# Blink Shell, Build & Code vs Orca IDE

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Orca IDE at 86% against Blink Shell, Build & Code's 37%. Orca IDE also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.1) and in-app purchases (none vs 5). Blink Shell, Build & Code's advantage is ratings volume (427 vs 76). On price, ads, chart position and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Blink Shell, Build & Code sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Orca IDE asks for nothing beyond the download.

Orca IDE holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Blink Shell, Build & Code has 427 ratings behind it against 76, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 37% of Blink Shell, Build & Code's written reviews are positive against 86% of Orca IDE's.

Blink Shell, Build & Code ships an update every 3 weeks, Orca IDE every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Blink Shell, Build & Code | Orca IDE |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.1 (427 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blink-shell-build-and-code/id1594898306/reviews) | **[4.7 (76 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orca-ide/id6766130217/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **427** | 76 |
| Positive reviews | 37.0% of reviews | **86.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#10** | #18 |
| Size | 211 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | +4 |
| Developer | [Blink Shell, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1526795995) | [Lovecast LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1498017204) |

## What reviewers say

### Blink Shell, Build & Code

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blink-shell-build-and-code/id1594898306)

**Currently charting:** #10 Top Grossing · Developer Tools, #100 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

Transform your iOS device into a professional-grade terminal with robust SSH and Mosh support for stable, high-speed connections. Extend your development workflow with integrated code editing and remote runtime creation.

**Highlights:** Pro-grade terminal for iOS, Mosh and SSH support, VS Code integration (Blink Code), Remote runtime creation (Blink Build), SFTP transfers, Hardware keyboard support, External display support

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Build Basic - 50 credits/month | $7.99 | per month |
| Blink+Build Basic | $9.99 | per month |
| Blink Plus | $19.99 | per year |
| Blink+ | $19.99 | per year |
| Blink Shell Classic | Free | one-time |


### Orca IDE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orca-ide/id6766130217)

**Currently charting:** #18 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

Control your coding environment remotely from your phone. Mirror your desktop terminal, manage AI agent sessions, and interact with your code using a smart on-screen keyboard. All your data remains on your desktop, with secure, end-to-end encrypted local network connections.

**Highlights:** Live desktop terminal mirror, AI agent session management, Full keyboard input, Multi-worktree support, Phone-fit zoom and smart keyboard, Background command execution, End-to-end encrypted pairing

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Blink Shell, Build & Code free?

Blink Shell, Build & Code is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Orca IDE free?

Orca IDE is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Blink Shell, Build & Code or Orca IDE?

Orca IDE is rated higher. Blink Shell, Build & Code averages 3.1 out of 5 from 427 ratings, while Orca IDE averages 4.7 from 76 ratings.

### Do Blink Shell, Build & Code or Orca IDE have ads?

Neither Blink Shell, Build & Code nor Orca IDE shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Blink Shell, Build & Code or Orca IDE?

Blink Shell, Build & Code ships an update every 3 weeks, and Orca IDE every 4 days. Most recently, Blink Shell, Build & Code was updated on November 11, 2026 and Orca IDE on November 9, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Blink Shell, Build & Code or Orca IDE?

Blink Shell, Build & Code currently peaks at #10 in the App Store charts, and Orca IDE at #18. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*