Comparison

ShadowTerm ssh & mosh Terminal vs SSHHIP

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

Head to head
About

ShadowTerm ssh & mosh Terminal

A professional SSH and Mosh terminal application offering robust features like xterm compatibility, secure authentication via keys and certificates, and smart port forwarding. It includes a code snippet library for batch execution and background connection monitoring.

Highlights
  • Full-featured SSH terminal
  • xterm compatibility
  • tmux support
  • Secure authentication (keys, certs)
  • Smart port forwarding
  • Code snippet library
  • Background connection monitoring
Features
Read full description

ShadowTerm is a full-featured SSH and Mosh terminal built natively for iPhone and iPad. Manage servers, debug code, and keep tmux & herdr sessions alive across networks with a desktop-quality terminal and a keyboard built for the work. KEY FEATURES Connections that survive - SSH with passwords, SSH keys, and certificate authentication - Mosh for roaming connections that survive network drops, app backgrounding, and device sleep - Smart port forwarding (local and remote) for secure tunneling - Auto-connect on launch and geofence-based auto-connection - Background connection monitoring with notifications and Live Activities Terminal experience - Native SwiftTerm with xterm-256 color compatibility - First-class tmux, GNU screen, and Herdr support with automatic detection - Full mouse-mode support for mouse-driven TUIs: tap to left-click, long-press to right-click, and scroll to navigate - Multi-window on iPadOS: open Terminal, Files, Monitor, Markdown, or Text Editor in their own windows - Five terminal themes: Midnight, Oceanic, Solar, Neon, Classic - Pinch-to-zoom font sizing and live cursor-tracked scrolling Custom keyboards built for terminals - 15 built-in layouts: Tmux, Herdr, Screen, Files, OpenCode, Productivity, DevOps, Git, Kubernetes, Python, Node.js, macOS, Database, Security, Terminal Classic - Fully editable: drag-and-drop keys, custom snippets, sticky modifiers - Adjustable double-tap window for Ctrl/Alt locking, with an interactive test pad in Settings - Mic input bar for voice-to-text command entry - Smart keyboard switching when tmux or Herdr is detected SFTP and files - Full SFTP browser with multi-select and bulk copy/move/delete - Paste-to-upload: paste a screenshot, image, or file into the input bar to SFTP it straight to your server - Built-in text editor with syntax highlighting and undo/redo - Live Markdown preview - Transfer progress HUD with tap-to-copy destination paths - Per-host startup snippets that auto-run on connect AI command helper - OpenAI (GPT-4o Mini), Anthropic (Claude 3.5 Haiku), Google Gemini (2.0 Flash), Ollama (local), OpenRouter - Inline AI assistant in the text editor with chat-style refinement - Safety validator blocks fork bombs, rm -rf /, and similar dangerous patterns before they ever leave your device Claude Code and AI control - ntfy.sh-based notification polling for Claude Code permission requests - Approve or deny remote Claude Code actions from your iPhone or iPad - Session templates for repeatable workflows - Built-in MCP server: let Claude Code and other MCP clients open sessions, run commands, read output, and check host status ... with every risky command approval-gated, plus per-host always-allow for machines you trust - AI can even author and edit your custom keyboards over MCP Live server monitoring - CPU, memory, network, filesystem, disk I/O - Nvidia GPU monitoring when available - Reads /proc directly for accurate, low-overhead metrics - Background updates with optional notifications Productivity - Snippet library with batch execution - Recent connections with one-tap reconnect - Quick Actions on the app icon - iOS widgets for server status and recent hosts - Searchable Settings with auto-expand and live-tunable preferences - Universal clipboard sync iCloud and privacy - CloudKit sync across devices for machines, identities, snippets, port forwards, keyboard layouts, and settings - Encrypted credential storage in iOS Keychain - All AI requests use your own API keys, or run fully local with Ollama - No telemetry, no analytics, no data collection ShadowTerm is built by a developer who lives in tmux on iPad. Every keyboard layout, every gesture, every detail comes from real terminal use. If you've fought with mobile SSH apps that disconnect, lose your prompt, or feel cramped on small screens, this one will feel different. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://shadowterm.app/privacy

About

SSHHIP

A focused terminal client for developers to connect to their remote machines and resume existing tmux or herdr sessions. It offers secure authentication, a CommandDial for quick commands, and image transfer capabilities, all with a local-first design.

