Comparison

xTerminal vs Pier Shell

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

Head to head
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

About

Pier Shell

Features
Read full description

No separate account required Pier works with your existing iCloud account to keep supported data synchronized across your Apple devices. There’s no Pier registration, username, or password to manage. Pier is a native SSH and SFTP client built for developers who want a simple, fast way to access their servers from iPhone and Mac. Add your hosts once and keep them synced privately through iCloud. Connect to production, staging, personal servers, Raspberry Pis, and more without rebuilding your setup on every device. Pier is designed to feel at home on Apple platforms, with a clean native interface, fast terminal performance, and secure key handling.

Screenshots

xTerminal4 screens
Pier Shell4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pier Shell at none against xTerminal's 4. Pier Shell also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 8 days vs every 3 weeks). xTerminal's advantage is chart position (#37 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 26.5). On price 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. xTerminal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Pier Shell asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

xTerminal ships an update every 3 weeks, Pier Shell every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
xTerminal versus Pier Shell: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterxTerminalPier Shell
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (1.9K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews68.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings1.9K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 8 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
Best chart rank#37 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS15.1 — better26.5
Further details — not scored
Size26 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer婉媚 邵Muhamad Nur Asyraaf

Bugs and requests

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

Pier Shell

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

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
None

Pier Shell

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is xTerminal free?
xTerminal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Pier Shell free?
Pier Shell is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do xTerminal or Pier Shell have ads?
xTerminal shows ads; Pier Shell does not.
Which is updated more often, xTerminal or Pier Shell?
xTerminal ships an update every 3 weeks, and Pier Shell every 8 days. Most recently, xTerminal was updated on September 29, 2026 and Pier Shell on September 28, 2026.

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