# Octopus vs ShellRef

The clearest difference is price: Octopus at Free against ShellRef's $0.99. Octopus also leads on ratings volume (5 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.6 vs 17.6). ShellRef's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On rating, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Octopus is free to download; ShellRef costs $0.99 up front. Octopus sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. ShellRef asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Octopus against 5.0 for ShellRef. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Octopus has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Octopus ships an update monthly, ShellRef every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Octopus | ShellRef |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | [5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/octopus-learn-programming/id1565140788/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shellref/id6759814118/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 71.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 107 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.6** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alaa CHERBIB](https://appshunter.io/developer/1097070945) | [Andrew Bacon](https://appshunter.io/developer/1817531814) |

## What reviewers say

### Octopus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/octopus-learn-programming/id1565140788)

Learn to code in popular languages like Python, Java, Swift, and JavaScript, plus web development with HTML and CSS. Offers detailed tutorials and interactive exercises for all skill levels. Join a community of learners to advance your programming journey.

**Highlights:** Learn Python, Java, Swift, JavaScript, Web development with HTML and CSS, Detailed tutorials, Interactive coding exercises, Community collaboration, Courses for all levels

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Learn programming - 1 Month | $9.99 | per month |
| Learn programming - 3 Months | $24.99 | per 3 months |
| Learn programming - 1 Year | $84.99 | per year |
| Learn programming - No limits | $44.99 | one-time |


### ShellRef

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shellref/id6759814118)

This app provides an offline reference for Bash, Zsh, and terminal editors, mimicking a retro technical manual. It's ideal for quickly looking up commands, syntax, and scripting practices without needing an internet connection. Features include search, bookmarks, and customizable display themes.

**Highlights:** Offline Bash and Zsh reference, Terminal editor guides (Nano, Vim, Emacs), Quick command lookup, Searchable content, Customizable themes, Adjustable text size, Bookmarks

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Octopus free?

Octopus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ShellRef free?

ShellRef costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Octopus or ShellRef?

Octopus and ShellRef are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 5 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Octopus or ShellRef have ads?

Octopus shows ads; ShellRef does not.

### Which is updated more often, Octopus or ShellRef?

Octopus ships an update monthly, and ShellRef every 3 weeks. Most recently, Octopus was updated on October 7, 2026 and ShellRef on October 2, 2026.

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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.*