Comparison

Blink Shell, Build & Code vs Network Sniffer

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

Head to head
About

Blink Shell, Build & Code

Transform your iOS device into a powerful terminal for coding and development. Leverage Mosh and SSH for stable, fast connections. Integrate with VS Code and manage your entire development workflow from your pocket.

Highlights
  • Mosh and SSH connections
  • VS Code integration (Blink Code)
  • Remote runtime creation (Blink Build)
  • Full SSH toolset
  • Hardware keyboard support
  • External display support
  • SFTP transfers
Features
Read full description

Do Blink! Transform your iOS device into a pro-grade terminal. Blink is the first professional, desktop-grade terminal for iOS that leverages the support of Mosh and SSH. Thus, we can guarantee stable connections, crazy-fast speeds, and full configurations. It can and should be your all-day-long tool.  **Start your 14-day free trial now!** But, Blink is much more. Now with Blink Code and Blink Build**, your entire development workflow fits in your pocket. What the Blink community is saying: “In some ways, I prefer my iPad / Blink / Digital Ocean setup to coding on my Mac“ - TheVerge "I have tried a number of terminals on iOS and this is really The One." - Twit.tv “Connections still come up when I get back to a client project after a weekend off.“ - The Sweet Setup “The way to use VS Code on the iPad” - programminglife.io What our users love the most from Blink Shell: - Mosh connections that even survive a device reboot. - Most complete SSH implementation on iOS. - Code command for VS Code integration. - Blazingly fast terminal and SFTP transfers. - Includes Pragmata Pro with ligatures. Blink Shell has a fully loaded SSH toolset: - SSH with PKI support: DSA, RSA, ECDSA & ED25519 keys. - Support for Secure Enclave Keys and Certificates. - Port forwarding with local, remote & dynamic tunnel support. - SOCKS5 proxy for a private VPN. - Agent Forwarding. - Complete SSH Config file support. - ControlMaster and pooled connections. - Files.app integration for SFTP remote hosts. - SFTP with copy-on-change. Blink has been the leading developer tool in the AppStore for +5 years, so there is a lot more: - External Display support. - Legendary Hardware Keyboard support, even remap shortcuts and keyboard codes. - Local & iCloud Blink Shell folders for Files.app access across devices. - Host sync over iCloud. - Link-files from other applications and work with them in Blink. - Cool themes and fonts, and install your own! - Smart Keys on SW Keyboard to navigate with touch. - FaceCam command to create tutorials and streams. - Bell notifications. - Supports multiple windows and multiple tabs. - Network & UNIX CLI tools, check our docs for more information. Blink Code integrates with VS Code: - Code on local projects, or seamlessly on remote machines. - Fully-loaded code editor. - A coding experience fitted to your device, that connects to VS Code for web, GitHub Codespaces, GitPod or your own VS Code server. Blink Build (Requires a $7.99/month subscription) Creates remote runtimes that can be accessed on all your devices. You can use Build in your day-to-day workflows whether you need to do development, DevOps or just play around with new tooling. Participate in our community, and don’t forget to leave us your feedback and your feature(s) requests. Enjoy! http://blink.sh http://twitter.com/blinkshell http://GitHub.com/blinksh Terms of Use: https://blink.sh/blink-gpl Privacy Policy: https://blink.sh/pp * Blink Code is not affiliated nor endorsed by Microsoft. ** Blink Build requires a separate subscription to make use of our Virtual Machines.

About

Network Sniffer

Analyze your device's network activity to understand app behavior. Identify which apps are connecting to the internet, their data usage, and potential privacy risks. Gain control over your network with detailed visual reports and advanced inspection tools.

