Comparison

Mobile SSH Terminal vs Helmrig Shell

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

Head to head
About

Mobile SSH Terminal

Connect to Linux and Unix servers with a full SSH client. Manage keys, browse files via SFTP, and run commands in a real terminal emulator. Offers secure authentication and a built-in text editor.

Highlights
  • xterm-compatible terminal emulator
  • SFTP for remote file management
  • SSH key generation and management
  • Password and key authentication
  • Bluetooth/USB keyboard support
  • Command history search and export
  • Adjustable font and themes
Features
Read full description

Mobile Terminal is a full SSH client for iPhone and iPad. Connect to your Linux and Unix servers, run commands in a real terminal, and manage the keys you connect with — all in one app. A REAL TERMINAL - xterm-compatible terminal emulator with full ANSI colour support - Scrollback, so nothing is lost when output flies past - Ctrl, Esc, Tab and arrow keys on a dedicated key row — vim, htop, tmux and nano work properly - One-tap quick commands: ls -la, pwd, cd .., top, df -h - Adjustable font size and font family, light and dark terminal themes - Pair a Bluetooth or USB keyboard — the on-screen keys step aside REMOTE FILES OVER SFTP - Browse the remote filesystem with sizes, dates and permissions - Upload and download files, and share them straight from the app - Create, rename, delete and change permissions without a command - Edit config files in place with the built-in text editor YOUR SERVERS, ONE TAP AWAY - Save connection profiles with name, host, port and username - Password or SSH key authentication, chosen per connection - Test a connection before you save it - Reconnect to any saved server in a single tap SSH KEY MANAGEMENT BUILT IN - Generate RSA key pairs (2048-bit or 4096-bit) on the device - Import an existing private key from a file, or paste it in - View SHA256 fingerprints and copy public keys to install on a server - Private keys go into the iOS Keychain — never plain text, never our servers SECURITY - Your keys and passwords stay on your device - Optional Face ID or Touch ID lock before the app opens - We never see, transmit or store your server credentials - Standard SSH protocol, straight to your server, no relay in between COMMAND HISTORY - Every command is recorded, grouped by connection - Search your history to find the command you ran last month - Export or share a session's history as a text file 19 LANGUAGES English, Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Arabic, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Turkish, German, French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese. WHO IT IS FOR System administrators, backend and DevOps engineers, students learning Linux, self-hosters running a home lab, and anyone who has ever needed to restart a service while away from a desk. PREMIUM Mobile Terminal is a subscription app, with monthly, yearly and lifetime plans. A subscription unlocks unlimited connections, unlimited keys and unlimited terminal sessions. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. A subscription renews automatically unless it is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel a subscription in your Apple ID account settings after purchase. REQUIREMENTS iOS 15.6 or later, and network access to the servers you connect to — port 22 or a custom port. SUPPORT Questions, bugs or feature requests: support@binaryscript.com Privacy Policy: https://binaryscript.com/ssh-terminal/privacy-policy Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Mobile Terminal is built by BinaryScript.

About

Helmrig Shell

Features
Read full description

The terminal from your desk, now on iPhone and iPad. Helmrig Shell is a native terminal — btop, tmux, vim, true color, ligatures, full escape-sequence support, rendered natively. Not a web view, not a cut-down mobile shell. A real desktop terminal that feels like the one you already use. Your sessions run on your own Mac or server. The iPad or iPhone is just the window — so they never drop. Lock the screen, lose signal, switch to another app, come back hours later: every tab, every running process, your full scrollback, exactly where you left it. No reconnect dance, no lost output. Drop a file onto the terminal and it uploads to your machine, with the full path dropped straight into your command line. Hand a screenshot to a CLI tool, attach a file to a running command — it just works, as if the file were already there. Built on libghostty for the rendering you'd expect from a desktop terminal. Hardware keyboard shortcuts, split panes, tabs that name themselves after what's running. Designed for iPad first, not ported from somewhere else. Works anywhere over an end-to-end encrypted connection — at your desk, on the couch, or across the world. Not limited to your local network. Helmrig Shell requires a subscription to use. A free trial is available, after which continued access requires Helmrig Shell Pro at $8.99/month. Payment is charged to your Apple Account. The subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your Apple Account settings. WHAT IT IS A window into your own machine. Your shell, your tools, your environment — running where they always have, now reachable from your iPad. WHAT IT NEEDS A Mac or Linux machine you control, running the Helmrig server. Setup takes one command. PRIVACY No third-party SDKs. No analytics. No crash reporting. Helmrig Shell servers never see terminal output. Full policy at helmrig.app/shell-privacy.html CONTACT hi@helmrig.app Support Link: https://helmrig.app/support Privacy Policy: https://helmrig.app/shell-privacy.html Terms of Use (EULA): https://helmrig.app/shell-terms.html

Screenshots

Mobile SSH Terminal4 screens
Helmrig Shell4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Helmrig Shell at none against Mobile SSH Terminal's 3. Mobile SSH Terminal's advantage is chart position (#173 vs unranked) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, 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. Mobile SSH Terminal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.00 per month. Helmrig Shell asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Mobile SSH Terminal ships an update weekly, Helmrig Shell every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on November 13, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Mobile SSH Terminal versus Helmrig Shell: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMobile SSH TerminalHelmrig Shell
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (7 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings7 — better—
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemium—
Best chart rank#173 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size49 MB39 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBinaryscript Private LimitedNikita Kislitsin

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Mobile SSH Terminal

Subscriptions2
  • Mobile Terminal Monthly Premium3 Days trial$9.001 Month
  • Mobile Terminal Yearly Premium3 Days trial$56.001 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Premium$119.00
None

Helmrig Shell

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Mobile SSH Terminal free?
Mobile SSH Terminal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Helmrig Shell free?
Helmrig Shell is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Mobile SSH Terminal or Helmrig Shell have ads?
Neither Mobile SSH Terminal nor Helmrig Shell shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Mobile SSH Terminal or Helmrig Shell?
Mobile SSH Terminal ships an update weekly, and Helmrig Shell every 2 weeks. Most recently, Mobile SSH Terminal was updated on November 13, 2026 and Helmrig Shell on November 13, 2026.

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