# Termius vs a

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: a at none against Termius's 4. a also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). Termius's advantage is ratings volume (19K vs 553) and chart position (#4 vs #19). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Termius sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $15.00 per month. a asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Termius against 4.6 for a. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Termius has 19K ratings behind it against 553, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 81% of Termius's written reviews are positive against 79% of a's.

Termius ships an update fortnightly, a monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Termius | a |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (19K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/termius-modern-ssh-client/id549039908/reviews)** | [4.6 (553 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-shell/id1473805438/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **19K** | 553 |
| Positive reviews | **81.3% of reviews** | 78.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Freemium** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#4** | #19 |
| Size | 226 MB | 1.9 GB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Termius Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/549040051) | [Nicolas Holzschuch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1450994948) |

## What reviewers say

### Termius

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/termius-modern-ssh-client/id549039908)

**Currently charting:** #4 Top Grossing · Developer Tools, #11 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

This app provides a modern SSH client and terminal for seamless remote access across devices. It offers a desktop-grade terminal experience with advanced features like multi-tab support, custom themes, and saved commands. Securely manage connections and credentials with cloud sync and hardware key authentication.

**Highlights:** SSH, Mosh, Telnet, Port Forwarding, SFTP support, Virtual keyboard with special keys, Multi-tab interface and split-view, Cloud vault for encrypted credentials, Customizable themes and fonts, Saved commands and shell scripts, Hardware FIDO2 key authentication

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Termius Pro Monthly | $15.00 | per month |
| Termius Pro Monthly | $15.00 | per month |
| Termius Pro Annual | $119.00 | per year |
| Termius Pro Annual | $119.00 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth and fast
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🔒 Secure with SSH/SFTP support
- 💡 Useful features like port forwarding
- 👍 Customizable keyboard and themes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly
- 🤔 Aggressive upselling of premium features

**Reported bugs**

- Syncing issues causing data loss
- Keyboard and cursor issues on iPad
- Freezing and unresponsiveness after background use

**Requested features**

- Add support for ProxyCommand
- Improve keyboard handling and arrow key functionality
- Implement iCloud sync instead of proprietary cloud
- Provide a one-time purchase option for individual users


### a

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-shell/id1473805438)

**Currently charting:** #19 Top Free · Developer Tools (US App Store)

Run a full Unix-like terminal environment on your iOS device. Execute a wide range of commands, edit files, and even program using included interpreters and compilers. Supports multitasking and integration with Shortcuts.

**Highlights:** Local Unix terminal emulator, SSH client, File transfer (scp, curl), Text editing (vim, ed), Scripting languages (Python, Lua, Perl, JS), C/C++ compiler, TeX distribution

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful terminal with Linux commands
- 👍 Useful for programming and development
- 🔒 Secure and reliable
- 💡 Impressive capabilities for an iOS app
- 👍 Helpful documentation and developer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Limited customization options
- 🔍 Missing some basic terminal features
- 🔍 Compatibility issues with certain packages

**Reported bugs**

- Toolbar buttons not accessible in portrait mode on some devices
- Pasting from clipboard can insert unexpected characters
- Sourcing certain script files causes crashes

**Requested features**

- Add support for package managers like Homebrew or APT
- Implement more advanced shell features like job control and better tab completion
- Integrate Git for version control
- Allow installing additional packages and libraries
- Improve clipboard and file management integration


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Termius free?

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

### Is a free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Termius or a?

Termius is rated higher. Termius averages 4.7 out of 5 from 19K ratings, while a averages 4.6 from 553 ratings.

### Do Termius or a have ads?

Neither Termius nor a shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Termius or a?

Termius ships an update fortnightly, and a monthly. Most recently, Termius was updated on September 24, 2026 and a on September 23, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Termius or a?

Termius currently peaks at #4 in the App Store charts, and a at #19. 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.*