Highlights
  • Deep network analysis with visual reports
  • Capture HTTP/HTTPS/WebSocket traffic
  • External proxy for custom inspection
  • JavaScript scripting for custom rules
  • Request replay and rewrite
  • Real-time speed and data usage widgets
Features
Read full description

Network Sniffer is an intelligent network activity analyzer that helps you understand what your apps are really doing online. No technical skills required — easily identify: Which apps are secretly connecting to the internet? Are they sending requests frequently in the background? Is your privacy at risk or data being wasted? You're no longer a passive user — you're in control. Core Features (not limited to): 1. Deep Network Analysis: Visual reports showing which apps are connecting, what they are sending, how often, and whether there’s abnormal or wasteful activity. 2. Network Sniffing: Capture HTTP/HTTPS/WebSocket traffic on your iOS device, with full MITM support for encrypted traffic analysis. 3. External Proxy: Route device traffic through an external proxy server, enabling custom inspection, filtering, and debugging of network requests. 4. JavaScript Scripting: Create custom rules and behaviors using JavaScript to enhance and personalize your network inspection. 5. Request Replays: Resend captured requests to test app behavior under various conditions — ideal for debugging and performance testing. 6. Request/Response Rewrite: Modify headers and bodies of requests and responses on the fly, giving you unmatched control over data flows. 7. Client Proxy: Forward requests from other devices on your local network to this device for centralized debugging. 8. Upstream Proxy Support: Forward HTTP requests to a third-party proxy server for advanced testing or network routing scenarios. 9. Widgets & Dynamic Island Support: Monitor upload/download speeds and data usage in real time via homescreen widgets or the iPhone Dynamic Island. Permissions Network Sniffer requires VPN permission to function. This is only used for local traffic capture — no remote servers or proxying involved. Privacy Notice Network Sniffer does not upload any of your data and does not include any proxy, VPN bypass, or "scientific access" functions. Your data stays on your device. If you have any feedback or questions, please feel free to contact us at miaozhi.ai@gmail.com

Screenshots

Blink Shell, Build & Code4 screens
Network Sniffer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Network Sniffer at 4.5 against Blink Shell, Build & Code's 3.1. Network Sniffer also leads on review sentiment (70% vs 37%) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.6). Blink Shell, Build & Code's advantage is chart position (#13 vs #120). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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. Blink Shell, Build & Code sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and Network Sniffer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Network Sniffer holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 418 and 188 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 37% of Blink Shell, Build & Code's written reviews are positive against 70% of Network Sniffer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Blink Shell, Build & Code versus Network Sniffer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBlink Shell, Build & CodeNetwork Sniffer
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.1 (418 ratings)4.5 (188 ratings) — better
Positive reviews36.9% of reviews70.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings418 — better188
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#13 — better#120
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.615.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size211 MB65 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperBlink Shell, IncCHENGDU MIAOZHI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.

Customer experience

Blink Shell, Build & Code

All ratings418 ratings
Positive51.7%
Neutral2.6%
Negative45.7%
Written reviews344 reviews
Positive36.9%
Neutral2.3%
Negative60.8%

Network Sniffer

All ratings188 ratings
Positive88.3%
Neutral3.2%
Negative8.5%
Written reviews37 reviews
Positive70.3%
Neutral2.7%
Negative27.0%

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Blink Shell, Build & Code

Subscriptions4
  • Build Basic - 50 credits/month1 Month trial$7.991 Month
  • Blink+Build Basic7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Blink Plus$19.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Blink+14 Days trial$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Blink Shell ClassicFree
1 purchases

Network Sniffer

One-time1
  • Lifetime Premium$7.99

Questions

Is Blink Shell, Build & Code free?
Blink Shell, Build & Code is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Network Sniffer free?
Network Sniffer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Blink Shell, Build & Code or Network Sniffer?
Network Sniffer is rated higher. Blink Shell, Build & Code averages 3.1 out of 5 from 418 ratings, while Network Sniffer averages 4.5 from 188 ratings.
Do Blink Shell, Build & Code or Network Sniffer have ads?
Neither Blink Shell, Build & Code nor Network Sniffer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Blink Shell, Build & Code or Network Sniffer?
Blink Shell, Build & Code ships an update every 3 weeks, and Network Sniffer every 3 weeks. Most recently, Blink Shell, Build & Code was updated on September 24, 2026 and Network Sniffer on September 23, 2026.
Which is more popular, Blink Shell, Build & Code or Network Sniffer?
Blink Shell, Build & Code currently peaks at #13 in the App Store charts, and Network Sniffer at #120. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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