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

Head to head
About

a

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
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

Braid Code

Features
Read full description

Braid Code is the mobile companion for Braid, the desktop app for running AI coding agents across multiple Git worktrees. Pair your iPhone or iPad with Braid on your Mac, then keep an eye on your coding sessions from anywhere on your local network. See which agents are running, which ones need input, and which tasks have finished. Open a worktree, inspect active terminal sessions, and jump back in when your attention is needed. Use Braid Code to: - Pair securely with your Braid desktop app using a QR code - View connected desktops, projects, worktrees, and agent status - Monitor Claude, Codex, Gemini CLI, and other terminal-based coding agents launched from Braid - Open terminal sessions linked to a worktree - Track recent activity and focus on agents that need input - Receive notifications when an agent finishes, errors, or waits for a response - Check connection diagnostics when your desktop is unreachable - Review usage and rate-limit status from supported providers Braid is built for developers who run several AI coding tasks in parallel. Instead of constantly returning to your Mac to check every terminal, Braid Code gives you a focused mobile view of the work that is active right now. Requirements: - Braid desktop app running on macOS - Your iPhone or iPad and Mac on the same local network for local connections - Camera access to scan the desktop pairing code - Notifications are optional and can be configured in Settings Braid Code does not replace the desktop development environment. It extends it, so you can monitor progress, respond at the right moment, and keep multiple agent sessions moving.

Screenshots

a4 screens
Braid Code4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is chart position: a at #59 against Braid Code's unranked. a also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.4). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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

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

Scorecard2 real differences · 9 level
a versus Braid Code: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteraBraid Code
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (119 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews77.8% of reviews—
Number of ratings119 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
Best chart rank#59 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS14.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size373 MB50 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperNicolas HolzschuchI Gede Agastya Darma Laksana

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

Braid Code

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

a

No in-app purchases

None

Braid Code

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is a free?
a is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Braid Code free?
Braid Code is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do a or Braid Code have ads?
Neither a nor Braid Code shows ads.

Other comparisons