Telnet Lite vs IRCCloud
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Telnet Lite
Connect to Linux/UNIX Telnet servers from your iPhone or iPad. Run server applications in a VT220 terminal window, just like on a console. Supports various barcode scanners and customizable terminal settings.
- VT220 terminal emulation
- Telnet and SSH2 protocol support
- Barcode scanner integration
- Customizable terminal colors and size
- Auto login functionality
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Mocha Telnet provides access to a Linux/UNIX Telnet Server. Using your iPhone or iPad, you can connect to a Telnet Server and run applications in a VT220 Terminal window. Exactly as you would, if you were sitting at your system console, just on a smaller screen. LITE VERSION The full version does not require a coffee break (30 seconds) on the Server after 5 minutes use. FEATURES - Supports all standard VT220 emulation features. - Alternate screen size (24x80 or 24x132). - Zoom and scroll as the Safari browser. - Telnet and SSH2 protocol. - ANSI color. - Landscape mode. - Auto login. - OPTICON 200X barcode scanner. - Support for Zebra RFD8500, CS4070 and LI3678 barcode scanner. - Linea barcode scanner and card reader. - SocketMobile S700 and series 7 hardware scanner. - Camera as barcode scanner. - Pop up keyboard. - User defined key values. - Colors can be customized.
IRCCloud
Access IRC chat from any device and never miss a conversation. Your chat history is synced to the cloud, and you'll receive push notifications for important messages. Share files and customize your experience with multiple themes.
- Cloud-synced chat history
- Push notifications for mentions/DMs
- File sharing (photos, videos, files)
- Server-side connection for persistent access
- Multiple colorful themes
- Monospace font option
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Chat on IRC from anywhere, and never miss a message. • Stay connected when you're on the move. No need to rely on constant data access, we keep your IRC connection running on our servers. • Your entire chat history is fully synced to the cloud so you can catch up at your leisure. • Get push notifications for mentions and private messages. • Upload and share photos, videos and files straight from your device. • Full support for iPhone and iPad. • Choose from 9 colourful themes. • Monospace font option. Join our #feedback channel on irc.irccloud.com for feedback and suggestions to help us improve this app. You can also email us at team@irccloud.com or find us on Twitter: @irccloud
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: IRCCloud at 3.4 against Telnet Lite's 2.5. IRCCloud also leads on ratings volume (77 vs 20) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.6). On price, review sentiment, 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
IRCCloud holds the better App Store score, 3.4 against 2.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 20 and 77 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 45% of Telnet Lite's written reviews are positive against 49% of IRCCloud's.
Telnet Lite ships an update every 4 months, IRCCloud every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Telnet Lite | IRCCloud |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.5 (20 ratings) | 3.4 (77 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 45.5% of reviews | 48.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 20 | 77 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 3 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 21 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | MochaSoft | IRCCloud Ltd. |
Customer experience
Telnet Lite
IRCCloud
User reviews
Telnet Lite
From 20 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- ✅ Functional telnet/SSH client for basic remote access
- 📱 Useful for mobile device administration
- ⚙️ Configurable settings and keyboard layouts
- 🎯 Works well for quick emergency access
- 💾 Saves SSH credentials for convenience
Room to improve
- ⏱️ 5-minute session timeout limit (major complaint)
- ⌨️ Enter button removed/relocated in recent updates
- 🐢 Slow performance and laggy keyboard animations
- 📵 Disconnects when switching to other apps
- ⌨️ Keyboard obscures input/cursor visibility
IRCCloud
From 77 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🌐 Persistent connection without app being open
- 📱 Best iOS IRC client available
- 🎨 Intuitive and polished user interface
- 💬 Seamless multi-device synchronization
- 📸 Built-in image/file upload functionality
Room to improve
- 💰 Mandatory account creation required
- 📧 Email address required upfront before evaluation
- 💳 Hidden paywall after free trial period
- 🔐 Basic features locked behind paid subscription
- 🐛 Frequent connection drops and disconnections
Bugs and requests
Telnet Lite
Reported bugs
14 issues- 5-minute session timeout introduced in update
- Enter button missing or relocated in recent versions
- App crashes on iOS 3.0 and later versions
- Keyboard animations are laggy
- Text entry is very slow
Show 9 moreShow fewer
- Cannot send carriage return (CR) properly
- App freezes on connection screen
- Crashes after 4 minutes of use
- Cannot input login credentials
- Display shows garbled text
- Backspace key not functioning
- Export only exports last session
- Connection issues with certain servers
- App locks immediately after opening
Requested features
14 requests- Remove or increase 5-minute session time limit
- Restore enter button to standard keyboard location
- Add ESC and function keys to lite version
- Implement arrow keys and tab key support
- Add copy/paste functionality
Show 9 moreShow fewer
- Prevent disconnection when switching apps
- Improve keyboard positioning to not obscure input
- Add ANSI color support
- Implement scroll buffer for viewing history
- Add landscape mode support (or make it free)
- Support for different line-ending handling (CR/LF)
- Resizable window and movable terminal view
- Separate input line display
- Control key accessibility improvements
IRCCloud
Reported bugs
16 issues- App crashes during signup process
- Login screen freezes or shows blank navy background
- Text input box cut off at bottom of screen
- Typing bar blocks view of messages
- App stuck on 'Connecting' screen on iPad
Show 11 moreShow fewer
- Email confirmation not working properly
- Frequent app crashes every 2-3 seconds
- Message text disappears when switching apps
- Image upload failures with error messages
- Cannot add custom networks that aren't listed
- Connection issues over WiFi (works on 3G/4G)
- App crashes when deleting multiple images
- Cannot send messages to channels with specific settings
- Version 3.3 introduced major connection problems
- Notification popups disappear too quickly for channel messages
- App continues running after deletion
Requested features
8 requests- Third-party client support for BNC functionality
- Bulk file deletion instead of one-by-one
- Disable auto-archiving of inactive chats
- Faster app load times for chat history
- Password support with special characters
Show 3 moreShow fewer
- Better channel listing functionality
- Shell/telnet access to bouncer
- Free tier access to passworded servers
In-app purchases
Telnet Lite
No in-app purchases
IRCCloud
No in-app purchases
