# JoyKey vs ShellX

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ShellX at none against JoyKey's 2. ShellX also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). JoyKey's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 3 days). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. JoyKey sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days. ShellX asks for nothing beyond the download.

JoyKey ships an update daily, ShellX every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | JoyKey | ShellX |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Daily** | Every 3 days |
| Size | 26 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Anh Pham](https://appshunter.io/developer/1779274528) | [Laurens van Leer B.V.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1796054354) |

## What reviewers say

### JoyKey

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/joykey/id6745753223)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| $7.99 per week | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Year | $39.99 | per year |


### ShellX

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shellx/id6758803722)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is JoyKey free?

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

### Is ShellX free?

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

### Do JoyKey or ShellX have ads?

Neither JoyKey nor ShellX shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, JoyKey or ShellX?

JoyKey ships an update daily, and ShellX every 3 days. Most recently, JoyKey was updated on October 6, 2026 and ShellX on October 8, 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.*