Comparison

iTerminal vs iVim

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

Head to head
About

iTerminal

This app provides a powerful and simple client for connecting to remote servers via SSH or Telnet on your iPhone and iPad. It supports various authentication methods, server list management, and secure key handling, making remote server access convenient.

Highlights
  • SSH and Telnet connection
  • Username/password and private key authentication
  • Server list management
  • iCloud sync for server info
  • Socks 5 Proxy support
  • Private key management
  • Bluetooth keyboard support
Features
Read full description

iTerminal is a simple yet very powerful SSH and Telnet client on your iPhone and iPad. You can connect to remote servers through SSH or Telnet with iTerminal. Supported features include: - Connect to your servers using user name/password or private key authentication through SSH. - Connect to your servers using Telnet. - Support Server List. - Support exporting Server info to and importing Server info from iCloud. Now Server info can be easily transferred among different versions and devices. - Support to connect through Socks 5 Proxy Server. - Support history of Recent Tasks. - Support Private Key Management and encrypted PEM and PPK keys up to 4096 bit long. -- Support importing key files from and exporting key files to your iCloud Drive. You now can easily import a key file from your iCloud Drive by copying your key file to your iCloud Drive under /iterminal/key folder. - Support Bluetooth Keyboard. With its simple interfaces, iTerminal provides the easiest way to securely connect to your remote servers on iPhone and iPad. If you have any questions, please visit: http://www.comcsoft.com/Portfolio/our_apps/iTerminal/iTerminal_overview.php.

About

iVim

This app brings the powerful Vim text editor to iOS devices. It offers advanced features like custom font import, an extended and customizable keyboard, multistage language input, and seamless integration with other apps through sharing and document pickers. Advanced functionalities like plugin management and version control are available via in-app purchases or a subscription.

Highlights
  • Custom font import with ligature support
  • Extended and customizable keyboard
  • Multistage language input
  • App sharing and document picker integration
  • External hardware keyboard support
  • Integrated scripting languages (Python, Lua)
  • Plugin management (In-App Purchase)
  • Native version control (iVim Pro subscription)
Read full description

iVim is a project that brings the vim editor to the iOS system. It is open source, please visit the App Support URL. Font management Besides some system and embedded monospace fonts, iVim allows users to import and use their own custom fonts. Moreover, iVim supports to render ligatures if your font provides beautiful ones. Extended keyboard By introducing compact buttons, iVim covers as many keys as possible in its extended keyboard, so that you can input symbols without switching among key groups. Moreover, you can customize it to meet your own special needs. Multistage language input iVim adds support to multistage input languages such as Chinese or Japanese. Sharing Through sharing, iVim makes its editing power available to more apps. Via the share extension, iVim can import text or text files from, or export to other apps. Via the document picker, you can also import or edit files or directories in iCloud Drive or documents providers, without leaving iVim. External hardware keyboard iVim supports external hardware keyboards well, just connect your favorite one to the device and start typing. With the native modifier keys mapping option from the system, you can even make the "caps lock" key act both as "ctrl" and "esc" in iOS 13.4 and above. External commands iVim includes some useful external commands that you are familiar with and integrates powerful scripting languages such as Python and Lua. With +terminal feature enabled and a simple shell named "ivish" included, you can run the commands in terminal windows like on a computer. Plugins management (In App Purchase required) iVim provides a plugins manager, "iplug", for you to install and manage plugins easily. Version control (iVim Pro required) iVim has native version control system integrated into its UI and workflow, you get better idea of what is happening to your files, make changes with more confidence, and collaborate in editing more conveniently than ever. iVim Pro iVim provides a monthly subscription (with an introductory 1 week free trial), named "iVim Pro", enabling extra great features: - native version control Subscriptions will be charged to your Apple ID account. Your subscription will automatically renew unless it is cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscriptions in Account Settings on App Store after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if any, will be forfeited when the user purchase a subscription. Terms of Use: https://github.com/terrychou/docs/blob/master/ivim-terms-of-use.md Privacy Policy: https://github.com/terrychou/docs/blob/master/ivim-privacy-policy.md Type ":help ios" in iVim for more detailed information.

