Comparison

MTerm vs NetShell

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

Head to head
About

MTerm

This app is a professional SSH client and terminal emulator for iOS, designed for AI-driven remote development. It allows developers to run AI tools and manage servers from their mobile devices with persistent sessions and a customizable interface.

Highlights
  • Integrated SSH terminal and remote IDE
  • Persistent SSH sessions
  • Multi-window and multi-pane support
  • Workspace saving and instant restore
  • Plugin system for extending capabilities
  • Snippets and clipboard history
  • Customizable accessory bar
Features
Read full description

Run Claude Code, Codex, and AI agents from your iPad or iPhone — without being tied to a desk. MTerm is a professional SSH client and iOS terminal emulator built specifically for AI-driven remote development. If you need serious developer tools on mobile, MTerm delivers a stable, persistent, and fully featured terminal environment for modern workflows. Designed for developers who manage Linux, Mac, and cloud servers, MTerm combines a powerful SSH terminal, remote IDE, workspace persistence, and AI-focused tooling into one seamless experience. PERFECT FOR DEVELOPERS WHO - Run Claude Code, Codex, or other AI CLI tools remotely - Search for a professional SSH client for iPad or iPhone - Need a reliable iOS terminal emulator - Work in remote development environments - Manage servers via SSH daily - Build AI-driven workflows on the go MTerm is optimized for uninterrupted AI coding and serious remote development. ―――――――――――― AI DEVELOPMENT WORKSPACE - Integrated SSH terminal + remote IDE + prompt manager - Multi-window and multi-pane support for parallel AI workflows - Workspace saving with CMD + S - Restore native pane layouts instantly on reconnect - Built for long-running development sessions PERSISTENT SSH SESSIONS - Keep SSH sessions alive when switching apps - Designed for sustained remote development - Active sessions visible in Notification Center - Monitor running sessions with Live Activities ADVANCED SSH CLIENT - Password, SSH Key, and Keychain authentication - Jump Host (bastion) support - Local and Remote Port Forwarding - Secure, stable connections for Linux, macOS, and cloud servers - Mosh support for resilient connections on unstable mobile networks MTERM PLUGIN SYSTEM - Extend terminal capabilities with MTerm Plugins - Integrate your Mac or remote server environment - Session persistence powered by abduco - Reconnect to long-running terminal sessions safely - Display the current Git branch directly in the terminal footer SNIPPETS & CLIPBOARD HISTORY - Save commands and code as reusable snippets - Quickly paste from clipboard history - Ideal for repetitive development and AI prompt workflows ENHANCED AI PROMPT INPUT - Attach images and files directly in the prompt editor - Optimized for Claude Code and AI CLI usage - Seamless integration with the SSH terminal MULTI-PANE & TAB MANAGEMENT - Native split-view terminal emulator - Connect to multiple servers simultaneously - Organize sessions with tabs - Independent layouts per tab - Vertical tab mode for better session navigation - Unlimited panes (Pro) CUSTOMIZABLE ACCESSORY BAR - Configure shortcut buttons in the software keyboard toolbar - Improve command efficiency without external tools - Designed for fast command input on touch devices BUILT-IN REMOTE EDITOR (Pro) - Edit code, JSON, and Markdown directly on remote servers - Designed for uninterrupted development IMAGE PREVIEW (Pro) - Instantly preview files - Useful for reviewing AI-generated assets FULL CJK & IME SUPPORT - Accurate rendering for Japanese, Chinese, and Korean text - Full IME input compatibility - Stable long-form text input in terminal environments MAGIC KEYBOARD & HARDWARE KEYBOARD SUPPORT - Full keyboard shortcuts - Optimized for professional iPad development - Turn your iPad or iPhone into a serious developer workstation ―――――――――――― MTerm is not just another SSH client. It’s an AI-focused iOS terminal built for real remote development. Advanced features are unlocked with Pro. Privacy Policy: https://mterm.app/en/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

NetShell

A professional SSH terminal client for secure remote access on mobile devices. It offers a powerful terminal, SFTP file browser, and network tools for developers and sysadmins. Supports multiple connections, themes, and secure authentication methods.

