Comparison

Termius vs PixelHQ

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

Head to head
About

Termius

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
Read full description

Termius is an SSH client and terminal, as it should be. Connect with one tap from any mobile and desktop device—no re-entering IP addresses, ports, and passwords. With a free Termius Starter plan, you can: · Connect from your mobile and desktop device with SSH, Mosh, Telnet, Port Forwarding, and SFTP. · Get a desktop-grade terminal experience with a virtual keyboard covering all the special keys required, or connect your Bluetooth keyboard. · Use gestures or shake the device while in the terminal to emulate stroking of Tab, arrows, PgUp/Down, Home, and End, etc. · Work in several sessions simultaneously with a multi-tab interface and split-view support. · Authenticate using hardware FIDO2 keys. · Set custom environment variables. · Customize your terminal themes and fonts for each connection. · Save your favorite and frequently used commands and shell scripts to execute them with a tap instead of typing. · Quickly access the unified history of your terminal commands. · Get the support of ECDSA and ed25519 keys and a chacha20-poly1305 cipher. · Ad-free. With the Termius Pro plan, you can also: · Access your connection settings and credentials from any device, anytime, with an encrypted cloud vault. · No limitations on the number of devices to sync. · Run your saved commands on multiple sessions or servers, or instantly get them autocompleted in the terminal. · Connect through Proxy and jump servers. · Integrate with AWS and DigitalOcean. · Protect your credentials with Touch ID or Face ID and your account with two-factor authentication. · Keep your keys on your machine with SSH agent forwarding. Termius reinvents the command line experience. We strive to make remote access for admins and engineers a more productive and enjoyable experience. Termius Pro Subscription is available through auto-renewable annual or monthly subscriptions (prices vary by region). It attaches to the Termius account to enable access to backup, sync, and all Pro benefits on multiple devices across all platforms supported by Termius. A subscription may be used both for personal and business purposes. Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription will renew automatically. Cancellation of a future subscription may be made up to 24 hours before the end of the trial period. The actual subscription may not be manually canceled before its termination date. Subscriptions may be managed, ​including disabling auto-renewal, in the Account Settings after purchase. Please review our privacy policy https://termius.com/privacy_policy.html and terms of use https://termius.com/terms_of_use.html.

About

PixelHQ

Visualize your AI coding agent's activity in a retro pixel art office. See files read, terminal commands executed, and searches performed as animated characters on your device. Connects securely to a local bridge server for real-time insights into your coding sessions.

Highlights
  • Real-time pixel art visualization
  • AI coding agent activity
  • Retro office environment
  • Local network connection
  • Secure pairing
  • Demo mode
Features
Read full description

Watch your coding agents come to life. PixelHQ transforms your Claude Code sessions into a real-time pixel art office. Every file read, every terminal command, every search — animated as tiny characters working away at their desks in a retro startup office. It's the most fun way to see what your AI coding agent is actually doing. Connect PixelHQ to the lightweight bridge server running on your laptop, and your coding sessions instantly appear as live office activity. Characters read files at their desks, run to the terminal, huddle up for planning sessions, and head to the whiteboard when exploring your codebase. The busier your agent, the busier your office. How it works 1. Run the bridge server on your laptop (`npx pixelhq`). 2. Pair your iPhone with a one-time 6-digit code. 3. Start a Claude Code session and watch your office come alive. The bridge watches your Claude Code session files, extracts only the metadata needed for animations (like event type and tool category), and streams it to the app over your local Wi-Fi. Auto-discovery via Bonjour means no IP addresses to type in — just pair and go. Your code stays on your machine. Period. We take privacy seriously. Here's exactly what happens to your data: - The bridge strips everything sensitive before it ever reaches the app. No source code, no prompts, no AI responses, no file contents, no full file paths — none of it is transmitted. - File paths are reduced to just the filename (e.g. "auth.ts", never the full path). - All communication happens entirely over your local network. Nothing is sent to the cloud or to us. - Pairing is protected with a one-time passcode, and reconnection uses a secure token stored in your device's Keychain. - The only data that leaves your device is anonymous, aggregate usage analytics (app opened, session duration) through TelemetryDeck, a GDPR-compliant, privacy-first analytics provider that collects no personal identifiers. We built PixelHQ local-first by design, not as an afterthought. Your code is your business. Features - Real-time pixel art visualization of Claude Code activity - Automatic bridge discovery on your local network — no manual setup - Secure pairing with passcode protection - Multiple animation states driven by live coding events: file reads, writes, terminal commands, searches, planning, and more - Demo mode to preview the office without connecting to a live session Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://paper-swallow-130.notion.site/Privacy-Policy-2f7b6873ae248098b7ead558245be0bf

Screenshots

Termius4 screens
PixelHQ3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Termius at 4.7 against PixelHQ's 4.0. Termius also leads on ratings volume (19K vs 2) and chart position (#4 vs unranked). PixelHQ's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Termius sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $15.00 per month. PixelHQ asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Termius holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Termius has 19K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Termius versus PixelHQ: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTermiusPixelHQ
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (19K ratings) — better4.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews81.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings19K — better2
Update frequencyFortnightly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
Best chart rank#4 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS17.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size224 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTermius CorporationChun-Wei Hsu

Customer experience

Termius

All ratings19,303 ratings
Positive93.3%
Neutral1.8%
Negative5.0%
Written reviews2,462 reviews
Positive81.3%
Neutral4.4%
Negative14.3%

PixelHQ

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Termius

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

4 requests
  • 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

PixelHQ

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Termius

Subscriptions4
  • Termius Pro Monthly3 Days trial$15.001 Month
  • Termius Pro Monthly$15.001 Month
  • Termius Pro Annual14 Days trial$119.001 Year
Show 1 more
  • Termius Pro Annual$119.001 Year
None

PixelHQ

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Termius free?
Termius is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PixelHQ free?
PixelHQ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Termius or PixelHQ?
Termius is rated higher. Termius averages 4.7 out of 5 from 19K ratings, while PixelHQ averages 4.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Termius or PixelHQ have ads?
Neither Termius nor PixelHQ shows ads.

Other comparisons