Screenshots

iTerminal4 screens
iVim1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: iVim at none against iTerminal's shown. iVim also leads on review sentiment (84% vs 59%) and rating (4.6 vs 4.3). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. iTerminal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and iVim sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

iVim holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 117 and 167 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of iTerminal's written reviews are positive against 84% of iVim's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iTerminal ships an update every 4 months, iVim every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
iTerminal versus iVim: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriTerminaliVim
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (117 ratings)4.6 (167 ratings) — better
Positive reviews59.5% of reviews84.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings117167 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.011.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size46 MB127 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperComcSoft Corporation文礼 周

Customer experience

iTerminal

All ratings117 ratings
Positive82.9%
Neutral2.6%
Negative14.5%
Written reviews501 reviews
Positive59.5%
Neutral7.8%
Negative32.7%

iVim

All ratings167 ratings
Positive89.2%
Neutral4.2%
Negative6.6%
Written reviews102 reviews
Positive84.3%
Neutral6.9%
Negative8.8%

User reviews

iTerminal

From 117 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Simple and easy to use
  • 🚀 Works well for basic tasks
  • 💡 Useful for remote access
  • 🔒 Secure SSH connections

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Connectivity issues
  • 💸 Aggressive monetization
  • 📵 Disruptive ads
  • 🔍 Limited functionality in free version

iVim

From 167 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎯 Excellent Vim port with most keybindings and features working correctly
  • ⌨️ Innovative custom keyboard with easy access to special characters and Vim keys
  • 🔌 Great integration with iOS Files app and external keyboards
  • 🎨 Highly customizable with plugin support and color schemes
  • 📚 Comprehensive Vim documentation included (:help iOS)

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Keyboard constantly pops up and obscures content
  • 🐛 Difficulty hiding keyboard on iPad
  • ⚠️ App appears abandoned with infrequent updates
  • 💰 Expensive subscription model for Pro features
  • 🔐 Requires internet access for basic text editing

Bugs and requests

iTerminal

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Crashes on startup
  • Scrolling issues
  • Unreliable SSH authentication
  • Incompatibility with certain devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • Landscape mode support
  • Improved keyboard integration
  • Customizable terminal settings
  • Background connection support

iVim

Reported bugs

15 issues
  • Keyboard obscures command line and content
  • Keyboard cannot be hidden or dismissed properly
  • Paste function unreliable with Command-V
  • Plus buffer (+) paste not working
  • App loses all data when iOS suspends it
Show 10 more
  • Focus stealing in Split View mode
  • netrw breaks after accessing certain folders
  • relativenumber setting shows zero instead of current line number
  • First character on first line hidden on iPad Pro with rounded corners
  • Pinch/zoom feature too sensitive without dead zone
  • Help mode space and delete keys non-functional
  • Plugin loading errors (e.g., python-mode)
  • Cursor position issues with certain keyboard configurations
  • Key repeat not functioning for Vim movement keys
  • App crashes or becomes unusable without ESC key access

Requested features

16 requests
  • .vimrc functionality that actually works
  • Easier document/file access without multiple clicks
  • Reading mode to hide keyboard while scrolling
  • Better keyboard dismissal mechanism
  • Function keys on the keyboard
Show 11 more
  • Update to Vim 8 or newer version
  • Core git functionality without paywall
  • Better plugin installation process
  • Directory creation capability
  • Backtick (`) character in keyboard shortcuts
  • Improved help system with working space/delete keys
  • File browser integration within the app
  • Donation/tip option via in-app purchase
  • Online documentation outside the app
  • Support for newer iPad Pro display notches
  • Improved external keyboard support (especially folding keyboards)

In-app purchases

1 purchases

iTerminal

One-time1
  • Premium$4.99
5 purchases

iVim

Subscriptions1
  • iVim Pro7 Days trial$4.991 Month
One-time4
  • Small Donation$1.99
  • Auto Restore$3.99
  • Plugins Manager$4.99
Show 1 more
  • Big Donation$9.99

Questions

Is iTerminal free?
iTerminal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is iVim free?
iVim is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, iTerminal or iVim?
iVim is rated higher. iTerminal averages 4.3 out of 5 from 117 ratings, while iVim averages 4.6 from 167 ratings.
Do iTerminal or iVim have ads?
iTerminal shows ads; iVim does not.
Which is updated more often, iTerminal or iVim?
iTerminal ships an update every 4 months, and iVim every 5 weeks. Most recently, iTerminal was updated on September 25, 2026 and iVim on September 21, 2026.

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