# WebSSH vs Shelly

The clearest difference is rating: WebSSH at 4.7 against Shelly's 4.4. WebSSH also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (2.5K vs 273). Shelly's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. WebSSH sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Shelly sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

WebSSH holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: WebSSH has 2.5K ratings behind it against 273, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of WebSSH's written reviews are positive against 76% of Shelly's.

WebSSH ships an update every 2 weeks, Shelly every 2 months. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | WebSSH | Shelly |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (2.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/webssh-sysadmin-toolbox/id497714887/reviews)** | [4.4 (273 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shelly-ssh-client/id989642999/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.5K** | 273 |
| Positive reviews | **86.1% of reviews** | 76.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#36** | — |
| Size | 244 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MENGUS ARNAUD](https://appshunter.io/developer/461353964) | [Touch Foo](https://appshunter.io/developer/331891508) |

## What reviewers say

### WebSSH

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/webssh-sysadmin-toolbox/id497714887)

**Currently charting:** #36 Top Grossing · Developer Tools, #102 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

This app provides a comprehensive suite of tools for managing remote servers. It offers secure SSH, SFTP, Telnet, and Port Forwarding capabilities, along with file management and built-in diagnostic utilities. Customize your workflow with extensive profile options for a seamless server management experience.

**Highlights:** SSH, SFTP, Telnet, Port Forwarding client, Secure authentication methods, Integrated SFTP file management, Customizable terminal profiles, Built-in sysadmin diagnostic tools, Local mashREPL shell

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| WebSSH Developer Tip | $1.99 | per month |
| WebSSH Developer Tip | $9.99 | per year |
| WebSSH PRO | $15.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient and fast
- 🔒 Secure SSH/SFTP connections
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 💡 Useful additional tools (ping, traceroute, etc.)
- 👍 Seamless iCloud sync across devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or connection issues
- 🐛 Copy/paste functionality can be buggy
- 🐛 Compatibility issues with older devices/iOS versions
- 🐛 Slow input response in some cases
- 🐛 SFTP limitations (no folder uploads, etc.)

**Reported bugs**

- Connections failing randomly
- Session saving not working reliably
- Clipboard issues (pasting previous content)
- Drag and drop file uploads not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Add support for function keys
- Improve SFTP functionality (folder uploads, file details, etc.)
- Implement background session support
- Add option to save SSH key passphrases
- Provide a way to mass import/export SSH connections


### Shelly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shelly-ssh-client/id989642999)

A powerful and user-friendly SSH client for mobile devices. It offers robust terminal emulation, gesture controls, and customizable keyboard shortcuts for efficient remote server management. Supports key-based authentication and iCloud sync.

**Highlights:** Hardware accelerated text rendering, Robust terminal emulation, Gesture control for navigation, Customizable keyboard toolbar, Key file authentication, iCloud sync support, Terminal color themes

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade To Pro | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Lightweight and fast
- 👍 Customizable keyboard and gestures
- 🔒 Supports SSH key authentication
- 💡 Useful shortcuts and toolbar
- 👍 Reliable background connections

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional connection drops when switching apps
- 🐛 Toolbar issues with hardware keyboard
- 🐛 Garbled display with some terminal programs
- 🐛 Lack of support for newer SSH key formats
- 🐛 Inconsistent behavior with password managers

**Reported bugs**

- Saved profiles get overwritten unexpectedly
- Toolbar persists even with auto-hide enabled
- Cursor movement issues with hardware keyboard
- Inability to copy/paste with Magic Keyboard

**Requested features**

- Add support for port forwarding
- Implement Mosh protocol support
- Allow customization of default font
- Provide option for multiple app instances
- Add ability to remap hardware keyboard keys


## Frequently asked questions

### Is WebSSH free?

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

### Is Shelly free?

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

### Which has better reviews, WebSSH or Shelly?

WebSSH is rated higher. WebSSH averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.5K ratings, while Shelly averages 4.4 from 273 ratings.

### Do WebSSH or Shelly have ads?

Neither WebSSH nor Shelly shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, WebSSH or Shelly?

WebSSH ships an update every 2 weeks, and Shelly every 2 months. Most recently, WebSSH was updated on September 24, 2026 and Shelly on September 24, 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.*