Highlights
  • Full-featured terminal with SwiftTerm engine
  • Multiple concurrent sessions with tabbed interface
  • SSH key authentication
  • SFTP file browser with upload/download
  • Network scanning and topology map
  • Snippets with variable substitution
  • iCloud sync across devices
Features
Read full description

NetShell is the all-in-one SSH terminal, file server browser, and server management suite designed for developers, sysadmins, and network engineers who need secure remote access on the go. TERMINAL POWER - Full SSH terminal with 16 themes, multiple sessions, and broadcast mode - Local on-device shell with 20+ built-in commands - Multi-hop tunneling - chain jump hosts to reach any server - RSA 4096 and Ed25519 key generation and import - Telnet (plain + TLS) and Mosh auto-reconnect support - Port forwarding: local, remote, and SOCKS5 with auto-start on launch FILE MANAGEMENT - SFTP browser with multi-session tabs, upload, download, and inline text editor - SMB/CIFS file server browser with photo/video upload from camera roll - Grid and list views, batch operations, drag-to-reorder DOCKER & COMPOSE - Monitor and control containers: start, stop, restart, remove - Docker Compose stack management: up, down, restart, pull - Container logs, inspect, stats, and image management - Home screen widget with container status SERVER MONITORING - Real-time CPU, memory, disk, and load average dashboard - 30-day metrics history with interactive charts - Uptime monitoring with background checks and push alerts - SSL certificate expiry tracking with warnings - Security alerts for failed logins and brute force detection NETWORK DISCOVERY - Scan your local network via Bonjour and port sweep - Interactive topology map with force-directed layout - Device baselines to detect new or missing devices - One-tap SSH connection from discovered devices PRODUCTIVITY - AI assistant powered by Claude, GPT, or local Ollama - agentic mode with command execution - Command snippets with variable templates - Snippet sequences - chain commands with delays for automation - Connection tags and groups with drag-to-reorder - Siri shortcuts for voice-controlled actions SECURITY & PRIVACY - Credentials stored in iOS Keychain, never in plain text - Host key verification (Trust On First Use) - Face ID / Touch ID protection - AES-256 encrypted data export - Optional anonymous analytics (off by default, no PII ever collected) - iCloud sync for connections, snippets, devices, and rules - passwords never leave your device WIDGETS - Server status widget: CPU, memory, disk at a glance - Docker widget: running container count and status - Small, medium, large, and lock screen sizes Built for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ https://netshellssh.com/privacy

Screenshots

MTerm4 screens
NetShell4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: MTerm at 5.0 against NetShell's 4.1. MTerm also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 8 days) and review sentiment (100% vs 86%). NetShell's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and ratings volume (7 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. MTerm sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and NetShell sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

MTerm holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NetShell has 7 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of MTerm's written reviews are positive against 86% of NetShell's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MTerm ships an update every 3 days, NetShell every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
MTerm versus NetShell: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMTermNetShell
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better4.1 (7 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better85.7% of reviews
Number of ratings17 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterEvery 8 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size23 MB23 MB
Age rating17+4+
Developerkazuki oinumaWellington Mukahiwa

Customer experience

MTerm

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

NetShell

All ratings7 ratings
Positive71.4%
Neutral14.3%
Negative14.3%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive85.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative14.3%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

MTerm

Subscriptions2
  • MTerm サブスクリプション(月額)$1.991 Month
  • MTerm サブスクリプション(年額)$24.991 Year
One-time1
  • MTerm Pro$14.99
2 purchases

NetShell

Subscriptions2
  • NetShell Pro Monthly$6.991 Month
  • NetShell Pro Yearly$69.991 Year

Questions

Is MTerm free?
MTerm is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is NetShell free?
NetShell is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, MTerm or NetShell?
MTerm is rated higher. MTerm averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while NetShell averages 4.1 from 7 ratings.
Do MTerm or NetShell have ads?
Neither MTerm nor NetShell shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MTerm or NetShell?
MTerm ships an update every 3 days, and NetShell every 8 days. Most recently, MTerm was updated on October 22, 2026 and NetShell on October 15, 2026.

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