Highlights
  • Connect to remote hosts via SSH
  • Attach to existing tmux/herdr sessions
  • CommandDial for saved commands and keys
  • Image transfer to host over SFTP
  • Secure authentication options
  • Local-first design with iCloud sync option
Features
Read full description

SSHHIP is a focused iPhone and iPad terminal client for developers who keep real work running on their own machines. Add your Mac mini, workstation, or homelab host, connect with Automatic or direct SSH, and jump back into the tmux or herdr session you already use. SSHHIP is built for the small moments when you need to check a build, guide a coding agent, restart a process, or send one careful command while away from your desk. SSHHIP keeps the workflow familiar: - Save hosts you own or administer. - Connect directly, without a SSHHIP account or hosted relay. - Choose Automatic, direct SSH, or Mosh per host; Automatic uses Mosh when available and falls back to SSH. - Use Automatic authentication for Tailscale SSH or other hosts that accept keyless SSH, import an unencrypted or passphrase-encrypted OpenSSH Ed25519 or ECDSA private key, or generate a non-exportable Secure Enclave P-256 key. - Attach to existing tmux or herdr sessions with one tap. - Use the CommandDial for saved command snippets, common keys, sticky arrow D-pad navigation, directional pane focus in tmux or herdr, paste, selection, voice, keyboard control, and contextual multiplexer actions, with a resting-puck tap fallback to an organized full command menu where frequently used commands can be pinned. - Send a clipboard image or selected photos to your connected host over SFTP and insert their remote paths. - Optionally sync saved-host metadata across your Apple devices through your private iCloud database. - Keep imported credentials in the iOS Keychain and hardware-backed keys in the Secure Enclave. - Use a polished dark interface designed for terminal work. SSHHIP is local-first by design. There is no SSHHIP backend, no cloud vault, no analytics SDK, no advertising, and no tracking. Command snippets and command-menu pins stay on your device. Your host list also stays on your device unless you turn on saved-host iCloud sync. When enabled, saved-host metadata syncs through your private iCloud database; passwords, imported private keys, passphrases, and Secure Enclave key references still stay out of CloudKit. Automatic hosts can connect without a saved password when the SSH server allows it. Passwords and imported private keys that you save stay in Keychain. Secure Enclave private keys are non-exportable and never leave the hardware. Terminal traffic goes between your iOS device and the hosts you configure over SSH. When you choose Send Image, each selected image goes directly from your iOS device to that connected host over SFTP, and SSHHIP inserts the remote path into your terminal input line. SSHHIP is a one-time purchase. Every feature is free for one month, then you can buy the lifetime unlock once to keep using SSH, multiplexer shortcuts, themes, saved hosts, and client-side features. SSHHIP is narrow on purpose: a calm, native way to get back to your own terminal.

Screenshots

ShadowTerm ssh & mosh Terminal4 screens
SSHHIP4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: SSHHIP at 4.9 against ShadowTerm ssh & mosh Terminal's 4.3. SSHHIP also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 63%) and monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs paid). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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. ShadowTerm ssh & mosh Terminal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and SSHHIP sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SSHHIP holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 17 and 12 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of ShadowTerm ssh & mosh Terminal's written reviews are positive against 100% of SSHHIP's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
ShadowTerm ssh & mosh Terminal versus SSHHIP: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShadowTerm ssh & mosh TerminalSSHHIP
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (17 ratings)4.9 (12 ratings) — better
Positive reviews62.5% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings17 — better12
Update frequencyEvery 4 daysEvery 4 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank—#188 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size104 MB17 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCarlos SavcicKun Chen

Customer experience

ShadowTerm ssh & mosh Terminal

All ratings17 ratings
Positive76.5%
Neutral11.8%
Negative11.8%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive62.5%
Neutral12.5%
Negative25.0%

SSHHIP

All ratings12 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

ShadowTerm ssh & mosh Terminal

Subscriptions2
  • ShadowTerm Premium Monthly7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • ShadowTerm Premium Yearly$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Premium$29.99
1 purchases

SSHHIP

One-time1
  • SSHHIP Lifetime Unlock$29.99

Questions

Is ShadowTerm ssh & mosh Terminal free?
ShadowTerm ssh & mosh Terminal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is SSHHIP free?
SSHHIP is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, ShadowTerm ssh & mosh Terminal or SSHHIP?
SSHHIP is rated higher. ShadowTerm ssh & mosh Terminal averages 4.3 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while SSHHIP averages 4.9 from 12 ratings.
Do ShadowTerm ssh & mosh Terminal or SSHHIP have ads?
Neither ShadowTerm ssh & mosh Terminal nor SSHHIP shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ShadowTerm ssh & mosh Terminal or SSHHIP?
ShadowTerm ssh & mosh Terminal ships an update every 4 days, and SSHHIP every 4 days. Most recently, ShadowTerm ssh & mosh Terminal was updated on September 21, 2026 and SSHHIP on September 23, 2026.

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