Comparison

AgentShell vs DexRelay

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

Head to head
About

AgentShell

This app provides developers with an SSH client to manage AI coding tools on remote servers. It offers push notifications for agent input, multiple session management, and secure key storage. Stay connected and in control of your development environment from your mobile device.

Highlights
  • AI agent support with push notifications
  • Lock screen and Dynamic Island session status
  • Up to 10 simultaneous sessions
  • 256-color terminal with extra keyboard row
  • Secure key storage in iOS Keychain
  • Unlimited saved connection profiles
Features
Read full description

AgentShell is an SSH client for developers who run AI coding tools like Claude Code and Gemini CLI on remote servers. The problem it solves You're running Claude on a dev server. It needs a yes/no answer. Your phone is in your pocket. Without notifications, you'd have no idea it's waiting. AgentShell watches your terminal for input prompts and notifies you. Works whether the app is open, backgrounded, or your phone is locked. AI agent support • Auto-launch Claude, Gemini, Cursor, Codex, or your own tools on connect • Detects when agents need confirmation or input • Push notifications show the actual question being asked • Banners when you're in another session • Per-connection working directories Lock Screen and Dynamic Island • Session status visible without unlocking • See "Working", "Waiting for input", or "Ready" at a glance • Tap to jump straight into the session Multiple sessions • Up to 10 sessions at once • Grid view with terminal previews • Sessions stay alive when you switch apps • Auto-reconnect on dropped connections • GNU Screen support Terminal • 256 colors, multiple themes • Extra keyboard row: Ctrl, Esc, Tab, arrows • Voice input • Copy/paste Security • Keys in iOS Keychain with hardware encryption • Face ID / Touch ID to access keys • Ed25519, RSA, ECDSA generation • Keys stay on device • Secure password storage Connections • Unlimited saved profiles • Quick connect to recent servers • AWS EC2 metadata support • Custom startup commands • Background connection keeper No web views Native iOS. SwiftUI. Pure Swift SSH. Launches fast, stays responsive. --- Subscription Information AgentShell Pro (Yearly) is available as an auto-renewable subscription at $9.99/year. Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription automatically renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel your subscription in your App Store account settings. AgentShell Pro (Lifetime) is available as a one-time purchase at $24.99. Privacy Policy: https://agentshell.dev/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ ---

About

DexRelay

Features
Read full description

DexRelay puts your Mac coding agents in your pocket. Control Codex and Claude Code from iPhone, switch agents inside the same project, approve commands, steer active runs, use plugins and image generation, and keep work moving while your source code stays on your own Mac. BUILT FOR CODEX AND CLAUDE CODE BUILDERS DexRelay is designed for developers who run Codex, Claude Code, or adjacent coding agents on a Mac and want mobile control. Create threads, send prompts, queue follow-ups, and steer work mid-task from your iPhone. Watch progress with a live transcript and concise status updates. SWITCH AGENTS, KEEP THE PROJECT Use Codex for one task and Claude Code for the next without duplicating repos or setup. DexRelay keeps threads grouped by the same Mac folder, with shared project actions, todos, runbooks, file context, and build controls. APPROVE FROM ANYWHERE Do not let a coding session stall because you stepped away. Approve or deny file changes and shell commands directly from the app or from iOS notifications, including Live Activities and Dynamic Island. MAC-SIDE BUILD WORKFLOWS Trigger Xcode and project runbook actions on your paired Mac. DexRelay can show build logs, status, and Mac-hosted build pages for developer workflows. The iPhone app is a companion/controller; builds are created by Xcode on the user's Mac and remain subject to Apple's normal signing and provisioning rules. PROJECTS, THREADS, AND RUNBOOKS Organize work across Mac repos. Each project can have its own Codex threads, Claude Code threads, todos, runbook actions, governance notes, and skills. Rename projects with phone-friendly display names without changing folder names on disk. PLUGINS AND IMAGE GENERATION Use supported Codex plugins and image-generation workflows from your phone when the matching Mac runtime is available. DexRelay lets you steer those agent tools without returning to a terminal. BOOTSTRAP PROJECTS FROM PHONE Start iOS, macOS, and web project scaffolds from iPhone in seconds, then continue the same work through threads, todos, runbooks, and approvals. FILE BROWSER AND ATTACHMENTS Browse files in your Mac project from your iPhone. Read source files, attach photos, PDFs, screenshots, and other context directly into threads. PLANNING BOARD Keep per-thread task lists that persist on your Mac. Push tasks into the composer as prompt seeds and keep follow-up work organized. CUSTOM QUICK ACTIONS Build custom action buttons per project: restart a server, open a service, run a smoke test, prepare a TestFlight workflow, or launch a repeated project command. CONNECT FROM ANYWHERE Pair via QR code over local Wi-Fi. Use Tailscale for optional remote access outside local Wi-Fi. Supports multiple Macs so you can switch between machines without reconfiguring every project. VOICE DICTATION Dictate prompts with voice commands built in: send, stop, and clear. Useful for reviewing code and steering agents while away from the keyboard. PRIVACY BY DESIGN DexRelay does not proxy your source code or coding-agent conversations through DexRelay servers. The Mac runtime runs on your Mac. Optional feedback and diagnostics can be sent from Settings when you choose to report an issue. Terms of Use: https://dexrelay.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://dexrelay.app/privacy

Screenshots

AgentShell4 screens
DexRelay4 screens

Verdict

The call

AgentShell and DexRelay are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters — price, ads, in-app purchases and device support among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. AgentShell sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year and DexRelay sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
AgentShell versus DexRelay: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAgentShellDexRelay
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequency—Every 4 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.016.2 — better
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB86 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperVijay BudhramCOCOTOFY LLC

In-app purchases

2 purchases

AgentShell

Subscriptions1
  • AgentShell Yearly$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • AgentShell Life$24.99
3 purchases

DexRelay

Subscriptions2
  • DexRelay Pro Monthly14 Days trial$5.991 Month
  • DexRelay Pro Yearly14 Days trial$49.991 Year
One-time1
  • DexRelay Pro Lifetime$99.99

Questions

Is AgentShell free?
AgentShell is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is DexRelay free?
DexRelay is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do AgentShell or DexRelay have ads?
Neither AgentShell nor DexRelay shows ads.

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